increase he had promised there; but the check of a sudden
political excitement came. It was the month when the vote was taken for
impeachment of President Johnson. "It is well" (25th of February) "that
the money has flowed in hitherto so fast, for I have a misgiving that
the great excitement about the President's impeachment will damage our
receipts. . . . The vote was taken at 5 last night. At 7 the three large
theatres here, all in a rush of good business, were stricken with
paralysis. At 8 our long line of outsiders waiting for unoccupied
places, was nowhere. To-day you hear all the people in the streets
talking of only one thing. I shall suppress my next week's promised
readings (by good fortune, not yet announced), and watch the course of
events. Nothing in this country, as I before said, lasts long; and I
think it likely that the public may be heartily tired of the President's
name by the 9th of March, when I read at a considerable distance from
here. So behold me with a whole week's holiday in view!" Two days later
he wrote pleasantly to his sister-in-law of his audiences. "They have
come to regard the Readings and the Reader as their peculiar property;
and you would be both amused and pleased if you could see the curious
way in which they show this increased interest in both. Whenever they
laugh or cry, they have taken to applauding as well; and the result is
very inspiriting. I shall remain here until Saturday the 7th; but after
to-morrow night shall not read here until the 1st of April, when I begin
my farewells--six in number." On the 28th he wrote: "To-morrow
fortnight we purpose being at the Falls of Niagara, and then we shall
come back and really begin to wind up. I have got to know the _Carol_ so
well that I can't remember it, and occasionally go dodging about in the
wildest manner, to pick up lost pieces. They took it so tremendously
last night that I was stopped every five minutes. One poor young girl in
mourning burst into a passion of grief about Tiny Tim, and was taken
out. We had a fine house, and, in the interval while I was out, they
covered the little table with flowers. The cough has taken a fresh start
as if it were a novelty, and is even worse than ever to-day. There is a
lull in the excitement about the President: but the articles of
impeachment are to be produced this afternoon, and then it may set in
again. Osgood came into camp last night from selling in remote places,
and reports that at R