ck, you
know, and he can't complain. Now he has a weak chest, and when he begins
to cough--man, you are saved.

Our host, Opper, entered presently, and in removing the tablecloth
inadvertently came between us. McClingan resented it promptly.

'Mr Opper,' said he, leering at the poor German, 'as a matter of
personal obligement, will you cease to interrupt us?

'All right! all right! gentlemens,' he replied, and then, fearing that
he had not quite squared himself, turned back, at the kitchen door, and
added, 'Oxcuse me.

McClingan looked at him with that leering superior smile of his, and
gave him just the slightest possible nod of his head.

McClingan came into my room with me awhile then. He had been everywhere,
it seemed to me, and knew everybody worth knowing. I was much interested
in his anecdotes of the great men of the time. Unlike the obituary
editor his ear was quite as ready as his tongue, though I said little
save now and then to answer a question that showed a kindly interest in
me.

I went with him to his room at last, where he besought me to join him in
drinking 'confusion to the enemies of peace and order'. On my refusing,
he drank the toast alone and shortly proposed 'death to slavery'.
This was followed in quick succession by 'death to the arch traitor,
Buchanan'; 'peace to the soul of John Brown'; 'success to Honest Abe'
and then came a hearty 'here's to the protuberant abdomen of the Mayor'.

I left him at midnight standing in the middle of his room and singing
'The Land o' the Leal' in a low tone savoured with vast dignity.

Chapter 35

I was soon near out of money and at my wit's end, but my will was
unconquered. In this plight I ran upon Fogarty, the policeman who had
been the good angel of my one hopeful day in journalism. His manner
invited my confidence.

'What luck?' said he.

'Bad luck' I answered. 'Only ten dollars in my pocket and nothing to
do.'

He swung his stick thoughtfully.

'If I was you,' said he, 'I'd take anything honest. Upon me wurred, I'd
ruther pound rocks than lay idle.'

'So would I.'

'Wud ye?' said he with animation, as he took my measure from head to
foot.

'I'll do anything that's honest.'

'Ah ha!' said he, rubbing his sandy chin whiskers. 'Don't seem like ye'd
been used if hard wurruk.'

'But I can do it,' I said.

He looked at me sternly and beckoned with his head.

'Come along,' said he.

He took me to a gang of Irishmen working in the