abors the P.M. did not undertake to perform
personally--though he had plenty of leisure for them, as well as for the
local defence of the National Administration, which was his peculiar and
official function--but he turned them over to a semi-idiot, who
occasionally did jobs of that kind, and who was willing to trust for his
pay to the coming of Professor Wesley.

The last letter from the postmaster ran thus:

Yure's of the 6th reseved, and contense, including for my
pussenel expenses, dooly noted, Washinton Hall has been moped
out for you and is clene as a pin, six new tin cannel sticks
have been put up in the antyrum by the propryetor, this is
lyberul, all the hanbils has been distributid, and the
posters stuck up, sum of em wrong side down, owin to the
bilposter bein a little week-minded, which will be a kind of
curosity, and an advantije to you I think. I have sent
tickets to the village pastures and their famylis, as yu
requested and they red the notises last Sunday and advised
everybuddy to go. I have gut public opinion all rite for yu
here, now cum on with yer panyrammer of Afriky.

Yure's trooly,

B. PERSIMMON, p.m.

This was cheering; and Tiffles only hoped that he would be able to
secure so faithful an ally in every postmaster, for he had decided to do
this preliminary work through that variety of public functionary, until
the success of the panorama would justify hiring a special courier to go
in advance and smooth the way for him,

All these preparations having been satisfactorily made; and the
panorama, with the curtains, the lighting apparatus, and the other
properties, having been forwarded in three enormous boxes to the scene
of the impending conflict with public opinion, Tiffles made ready to
follow. And, on the eventful morning of the----- of April, 185-, he
might have been seen at the Cortlandt-street ferry, accompanied by
Patching, who had graciously consented to see how the "thing worked" on
its first public trial.

Patching pulled his enormous hat still farther over his eyes, so that he
might not be recognized. This gave him an extremely questionable aspect;
and the ticket taker at the ferry peered under the huge brim
suspiciously as Patching came in. He also attracted the attention of a
detective in citizen's clothes, and was a general object of interest to
all the people congregated in the ferry house and waiting for t