ling of thorns under a pot. Confucius and Martin Luther must
have been ridiculed, Mr. Crewe reflected, and although he did not have
time to assure himself on these historical points, the thought stayed
him. Sixty odd weekly newspapers, filled with arguments from the Book,
attacked him all at once; and if by chance he should have missed the
best part of this flattering personal attention, the editorials which
contained the most spice were copied at the end of the week into the
columns of his erstwhile friend, the State Tribune, now the organ
of that mysterious personality, the Honourable Adam B. Hunt. 'Et tu,
Brute!'

Moreover, Mr. Peter Pardriff had something of his own to say. Some
gentlemen of prominence (not among the twenty signers of the new
Declaration of Independence) had been interviewed by the Tribune
reporter on the subject of Mr. Crewe's candidacy. Here are some of the
answers, duly tabulated.

"Negligible."--Congressman Fairplay.

"One less vote for the Honourable Adam B. Hunt."--The Honourable Jacob
Botcher.

"A monumental farce."--Ex-Governor Broadbent.

"Who is Mr. Crewe?"--Senator Whitredge. (Ah ha! Senator, this want shall
be supplied, at least.)

"I have been very busy. I do not know what candidates are in the
field."--Mr. Augustus P. Flint, president of the Northeastern Railroads.
(The unkindest cut of all!)

"I have heard that a Mr. Crewe is a candidate, but I do not know
much about him. They tell me he is a summer resident at Leith."--The
Honourable Hilary Vane.

"A millionaire's freak--not to be taken seriously.--State Senator
Nathaniel Billings."

The State Tribune itself seemed to be especially interested in the past
careers of the twenty signers. Who composed this dauntless band, whose
members had arisen with remarkable unanimity and martyr's zeal in
such widely scattered parts of the State? Had each been simultaneously
inspired with the same high thought, and--more amazing still--with the
idea of the same peerless leader? The Tribune modestly ventured the
theory that Mr. Crewe had appeared to each of the twenty in a dream,
with a flaming sword pointing to the steam of the dragon's breath. Or,
perhaps, a star had led each of the twenty to Leith. (This likening of
Mr. H--n T--g to a star caused much merriment among that gentleman's
former friends and acquaintances.) The Tribune could not account for
this phenomenon by any natural laws, and was forced to believe that
the thing was a m