ething better yet," Bill resumed. "Dunderbunk used to be
full of crying women. They've stopped crying now."

Here the whole assemblage, Chairman and all, burst into an irrepressible
cheer.

"But I'm making my speech as long as a lightning-rod," said the speaker.
"I'll put on the brakes, short. I guess Mr. Wade understands pretty well,
now, how we feel; and if he don't, here it all is in shape, in this
document, with 'Whereas' at the top and 'Resolved' entered along down in
five places. Mr. Purtett, will you hand the Resolutions to the
Superintendent?"

Perry advanced and did his office loftily, much to the amusement of Wade
and the workmen.

"Now," Bill resumed, "we wanted, besides, to make you a little gift, Mr.
Wade, to remember the day by. So we got up a subscription, and every man
put in his dime. Here's the present,--hand 'em over, Perry!

"There, Sir, is THE BEST PAIR OF SKATES to be had in York City, made for
work, and no nonsense about 'em. We Dunderbunk boys give 'em to you, one
for all, and hope you'll like 'em and beat the world skating, as you do in
all the things we've knowed you try.

"Now, boys," Bill perorated, "before I retire to the shades of private
life, I motion we give Three Cheers--regular Toplifters--for Richard
Wade!"

"Hurrah! Wade and Good Government!" "Hurrah! Wade and Prosperity!"
"Hurrah! Wade and the Women's Tears Dry!"

Cheers like the shout of Achilles! Wielding sledges is good for the
bellows, it appears. Toplifters! Why, the smoky black rafters overhead had
to tug hard to hold the roof on. Hurrah! From every corner of the vast
building came back rattling echoes. The Works, the machinery, the
furnaces, the stuff, all had their voice to add to the verdict.

Magnificent music! and our Anglo-Saxon is the only race in the world
civilized enough to join in singing it. We are the only hurrahing
people,--the only brood hatched in a "Hurrah's nest."

Silence restored, the Chairman, prompted by Perry, said, "Gentlemen, Mr.
Wade has the floor for a few remarks."

Of course Wade had to speak, and did. He would not have been an American
in America else. But his heart was too full to say more than a few hearty
and earnest words of good feeling.

"Now, men," he closed, "I want to get away on the river and see if my
skates will go as they look; so I'll end by proposing three cheers for
Smith Wheelwright, our Chairman, three for our Orator, Tarbox, three for
Old Dunderbunk,--Works, Men,