of the
stipulation, is not derived from the intention of the party who may
happen to draw up a law or a clause, but from the assent of the legal
deputies. In the present instance, there are two negotiators, and I now
ask permission to address a few questions to them, reversing the order
of your own interrogatories; and the result may possibly furnish a
clue to the quo animo, in a new light." Addressing the philosopher, I
continued--"Did YOU, sir, in assenting to article 10, imagine that you
were defeating justice, countenancing oppression, and succoring might to
the injury of right?"

The answer was a solemn, and, I do not doubt, a very conscientious,
"No."

"And YOU, sir," turning to Captain Poke, "did you, in assenting to
article 3, in the least conceive that, by any possibility, the foes of
humanity could torture your approbation into the means of determining
that the bison-skin wearers were not to be upon a perfect footing with
the best monikins of the land?"

"Blast me, if I did!"

But, Sir John Goldencalf, the Socratic method of reasoning--"

"Was first resorted to by yourself, my lord--"

"Nay, good Sir--"

"Permit me, my dear lord--"

"Sir John--"

"My lord--"

Hereupon the gentle Chatterissa again advanced, and by another timely
interposition of her graceful tact, she succeeded in preventing the
reply. The parallel of the runaway horse was acted over, and I came to
another stand-still. Lord Chatterino now gallantly proposed that the
whole affair should be referred, with full powers, to the ladies. I
could not refuse; and the plenipotentiaries retired, under a growling
accompaniment of Captain Poke, who pretty plainly declared that women
caused more quarrels than all the rest of the world, and, from the
little he had seen, he expected it would turn out the same with
monikinas.

The female sex certainly possess a facility of composition that is
denied our portion of the creation. In an incredibly short time, the
referees returned with the following programme:

PROTOCOL of an Interview between, &c., &c.

The contracting parties agree as follows, viz.:

ARTICLE 1. There shall be an amicable, logical, philosophical, ethical,
liberal, general, and controversial interview.

ART. 2. The interview shall be amicable.

ART. 3. The interview shall be general.

ART. 4. The interview shall be logical.

ART. 5. The interview shall be ethical.

ART. 6. The interview shall be philosophical.

ART. 7.