ppose my bills averaged a week, there, sir?"

"I can't possibly say, sir--must have counted up very _heavy_, sir, I
think," responds the clerk.

"Heavy! ha! ha! you may well say they were _heavy_, my dear
fellow--_five and eight hundred dollars a week!_" says the Don, with a
nonchalance that would win the admiration of a flash prince of the
realm.

"O, no doubt of it, sir; it is very expensive to keep company, and
entertain the government officers, at Washington, sir," the clerk
replies.

"You're right, my dear fellow; you're right. But let me see," and here
the Don stuck a little glass in the corner of his eye, and glanced at
the bill; "ah, yes, I see, $102.51--a--a--something--all right, I
presume; if it ain't right, _we'll make it all right in the morning_."

"Very good, sir; that will answer, sir," says the clerk, about to bow
himself out of the room.

"One moment, if you please, my dear fellow; that Marteux of yours is
really superb. A friend dined here yesterday with me--he is a--a
gentleman who imports a--a great deal of wine; he a--a--pronounces your
Schreider an elegant article. I shall entertain some friends to-night,
here, and do you see that we have sufficient of that 'Marteux' and
'Schreider' cooling for us; my friends are judges of a pure article, and
a--a I wish them to have a--a good opinion of your house. Understand?"

"Ah, yes, sir; that'll be all right," says the clerk.

"Of course; if it ain't, I'll make it all right in the morning!" says
the Don Caesar, as the official vanished.

"Well, Charles, did you present that gentleman's bill?" asks the host of
the clerk, as they met at "the office."

"Yes, sir; he says it's all right, or he'll make it all right in the
morning, sir," replies the clerk.

"Very well," says the anxious host; "_see that he does it_."

That evening a Captain Jones called on Don Caesar--a servant carried up
the card--Captain Jones was requested to walk up. Lieutenant Smith, U.
S. N., next called--"walk up." Dr. Brown called--"walk up." Col. Green,
his card--"walk up;" and so on, until some six or eight distinguished
persons were walked up to Don Caesar's private parlor; and pretty soon
the silver necks were brought up, corks were popping, glasses were
clinking, jests and laughter rose above the wine and cigars, and Don
Caesar was putting his friends through in the most approved style!

Time flew, as it always does. Capt. Jones gave the party a bit of a
salt-water so