thought I after the orator descended so suddenly from his rhetorical and personal elevation.
Business was for the moment swallowed up in a roar of laughter, to which the ex-Senator, the dignified Principal, the energetic dealer in Statistics, and the Agent, contributed; and even the fallen speaker, whose title to the floor no one was inclined to dispute, joined in the chorus.
The person who had caused this catastrophe, apologized to Mr. G. by remarking, "You got through quicker than I'd any idee of."
"Or I either," dryly returned Mr. G., brushing the dust from his inexpressibles.
This occurrence seemed the signal for adjournment, and all retired in good spirits, thanks to the gentleman who had thus, in spite of himself, been made the instrument of producing such a pleasant state of feeling.
A sort of informal levee was held on the following morning, when all the forcible things bearing on the subject in hand were said which had been forgotten at the meeting of the night previous, or were the result of after cogitations.
As the time drew near for leaving, I called upon the landlord for my bill.
"Oh, that's all settled," said he.
"Settled? by whom, pray?" I asked.
"Why, they told me not to take anything from you, as they would make it all right," he replied.