gerous individual. It is astonishing with what facility we gain bad
repute from association with a certain class of men and things. Our
country is a stalwart oasis, rising in reproachful greatness over the
old and dwindling dependencies around it; but our Pierce government is
a waste in its centre, contaminating and casting the blight of
intrigue upon those connected with it. It builds bulwarks for itself,
and breaks them down with the mere fog of its own breakers. It, like a
dauntless boy, seizes the helm of State, and steering by scheme
instead of compass, runs the ship ashore in unknown seas. As Smooth is
a national Christian, he believes the timbers of the old ship tough
and strong, or they had been bilged ere this. But, while speaking of
contamination in connection with Mr. Pierce, he (Smooth) is forcibly
reminded of the similarity between it and an episode in the life of
his great-grandfather. This venerable ancestor, when fine society was
less tenacious of its associations, entered upon the cultivation of
pumpkins as a business, but in after life, as the novelist has it,
became a railroad president, and as an inseparable result, a great
financier. When in the latter position, being a very sensitive person,
he tried to get rid of the odor of the pumpkin business; but all to no
purpose. Do what he would, go where he would, contribute to what he
would, mix with what society he would, be as generous as he would,
people were heard to whisper 'pumpkins;' and to construe his motives
as prompted by the same spirit which induced him to make a business of
cultivating that vegetable. A similar odor, arising from his
connection with Pierce, Smooth found clinging to his garments. The
world in general viewed him as a dangerous man, for the simple reason
that his master was regarded with the same eye of suspicion. Pierce
was not ignorant of this, and to obviate Smooth's difficulties, said
he would send him Down East, as before related. Being of an undecided
turn, he could not make up his mind about the war business in Europe,
nor could he exactly define where he stood with regard to Central
America. He would like to give me (Smooth) the job to do the fighting
for these United States, for he felt sure I could not fail to make a
grand affair of it. As for Caleb being taken into the contract (he,
the General, shook his head doubtingly), he had some doubt of the
policy; he was fast enough, but there was no knowing which way he
would