ucted that undertaking to a triumphant issue--was
got up in London, and formed mostly of Englishmen. The money that paid
for the ocean cable--came out of the pockets of English shareholders.
English manufacturers constructed it:--English artisans fashioned it;
and an English ship, the largest ever built, manned by an English crew,
laid it. There! what do you say to that now, eh?

"Caved in?"

I guessed so. Thought _we_ "could crow some, I reckon."

But, I will say no more on the subject. I have allowed you to have the
free benefit of my opinions--such as they are--at your private
valuation, no discount allowed!

You don't seem pleased--what is it that you say?

You want to hear about my doings; and not my opinions?

Bless me! How very impatient you are. I was only just going to
continue my story!

How can you hear about me without hearing my opinions also?

I dare say they may not appear palatable to you. There is no accounting
for tastes; and, as you probably know, "veritas odium parit!"

Still, you cannot separate a man and his opinions; they are inseparable.

Fancy an individual without an opinion of his own!

Why, he would be a nonentity--a thing!

Don't talk nonsense.

CHAPTER TEN.

A HARD FIGHT.

Across the wide Atlantic--
It drives me almost frantic,
To watch the breakers breaking, and hear their dull, low roar!--
My soul is winging madly;
And my eyes are peering sadly,
As I span the long, long distance from my home-girt shore!

I was disgusted with America in more ways than one.

Being of a hopeful, castle-building temperament, I had sanguinely
thought that I would meet with employment there at once; and, be able to
master in some unknown, mysterious way, the great art of money-making,
on the very instant that I landed in the New World!

I really imagined it, I think, to be an enchanted place, where every
newly-arrived person became magically changed into a sort of Midas on a
small scale; transforming everything he touched, if not into gold--the
days of California were now over--at all events into Washington
"eagles," or Mexican silver dollars, or even greenbacks, which were
better than nothing, although greasy and not acknowledged at their
nominal value.

Upon my word, I really believe that that was my secret opinion
concerning America before I actually crossed the Atlantic!

Probably, I would not have told you so had you asked me then; but I
think that was my