,
for you come from England, and you do not know my country.«
    »Then you think,« said Martin, »that allowing for the hardships we are
prepared to undergo, there is a reasonable - Heaven knows we don't expect much -
a reasonable opening in this place?«
    »A reasonable opening in Eden, sir! But see the agent, see the agent; see
the maps, and plans, sir; and conclude to go or stay, according to the natur' of
the settlement. Eden hadn't need to go a begging yet, sir,« remarked the
General.
    »It is an awful lovely place, sure-ly. And frightful wholesome, likewise!«
said Mr. Kettle, who had made himself a party to this conversation as a matter
of course.
    Martin felt that to dispute such testimony, for no better reason than
because he had his secret misgivings on the subject, would be ungentlemanly and
indecent. So he thanked the General for his promise to put him in personal
communication with the agent; and concluded to see that officer next morning. He
then begged the General to inform him who the Watertoast Sympathisers were, of
whom he had spoken in addressing Mr. La Fayette Kettle, and on what grievances
they bestowed their Sympathy. To which the General, looking very serious, made
answer, that he might fully enlighten himself on those points to-morrow by
attending a Great Meeting of the Body, which would then be held at the town to
which they were travelling: »over which, sir,« said the General, »my
fellow-citizens have called on me to preside.«
    They came to their journey's end late in the evening. Close to the railway
was an immense white edifice, like an ugly hospital, on which was painted
»NATIONAL HOTEL.« There was a wooden gallery or verandah in front, in which it
was rather startling, when the train stopped, to behold a great many pairs of
boots and shoes, and the smoke of a great many cigars, but no other evidences of
human habitation. By slow degrees, however, some heads and shoulders appeared,
and connecting themselves with the boots and shoes, led to the discovery that
certain gentlemen boarders, who had a fancy for putting their heels where the
gentlemen boarders in other countries usually put their heads, were enjoying
themselves after their own manner in the cool of the evening.
    There was a great bar-room in this hotel, and a great public room in which
the general table was being set out for supper
