notice, and one or two of the greener members of his state where urging his claims.

Clodhead's confidential friends had run up the name of Mr. Plunket for speaker, with a view to give that gentleman more importance with his party.

Johnny Jump-up, seeing, with some indignation, that Plunket was brought forward, put a few of his own friends out as feelers. Some gentlemen present, remarked that " Jump-up took it as a mortal offence, that Clodhead's friends should have shown such a preference to Plunket. A skillful manager might bring Johnny over to Belvedere. The breach between Plunket and Johnny must be widened immediately."

"Who will attend to that?" was the question.

The member from New York who was present agreed to see Johnny's barber, and to bring the matter about through that ingenious individual, whose smelling bottles and aromatic lathers had the most powerful influence over Mr. Jump-up. In fact the distinguished gentleman's barber was his confidential friend, and told him the news, and received the news in return, every morning.

But it is not important to detail all the proceed. ings of this meeting. The reader will readily perceive that thirty politicians earnestly bent upon any design, form a powerful combination. Every member present entered into Belvedere's interest with great enthusiasm. Each one had his particular as well as general duty marked out. "The work must

not be delayed. It is not eleven o'clock; and something may be done even to-night. I will see Pustleponch before I sleep," said Sterling; and the company separated with mutual pledges and assu

rances.

CHAPTER XVIII.

Pustleponch was a man, of considerable literary pretensions. He had received, in part, a collegiate education; had at one time in his life been able to translate Virgil and Horace with some facility, and had waded through the Anabasis and Medea. Having entered early, however, into politics, after the manner of William Pitt and other eminent British statesmen, he had grown rusty in the classics; but he still aspired to acquaintance with the ancients; and kept generally before him, on his table, Plutarch's Lives for amusement, and Plato for show. But his great passion was Tristram Shandy. He was dead in love with Uncle Toby, and could quote whole passages from the chapters on Hobbies. He knew all the story of Le Fevre by heart, and in reciting it, when he came to the celebrated passage about the tear of the "recording angel", he would arise from his seat, and throw the most passionate sentimentality of attitude into the manner of his utterance, and close the exhibition by dashing his handkerchief over his face.

But, besides the few books named, Pustleponch had, in his room, great rows of political documents and writings; there were the Annals of Congress; the American Archives; the writings of Jefferson and Burke; the speeches of Fisher Ames; the Federalist; Congressional Debates, the Mirror of Parliament and Jefferson's Manual; the latter book much thumbed and worn; for, to admit the fact, Pustleponch was well versed in the details of parliamentary law.

It was important, just now, that this book should be seen in his hand, or on his table, by his visitors; and on this occasion, hearing a rap at his door, he hastily snatched up the volume and held it open in his hand, as he said "Come in."

Who presented himself, but Sterling!

"Ah General," said Pustleponch, rising joyfully to meet him. "I am delighted to see you, sir: come,

take a seat."

"I know so little about the habits in Washington, that I may be visiting at too late an hour; but I was anxious to renew our conversation on the subject of the speaker's election."

"It is never too late to see a friend, sir. But as to that matter, we soon become owls here; we sit up all night and sleep all day: night is the work-time here, especially, when there is any plotting or scheming going on," replied Pustleponch.

"There is much of that just now," said Sterling. "I see the greatest possible exertions on the part of the friends of Mr. Clodhead. I come to say to you, sir, with the utmost frankness, that my first

desire is to elect Mr. Belvedere. My second is to beat Mr. Clodhead. If Belvedere can not be elected I am at your service."

"Well, I like a frank man, and I appreciate your position. It is difficult for any man to know Belvedere, and not to love him. To tell you the truth, if it were not for my friends, I should give the track to Belvedere, and support him with all my might. I have no concealments. If Belvedere can beat Clodhead, as soon as we can ascertain the fact to a reasonable certainty, I will support him.

The reader will see how perfectly innocent Mr. Pustleponch was. The truth is, he was more of an honest man than the world supposed him to be. His vanities and literary eccentricities had given him, in public estimation, the character of being ambitious, and it is difficult for the populace to believe that an ambitious man can be honest. Doubtless, in this affair, his hostility to Clodhead, and his sincere admiration of Belvedere, had much to do in bringing him to the frank avowal above made.

Sterling smoothed over this conversation by some happy flings at the power in caucuses of such men as Plunket and Blunderbuss, and closed the interview by an eloquent allusion to the Union of the States, expressing his belief that the conservative element should be lodged in the hands of the people, and that there was no better way to give a fatal stab to Faction, than by declining to encourage the caucus system.

When Sterling was gone, Pustleponch felt very

much out of spirits. He began to see that Belvedere would supplant him. Others even of his own friends had made similar suggestions to him; and the matter of his declining in favor of Belvedere had already entered seriously into his reflections. He was not a man to sell out, but at the same time, he knew the difference between an awkward and a graceful movement in politics; and he felt that the mode of his retiring would regulate, to some extent, his position in the speaker's cabinet.

Sterling went, after this interview, to Senator Burton's rooms, and developed to him the Belvedere schemes. That senator entered so warmly into the plan, that he put on his cloak and started immediately in pursuit of Blunderbuss, whom he found at one of the fashionable hells, betting at faro.

"D-n the luck," said Blunderbuss, just as Burton entered the hall.. "That infamous Jack has lost seven successive bets for me," and with a long drawn sigh and a terrible oath, he dashed upon the table his few remaining checks, received a small amount of money, and arose to leave. Having lost several hundred dollars, he was in no good humor. He was much excited, not to say saturated, with liquor; and his nose was not the less fiery in its appearance, from the two black patches that adorned its either side, gloomy mementos of the rage of Ellen Simkins.

Retiring to a remote part of the room, with Burton, Blunderbuss, after complaining of his losses, fell into rather a serious conversation, in which the