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er this was a case for the offer of a Bible. "Is it true, sir," asked the tourist, "that you have a passion for nicknames in America, so complete, that you confer them upon all your celebrated men, and that you call your famous Missouri banker, Thomas Benton, 'Old Lingot'?" "Yes; just as we call Zachary Taylor 'Old Zach.'" "And General Harrison, 'Old Tip;' am I right? and General Jackson, 'Old Hickory?'" "Because Jackson is hard as hickory wood; and because Harrison beat the redskins at _Tippecanoe_." "It is an odd fashion that of yours." "It is our custom. We call Van Buren 'The Little Wizard;' Seward, who introduced the small bank-notes, 'Little Billy;' and Douglas, the democrat senator from Illinois, who is four feet high and very eloquent, 'The Little Giant.' You may go from Texas to the State of Maine without hearing the name of Mr. Cass. They say the 'Great Michiganer.' Nor the name of Clay; they say 'The miller's boy with the scar.' Clay is the son of a miller." "I should prefer to say 'Clay' or 'Cass,'" said the Parisian. "It's shorter." "Then you would be out of the fashion. We call Corwin, who is the Secretary of the Treasury, 'The Waggoner-boy;' Daniel Webster, 'Black Dan.' As to Winfield Scott, as his first thought after beating the English at Chippeway, was to sit down to dine, we call him 'Quick--a basin of soup.'" The small white mist perceived in the distance had become larger. It filled now a segment of fifteen degrees above the horizon. It was like a cloud loitering along the water for want of wind to stir it. The breeze had almost entirely died away. The sea was glassy. Although it was not yet noon, the sun was becoming pale. It lighted but seemed to give no warmth. "I fancy," said the tourist, "that we shall have a change of weather." "Probably rain," said the Parisian. "Or fog," said the American. "In Italy," remarked the tourist, "Molfetta is the place where there falls the least rain; and Tolmezzo, where there falls the most." At noon, according to the usage of the Channel Islands, the bell sounded for dinner. Those dined who desired. Some passengers had brought with them provisions, and were eating merrily on the after-deck. Clubin did not eat. While this eating was going on, the conversations continued. The Guernsey man, having probably a scent for Bibles, approached the American. The latter said to him: "You know this sea?" "Very well; I belong to thi
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