, who had found a
snug place of observation in a distant corner, where he stood with Mark beside
him (for he did not so often forget him now as formerly, though he still did
sometimes), thought he knew this gentleman, but had no doubt of it, when he
cried as loud as he could, with his eyes starting out of his head:
    »Sir, Mrs. Hominy!«
    »Lord bless that woman, Mark. She has turned up again!«
    »Here she comes, sir,« answered Mr. Tapley. »Pogram knows her. A public
character! Always got her eye upon her country, sir! If that there lady's
husband is of my opinion, what a jolly old gentleman he must be!«
    A lane was made; and Mrs. Hominy, with the aristocratic stalk, the pocket
handkerchief, the clasped hands, and the classical cap, came slowly up it, in a
procession of one. Mr. Pogram testified emotions of delight on seeing her, and a
general hush prevailed. For it was known that when a woman like Mrs. Hominy
encountered a man like Pogram, something interesting must be said.
    Their first salutations were exchanged in a voice too low to reach the
impatient ears of the throng; but they soon became audible, for Mrs. Hominy felt
her position, and knew what was expected of her.
    Mrs. H. was hard upon him at first; and put him through a rigid catechism in
reference to a certain vote he had given, which she had found it necessary, as
the mother of the modern Gracchi, to deprecate in a line by itself, set up
expressly for the purpose in German text. But Mr. Pogram evading it by a
well-timed allusion to the star-spangled banner, which, it appeared, had the
remarkable peculiarity of flouting the breeze whenever it was hoisted, where the
wind blew, she forgave him. They now enlarged on certain questions of tariff,
commercial treaty, boundary, importation and exportation, with great effect. And
Mrs. Hominy not only talked, as the saying is, like a book, but actually did
talk her own books, word for word.
    »My! what is this?« cried Mrs. Hominy, opening a little note which was
handed her by her excited gentleman-usher. »Do tell! oh, well, now! on'y think!«
    And then she read aloud, as follows:
    »Two literary ladies present their compliments to the mother of the modern
Gracchi, and claim her kind
