not moved there in quite the highest
circles.

Then we began to think of the hospitality of the island, and the
officers of the John Bright were asked to dine with us on the
following day. I and my wife and son, and the two Craswellers, and
three or four others, agreed to dine on board the ship on the next.
To me personally an extreme of courtesy was shown. It seemed as
though I were treated with almost royal honour. This, I felt, was
paid to me as being President of the republic, and I endeavoured to
behave myself with such mingled humility and dignity as might befit
the occasion; but I could not but feel that something was wanting
to the simplicity of my ordinary life. My wife, on the spur of the
moment, managed to give the gentlemen a very good dinner. Including
the chaplain and the surgeon, there were twelve of them, and she
asked twelve of the prettiest girls in Gladstonopolis to meet them.
This, she said, was true hospitality; and I am not sure that I did
not agree with her. Then there were three or four leading men of the
community, with their wives, who were for the most part the fathers
and mothers of the young ladies. We sat down thirty-six to dinner;
and I think that we showed a great divergence from those usual
colonial banquets, at which the elders are only invited to meet
distinguished guests. The officers were chiefly young men; and a
greater babel of voices was, I'll undertake to say, never heard from
a banqueting-hall than came from our dinner-table. Eva Crasweller was
the queen of the evening, and was as joyous, as beautiful, and as
high-spirited as a queen should ever be. I did once or twice during
the festivity glance round at old Crasweller. He was quiet, and I
might almost say silent, during the whole evening; but I could see
from the testimony of his altered countenance how strong is the
passion for life that dwells in the human breast.

"Your promised bride seems to have it all her own way," said Captain
Battleax to Jack, when at last the ladies had withdrawn.

"Oh yes," said Jack, "and I'm nowhere. But I mean to have my innings
before long."

Of what Mrs Neverbend had gone through in providing birds, beasts,
and fishes, not to talk of tarts and jellies, for the dinner of that
day, no one but myself can have any idea; but it must be admitted
that she accomplished her task with thorough success. I was told,
too, that after the invitations had been written, no milliner in
Britannula was allow