g, as there are no private grounds
connected with the House. In the model Republic privacy is unknown.
Everything is open and aboveboard. Intelligent citizens gain much
thereby.

As to interviewing Royalty, that is another affair. An American
interviews his President as a right. In the Old World monarchs keep
people at arm's-length. And they are right. No man is a hero to his
valet. But I have interviewed the President of the United States; that
is something to think of. The interview was a farce--but such is life.

CHAPTER XVII.
A BANK GONE.

"Was there much of a sensation there when you left B--- this morning?"
said the manager of a leading daily to me as I was comfortably seated in
his pleasant room in the fine group of buildings known to all the world
as the printing and publishing offices of _The West Anglian Daily_, where
I had gone in search of a little cash, which, happily, I obtained.

"None at all," said I, in utter ignorance of what he was driving at.
"None at all; no one knew I was leaving," and I smiled as if I had said
something good.

"No, I did not mean that," said the manager. "It seems you have not
heard the news. Brown and Co. have suspended payment. We have just had
a telegram to that effect," which he handed me to read. "Do you bank
there?" he asked.

"Upon my word," I said, "I don't know. I never read the name of the
firm; I only know that I pay a small sum in monthly, and write a few
cheques as occasion requires."

"You're a pretty fellow," said the manager.

"Now I come to think of it," said I, "that must be my bank, as there is
no other in the place, except a small branch which has just been opened
within the last few months by Burney and Co."

"Well, I am sorry for you," said my friend.

"Oh, it don't matter much to me," I replied, with a vain attempt at a
smile. Yet I was terribly annoyed, nevertheless. I had let my deposit
increase more than was my general habit, thinking as Christmas was coming
I would postpone settling little accounts till after the festivities of
the Christmas season were over. I was now lamenting I had done anything
of the kind. I was not very happy. Our little town of B--- is a rising
place, where people come and spend a lot of money in the summer. Some
spirited individual or other is always putting up new buildings.
Speculation is rife, and the tradesmen hope to grow prosperous as the
place prospers. Anybody with half-a-crown in