Hancock And Tilden

"You set, Mr. Tilden," rcmarkcd tho general coufidentially, "wc are going to mako a livcly cumpaign ot' this. We will tako the offenaive iruni the start, and we must wlioop lier up." "Oh, yes," said the old man n an iiuprettire whisper, "that's all right; it il lm iped up uow." And lir suiilod at thü general as onc who should enoourage another to proceed, but in a difl'ereut direction. The general eohoed the smilc faintly but hopefully, aud hitohed lus ehair a little ncarer. 'Vou .--ue," he went on, with kindling emliu-iistu, "I ani nut niuoli ol' a politioiao, and liave everything to learn in the management ol' these things, but I know TC uiust KL't ahead of them at the start. Vuil see?" "Uli yes, yes," the old niau replied,.in a whiapur more intense tlian bet'ore. "Oü yes, that's all right. We'vegot a head aln ady. It's lieaded up too ; he, he ! lluoped up and heuded uj ; you're right; yes, you'io all right." And he .smilc -d agaio, a smilc that he, st'i'ined to tliink was tul 1 ot comfort fbr liis listüiicr. 'J'liu genera] looked at hini carne.stly and a little shadow of anxiety in pi over his answering swilc. "You under.stand, Mr. Tilden,'' he said present)}', "that I need your advicc and Iricntlly cuuncil." Tho old uiiui bowed again. The general looked up more hopcfully and went on : "Vou .see wlmt J aiu trying to get at - " "cs, Jes," ehuekled the old maneageily,"! kuow that's what they're all trying io net at ; ye.-, yes ; they're all trying to iret at it. Oh ves." Aud iu tin' pkusant muod whiuh tequiad to have come upuu liiui, he mude as tliuuiili he wou.d havo prodded tho general in the rib wiili bia bony forefioger, but suddenly drew back. Tho general looked worried, but returned to the charge witli patiuiit goud nature. "1 dpn't want to uiake any bungling work at the start," he said, "bcoause - "No no; no no " interrupted the old man earnestly, ''do bungliug tliin time ; you're ri;ht thore ; it's all rigbt, never was buuged up tighter, a bung-starter as big as a inaul wuuldn't start it; oh yes, you're right there ; no bungling this time." And the general fairly starttd, f'or as he listuncd, he thought lic heard the old man irhupr, under his breath, a.s a sort of appendix, '-'Nol a darnud bungle." He set his teeth hard, and looked in the old man's hall' closed eyes. "Mr. Tilden," he said, "I will be frank and open with you - " "Opeo?" said tbc old man with an intorrogation point in hs taco. "(Jh no, no. Hooped up. Didn't you say hoop her up, and didu't l teil you yes. It was hooped up? And headed, too? Oh no, not open. Xo, not open. Nn ot-t o p e-n. Oh, uo !" he added with grave and earnest deliberfction. And then hc looked at the general as though he didn't exact ly understand hun. The r ild purspiration Btood out on the general's biow in beaded drops. "Mr. Tilden," he said earnestly, "listen to me. You can not, you must not, misapprehend we. Do not stop me ; hear uie through. You can not delay or avert the inevitable ; you can not staye off - " "No," the old man said with startliog promptness and discouragingenergy, "No, that's so. You're right there again. Not a stave off. Tight as a drum." And he repeated with couiibrtable unction, "Tight as a drum; tight a.s a drum. Not a hoop loofe or a stave off." The general turned uneasily in his chair, and barely reprer'Sed a groan. As it was, he sighed, and with an appealing glance ïnto ilii' old uian's eyes, he said : "Tbi.s increases my fears and doubles my responsibilities. This adds - " "VVhat adze?" asked the old map, quicXly, and with a suspicious glance at (he genei al's side-pocket, as though he feared a concealed weapon or a mechanical instrument. "What adze?" he repeated in upparent alarm. 'l'hc general rose in despair, abstractedly rubbing his hat the wrong way. As he -t 1 near the door, he eaid : "1 will lea?c you uow. 1 will cali again and may I not trust that on anöther occasion you will listen to me more intelligently, and enter more zoalou.sly into ray llaiH? May 1 not hope, on - " "No I' the old man said, with mild emphasis, "you can opon nothing here ; not i ven a water-niclon ; not a postal card. 1 have no time. I have a cliënt who is - " Uc was HudUenly silont, f'or he was aloM, Pnwu ihe darkening fctreet he saw the msgnmcient outhnes of a superb figure, ciad in the splcndid uniform of the senior major general of the United States nrmv. The supeib ügure was tbrashing the air with its splendid arms. aud now and then wüdly kicking a tree box with its magniticient legs. The flickering street lamps shone on a bandeóme face convulsed with a variety of umotions,amocgwhichflatfooted wratbwas proiiiinent. The old mancould not heardistiuctly the remarks that feil froin the finely chiseled lips, but now and then the breeze of the summcr night wafted back faint cchoes of reservation profanity, and foothill objurgations, and West foint expletivos. The old man checked a sigh and turncd it into a Miiilc He leaned forward to gaze at the disappearing tubleau, and listened for further reinurk.-i. But solicitude reigned in the street, and only silence mocked his listening ears with voicelcss quiet. The Superb was gono.