eod's meaning; but
it required an immense effort on my part to control my laughter, when I
had fully taken in the ludicrous features of the proposition. I would no
more have given way to my inclinations, however, than I would have
yielded to the same desire when some ridiculous event happens at an
official Indian council. The picture of a coach with liveried coachman
and footman driving up to the door of the old American House in St.
Paul, and two half-savage looking men, shod in moccasins, climbing into
it, to be transported three or four blocks to the old capitol, with a
gaping crowd of half-breeds and ruffianly spectators looking on in
amazement, passed before my mind, and made me wonder what would be the
result of such a phenomenal spectacle; but I simply said: "We had better
wait until we get there, and see what the other fellows do; but there is
one thing I can promise you, and that is, that our district shall not
fall behind any of the rest of them if it takes a coach and six to hold
it up."

When we arrived at the parliament, of course McLeod's ideas of etiquette
and good form met with a rude check, and that was the last I ever heard
of the subject.

But it was not the last I heard of my colleague. His convivial and
belligerent characteristics led him into all sorts of scrapes. He was,
however, usually quite competent to take care of himself, and we each
followed our own trails without interference, until some political
question of more than ordinary interest came up in the house, and an
evening session was agreed upon for its discussion. McLeod was to speak
on the subject, and he spent nearly all day in preparation, which
consisted in dropping in at old Caulder's, a brother Scotchman, about
every hour and taking a drink, so when the time arrived he was loaded to
the guards with inspiration.

In the old capitol the halls of legislation were on the second floor,
the house on one side and the council on the other, with an open hall
between them and a stairway leading up from below. The height between
the floors was about sixteen feet. It had been arranged that a keg of
whisky should be put into the council chamber, to be presided over by
the sergeant-at-arms of the council, who was an enormous man, larger
even than McLeod.

The hour arrived, a large party attended the debate, among whom were Joe
Rolette and I, many ladies also gracing the occasion. McLeod spoke, and
after he had finished, he sauntered over to