the
people.

"In the centre of the room stood a five-legged round table, somewhat
nervous and infirm of age. Upon it stood, badly arranged, two tumblers
of Cuba sixes, an ample stock of fine cut tobacco, about a dozen long
and much discolored pipes, a spacious ash-box, and the dirty boots of
Prompt, his lean figure sprawled back in a dilapidated arm-chair, a
long nine in his mouth, from which he incessantly puffed an immense
volume of smoke. Prompt's face was a perfect picture of edge-tools;
and with his easy air generally, his hands stowed away in the ample
pockets of his nether garments; his passion for the Byronic--made
known by the extravagant roll of a turn-down shirt collar--and his
bushy hair thrown back on a veiny and narrow forehead that seemed to
have been cut away to fit his hat, had an appearance easily imagined
by those who have witnessed in New Hampshire the general make-up of an
itinerant stump orator. I bowed as he cast his eyes along down my
figure, and gave a friendly wink. 'From York State, I take it?' he
continued. I replied I had been in York State, but was born on Cape
Cod. 'Well,' he rejoined, 'don't matter where a feller's born nor
grow'd, only he's got the right sort o' bone and siners in him.' The
general appearance of things had mightily changed since I last visited
the place--in truth, I could scarcely believe my own eyes. Mr. Prompt
now drew forth a handful of long nines, said he never liked to smoke
alone, and invited me to join him. I excused myself as well as I
could, adding that I had no small vices. The truth was, the
spit-boxes, and rat-traps, and a large supply of tobacco, looked so
suspicious, that I was at a loss how to comport myself: I feared I had
got into the wrong box. 'Anyhow,' said Mr. Prompt, 'bring yourself to
a mooring--remember we treat all citizens alike here--and be quite at
home in the establishment. Smooth, I believe, is the name?' He looked
at my card as I bowed, expecting every moment to see him rise from his
easy posture. With a sort of languid endurance he said the
establishment was at my service--that anything I desired would be put
through like Jehu. A set of snobby fellows, he said, had for a number
of years made a den of aristocracy of the place, but the aspect of
things had been changed now to suit the good fellow-spirit of our
institutions. Here he drew a deformed hat over his forehead, and let
fly a moist projectile; which, instead of taking effect in a b