ly telling
you this for your own good' I watched him anxiously as he grasped me
by the hand, and replied: 'Smooth! the boldest stroke in my
administration does not please me so much as sending you Minister in
General to Europe. But can half you say be true?'

"'True?' I rejoined--'too true for delicate ears! General, you may
accept my word when I say it is not so much the public duties as the
private affairs of men you have got to keep a close eye upon; when the
private affairs of public men get astray the public suffers: this is
borne out in the result of your having appointed foreign gentlemen to
misrepresent us abroad. Your house at Turin is fashionable, but sorely
scandalized; the people there love the _fair_, but expect fairer
things of Americans. Your son of Moses, who plays so well his part at
Alexandria, is a bird vain of his feather, and may to-day be seen
carried through the streets in something resembling a clothes-basket,
and to-morrow in the market purchasing Nubian slaves fair to look
upon. These things may be necessary to a very fine gentleman in
Alexandria; but the being who performs them at the expense of his
country well earns the pity of its people. And while I am on this
theme, General, I cannot in justice pass over one whom I say in all
seriousness has, when contrasted with others, won for himself immortal
honors; I mean our worthy representative at St. Petersburg, who
understanding no language but his own, and that very imperfectly, has
the great good sense to say nothing, seclude himself from the society
of the Czar, and seek only the enjoyment of his own melancholy
contemplations. Now General; however much you may esteem the doings of
your chosen, there is in Europe but one opinion of their manners; and
that opinion being, I regret to say, not the very highest, will for
some time to come measure our influence at sundry Courts. I got my
manners, General, by mixing with your chosen!' The General here drew a
long breath, said dinner was almost ready; would I not change the
subject, and talk about the war business, and such things.

CHAPTER XXIII.

MR. SMOOTH PROPOSES TAKING MR. PIERCE'S FIGHTING BY THE JOB.

"Mr. Smooth, a young man of the fast school, has been calculating,
during his tour in Europe, the saving it would be to nations if they
would but let their wars out by the job to some enterprising
fellow-citizen. He reckons, in a funny sort of way, he would then pay
just in accordan