fted a cigar between two fingers, sent a soft jet of
smoke into the air, and began monotonously:

"'Chains on a Southern woman? Chains?'

I know the lady that wrote that piece." He suddenly gathered himself
up for some large effort. "I can't recite it as she used to, but"--And
to the joy of all he was interrupted.

"Gentlemen," said one, throwing a cigarette stump into the fire,
"that brings up the subject of the war. By the by, do you know what
that war cost the Government of the United States?" He glanced from
one to another until his eye reached the wearer of the pearl, who had
faced about, and stood now, with the jewel glistening in the
firelight, and who promptly said:

"Yes; how much?"

"Well," said the first questioner with sudden caution, "I may be
mistaken, but I've heard that it cost six--I think they say
six--billion dollars. Didn't it?"

"It did," replied the other, with a smile of friendly commendation;
"it cost six billion, one hundred and eighty-nine million, nine
hundred and twenty-nine thousand, nine hundred and eight dollars. The
largest item is interest; one billion, seven hundred and one million,
two hundred and fifty-six thousand, one hundred and ninety-eight
dollars, forty-two cents. The next largest, the pay of troops; the
next, clothing the army. If there's any item of the war's expenses you
would like to know, ask me. Capturing president Confederate
States--ninety-seven thousand and thirty-one dollars, three cents."
The speaker's manner grew almost gay. The other smiled defensively,
and responded:

"You've got a good memory for sta-stistics. I haven't; and yet I
always did like sta-stistics. I'm no sta-stitian, and yet if I had the
time sta-stistics would be my favorite study; I s'pose it's yours."

The wearer of the pearl shook his head. "No. But I like it. I like
the style of mind that likes it." The two bowed with playful
graciousness to each other. "Yes, I do. And I've studied it, some
little. I can tell you the best time of every celebrated trotter in
this country; the quickest trip a steamer ever made between Queenstown
and New York, New York and Queenstown, New Orleans and New York; the
greatest speed ever made on a railroad or by a yacht, pedestrian,
carrier-pigeon, or defaulting cashier; the rate of postage to every
foreign country; the excess of women over men in every State of the
Union so afflicted--or blessed, according to how you look at it; the
number of volumes in