Of War I am the popular Secretaree—O.
I am the popularest man in all the show.
There were one or two or three
More popular than me
Till I received my portofolee—O.
George Washington, they say, was popular long ago.
His name to-day is sometimes mentioned still, I know.
But where d’you think he’ll be
If he’s compared with me,
When I resign my portofolee—O?
The very day that I into the White House go
My friends shall see my gratitude is never slow;
And chief of all their clan
Shall be the enlisted man,
For he shall have my portofolee—O!
Even Joshua smiled, and Joshua was a solemn man, not to speak of his delicate position regarding Leonidas. He sat up late, drank to the health of Jimmy St. Michael, and remarked that he doubted if Jimmy felt any younger than he did.
But the hour for poor Leonidas to smile had not yet come. There was silence most unaccountable from the Secretary of War, and the encouragement given by having an inspector come several hundred miles received presently a rude shock.
Jimmy St. Michael returned to Whipple Barracks and made a carefully solemn report to the Commanding General; but at the end of it, seeing that the Commanding General’s solemnity was less careful, he ceased to be an inspector, and said with his engaging Kings Port accent:
“General, did you ever put sugar on a raw oyster and try to swallow it?”
“It can’t be done!” declared the General. “I’ve known that since I was at the Military Academy.”
“It can be done, sir, if you will pardon my contradicting you. I did it myself on a bet at the Military Academy.”
“Good Lord!” said the General. “What was it like?”