as sure as that," and the Major with great
dexterity directed a stream of saliva which fell with unerring precision
upon the small stone in the gravel walk at which it was evidently aimed.

The Honorable Budlong Dinks watched the result of the illustration with
deep interest, and shook his head gravely when he saw that the stone was
thoroughly drenched by the salivary cascade. He seemed to feel the force
of the argument. But he was not in a position to commit himself.

"Now, _I_ think," said the Honorable B.J. Ele, "that it is the only thing
that can save the country."

"Ah! you do," said the Honorable B. Dinks.

And so they kept it up day after day, pausing in the intervals to smile
at the ardor with which the women played their foolish game of gossip and
match-making.

When Mrs. Dinks withdrew from her idle employments to the invigorating
air of the Honorable B.'s society, he tapped her cheek sometimes with his
finger--as he had read great men occasionally did when they were with
their wives in moments of relaxation from intellectual toil--asked her
what would become of the world if it were given up to women, and by his
manner refreshed her consciousness of the honor under which she labored
in being Mrs. Budlong Dinks.

The weaker vessel smiled consciously, as if he very well knew that was
the one particular thing which under no conceivable circumstances could
she forget.

"Budlong, I really think Alfred ought to keep a horse."

"My dear!" replied the Honorable B., in a tone of mingled reproach,
amusement, contempt, and surprise.

"Oh! I know we can't afford it. But it would be so pleasant if he could
drive out his cousin Hope, as so many of the other young men do. People
get so well acquainted in that way. Have you observed that Bowdoin Beacon
is a great deal with her? How glad Mrs. Beacon would be!" Mrs. Dinks took
off her cap, and was unpinning her collar, without in the least pressing
her request. Not at all. His word was enough. She had evidently yielded
the point. The horse was out of the question.

Now the state of the country did not so entirely engross her husband's
mind, that he had not seen all the advantage of Hope's marrying Alfred.

"It _is_ a pleasant thing for a young man to have his own horse. My dear,
I will see what can be done," said he.

Then the diplomatist untied his cravat as if he had been undoing the
parchment of a great treaty. He fell asleep in the midst of rehearsing
the spe