The fact is, between the sundown of one day, and rosy dawn
of another, our gallant Secretary just stepped out--that is, Mr. Bolt
has bolted!' Thomas bowed him politely out, and I leave you to judge
how many indignant threats were thrown out by Peppers, and what
occurred when he related the climax to his fellow-creditors, who
having a suspicion that all was not right, waited his appearance among
them at the corner of an adjacent street, against the lamp-post of
which they entered a protest deep and solemn. My great-uncle having
concluded his story, adjusted his crutch, wiped his weeping eyes,
relieved his hoarseness with a small quantity of temperance bitters,
and limped away.
[Note I.--The chapter is respectfully dedicated to General Pierce.]
[Note II.--The fastidious--I mean those rather inclined to facts, may,
to please their peculiar taste, transfer the scene of Mr. Secretary
Bolt's exploits to Paris; they may also add a date more modern.]
CHAPTER XXII.
HOW SMOOTH GOT HIS MANNERS.
"Readers, and fellow citizens of these United States in general! know
ye, that I, Solomon Smooth, in the first person singular, as Uncle Sam
Houston used to say, being worn out with the fatigues of the
Ostend-Aix-la-Chapelle Congress, crossed the Atlantic in two
steamships--wanted to do both a good turn--got busted up by
neither--and at last found myself calmly luxuriating in the velvet and
damask of the 'White House.
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