ppearance of the
Honourable Giles Henderson,--of the blameless life. Utter a syllable
against him if you can! These words should be inscribed on his buttons if
he had any--but he has none. They seem to be, unuttered, on the tongues
of the gentlemen who escort the Honourable Giles, United States Senator
Greene and the Honourable Elisha Jane, who has obtained leave of absence
from his consular post to attend the convention,--and incidentally to
help prepare for it.

But who and what is this? The warlike blast of a siren horn is heard, the
crowd in the lobby rushes to the doors, people up-stairs fly to the
windows, and the Honourable Adam B. Hunt leans out and nearly falls out,
but is rescued by Division Superintendent Manning of the Northeastern
Railroads, who has stepped in from Number Seven to give a little private
tug of a persuasive nature to the Honourable Adam's coat-tails. A red
Leviathan comes screaming down Main Street with a white trail of dust
behind it, smothering the occupants of vehicles which have barely
succeeded in getting out of the way, and makes a spectacular finish
before the Pelican by sliding the last fifty feet on locked rear wheels.

A group in the street raises a cheer. It is the People's Champion! Dust
coat, gauntlets, goggles, cannot hide him; and if they did, some one
would recognize that voice, familiar now and endeared to many, and so
suited to command:--"Get that baggage off, and don't waste any time!
Jump out, Watling--that handle turns the other way. Well, Tooting, are
the headquarters ready? What was the matter that I couldn't get you on
the telephone?" (To the crowd.) "Don't push in and scratch the paint.
He's going to back out in a minute, and somebody'll get hurt."

Mr. Hamilton Tooting (Colonel Hamilton Tooting that is to be--it being an
open secret that he is destined for the staff) is standing hatless on the
sidewalk ready to receive the great man. The crowd in the rotunda makes a
lane, and Mr. Crewe, glancing neither to the right nor left, walks
upstairs; and scarce is he installed in the bridal suite, surrounded by
his faithful workers for reform, than that amazing reception begins. Mr.
Hamilton Tooting, looking the very soul of hospitality, stands by the
doorway with an open box of cigars in his left hand, pressing them upon
the visitors with his right. Reform, contrary to the preconceived opinion
of many, is not made of icicles, nor answers with a stone a request for
bread. A