"Now, gentlemen, I find by the report" (turning over the leaves in a fidgety way) "that from the year seventeen—no eighteen—no, ah, yes, I'm right—eighteen hundred and fifty—no, it's a '3'—thirty-six—eighteen hundred and thirty-six, no less than one hundred and ninety-three millions—no! ah!" (to a committeeman at his side) "Eh? oh, yes, thank you—yes—one hundred and ninety-three thousand—two millions—no" (after a close scrutiny at the report) "two hundred and thirty-one—one hundred and ninety-three thousand, two hundred and thirty-one! Gentlemen, I beg to propose—success to this admirable institution!"
To what the large and variously stated figures referred no one in the audience ever felt positive, but all agreed, as he had said they would, that this was the toast of the evening.
30. BEE LINE
[He knew how to escape from more than one kind of fire.]
A soldier on guard in South Carolina during the war was questioned as to his knowledge of his duties.
"You know your duty here, do you, sentinel?"
"Yes, sir."
"Well, now, suppose they should open on you with shells and musketry, what would you do?"
"Form a line, sir."
"What! one man form a line?"