A Quid Pro Quo

He was oníy first consnl theu, and I was consnl general - for tbe United States of ceñirse - and ve were very intímate, ïictwithstanding the difference in rank, íor I waived that. One day soinething nfferert tbe opening, and he Süid: "Wel!, general, I snppose life can never get eutirely c]u!l to f:n American, because wheaever he can't strike up any otherway tü put in his time he can always get away with a few years trying to find out who bis grandfatheï was." I fairly shonted, for I bad never heard it sound botter, and then I waa ; back at biru qniok a3 a flash: "Eight, your exoellenoy. But I reck; on a Frejjchman's got his little standby for a dull time, too, because wben all i otber intorests fail he can turn in see if i he can find out who his father was. " Well, you should have heard him jnst whoop and cackle andearry on. He reached over and hit meon theshoulder and said: "Land, but it'sgood! It's immensely good! I George, I never heard it said so good in íny life beíore. tíay it i aeain. " Sol said it agaiu, and be said his again, and I said ruine again, and theu he did, and then I did, and then he did, and we kept on doing it and doing it, and I never bad such a good time, and he said the same. ín my opinión there isn't anything tliat is as killing as one of tbose dear oíd ripe pensioners if you know how to snatch it out in a kind of