hunered niggers, more'n a t'ousan' Poles, and de res' is all kinds. An'
every dern one of em's eddicated!"

"Educated! Really, you don't mean it?"

[Illustration: "WELL," SAID TUFF, "I'M ON DECK."]

"Eddicated! You kin betcher boots. De performin' dogs in the circus aint
a patch to dem free and intelligent Amerikin citerzens. I got 'em
trained so dat at de menshun of de word 'reform' dey all busts out in
one gran' roar er ent'oosiasm. I had eight hunered of 'em a-practisin'
in de assembly rooms over Paddy Coogan's saloon las' night. I tole 'em
de louder dey yelled when I said de word 'reform' de more beer dey'd get
w'en de lectur was done. Some of 'em was disposed ter stick out for de
beer fust, an' said dey could do deir bes' shoutin' w'en dey was loaded.
But my princerple is work fust, den go ter de cashier. So I made 'em a
speech.

"I sez: 'Feller-citerzens: Dis is de lan' er de free an' de home er de
brav,' an' den I give a motion wot means 'stamp de feet.' Dey all
stamped like dey was clog-dancers. Den I cleared me t'roat an'
perceeded: 'Dis is de haven of de oppressed, de pore an' de unforchernit
from all shores.' I give de signal wot means cheers, an' dey yelled for
two minits. 'Dis is our berloved Ameriky!' sez I, 'where no tyrant's
heel is ever knowed,' sez I, 'where all men is ekal,' sez I, 'an' where
we, feller-citerzens, un'er de gallorious banner of REFORM--' an' at dat
word, dey all jes' got up on deir feet an' stamped, an' yelled, an'
waved deir hats an' coats till you'd er t'ought dey was a Legislatur' of
lunatics. Oh, I got 'em in good shape--doncher bodder about me."

"Ahem," said Mr. O'Meagher thoughtfully, as he cracked his finger-joints
and puffed on his cigar. "You've done well, Tuff, excellent. Ah, Tuff,
there's going to be a meeting in the Cooper Union to-morrow night. The
people that are getting it up--er, well, I'm afraid they're not very
friendly to me, Tuff. The doors open at seven. Now, do you think the
proceedings would be interesting enough to your friends for them to
attend in such numbers as will fill the hall, Tuff?"

"Say no more, Mr. O'Meagher, dey'll be dere."

"In large numbers, Tuff?"

"Dey'll jam de hall."

"Early, Tuff?"

"By half-past six."

"Good. I think you'll find the policemen on duty there very good
fellows. You might see me to-morrow morning, Tuff, and I'll have
something for you."

VI.

THE HON. DOYLE O'MEAGHER.

(CONCLUDED.)

All bedecked wi