“I am the Minister of Ways and Means, and you are discharged.”
“Is that so?” said the smoker, evidently not much impressed. “Do you know who I am?”
“No, I do not know,” said the Minister.
“Well, I’ll tell ye,” said the person, amidst clouds of smoke, “I am the janitor of this buildin’; an’ I’m not discharged, for I am not in yer Department, do ye mind me?”
This closed the debate, and One made a quick exit in high dudgeon. One was, to say the least, peculiar, erratic, and high strung. It was nothing uncommon for him to gallop into his den, with coat-tails flying, and talk volubly about three subjects at once, expecting Jellyman to fully comprehend all his intentions before he galloped out again, after a stay of about a minute and a half.
“You will meet me in Montreal. We leave for Quebec to-night,” he said to Jellyman on one occasion, as he flew out of his office on his tempestuous way. He always appeared and disappeared in a cloud of dust, arms waving and silk hat bobbing at a furious rate.
Jellyman followed instructions; went to Montreal and booked passage for himself and the Minister on the Quebec boat, which left at seven in the evening. The hour for departure arrived, but not the busy Minister. Jellyman could not locate him. A Minister of the Crown being a large and very important person in the eyes of the navigation company, the boat was held for nearly ten minutes. The captain decided that he could wait no longer, and the boat was just about to pull out, when a cab appeared driven at a hand-gallop. Within the cab the silk hat of One could be seen gleaming brightly, so the gang plank was again put out, and the little jumping-jack joined Jellyman on the lower deck. Again the boat started and was gently moving off, when with a wild shriek the Minister jumped upon the wharf, and drove off again as quickly as he had come, leaving his secretary to proceed to Quebec. Jellyman, on this occasion, wasted nearly two days hunting the little man, without finding him, and on his return to Ottawa found his desk littered with piles of telegrams, telephone calls and various miscellaneous documents.
When I received my first cheque I went immediately to Rex, who was now a senator and frequently in Ottawa. I explained to him that as there was no appearance of my appointment being made at fifteen hundred per annum as promised, it hardly appeared worth while to move my wife, family and household gods from Montreal to Ottawa, for a matter of three dollars per day, when I could easily make as much upon the street. In spite of his money, his senatorship, his whiskers and his dislike of long hair, Rex was good enough to sympathise with me, and we went at once to the office of Minister One. We were lucky that day and caught him first try. Rex brought to his notice his promise of a position at fifteen hundred for Mr. Wesblock.
“Wesblock must move now,” said he; “but he can only do so on the assurance that the fifteen hundred is in sight.”
The Minister was in his shirt sleeves, and was pacing the floor like a caged wolf.