"Oh, but he must be. I met him as he rode into town, and he said that he intended to stop at this hotel. He has been here about an hour." "No, he hasn't. The only man that has been here for lodging to-day was an old clodhopper who was so spattered with mud that you couldn't see the color of his coat. I sent him round to the Planters'." "Did he have reddish-brown hair, and did he ride a gray horse?" "Yes, and he was quite tall." "That was Mr. Jefferson," said the gentleman. "Mr. Jefferson!" cried the landlord. "Was that the vice president? Here, Dick! build a fire in the best room. Put everything in tiptop order, Sally. What a dunce I was to turn Mr. Jefferson away! He shall have all the rooms in the house, and the ladies' parlor, too, I'll go right round to the Planters' and fetch him back." So he went to the other hotel, where he found the vice president sitting with some friends in the parlor. "Mr. Jefferson," he said, "I have come to ask your pardon. You were so bespattered with mud that I thought you were some old farmer. If you'll come back to my house, you shall have the best room in it--yes, all the rooms if you wish. Won't you come?" "No," answered Mr. Jefferson. "A farmer is as good as any other man; and where there's no room for a farmer, there can be no room for me." A LESSON IN MANNERS One morning there was a loud knock at Dean Swift's door. The servant opened it. A man who was outside handed her a fine duck that had lately been killed, and said,--"Here's a present for the Dean. It's from Mr. Boyle." Then, without another word, he turned and walked away. A few days afterward the man came again. This time he brought a partridge. "Here's another bird from Mr. Boyle." Now, Mr. Boyle was a sporting neighbor who spent a good deal of time in shooting. He was a great admirer of Dean Swift, and took pleasure in sending him presents of game. The third time, the man brought a quail. "Here's something else for the Dean," he said roughly, and tossed it into the servant's arms. The servant complained to her master. "That fellow has no manners," she said. "The next time he comes," said the Dean, "let me know, and I will go to the door." It was not long until the man came with another present. The Dean went to the door. "Here's a rabbit from Mr. Boyle," said the man. "See here," said the Dean in a stern voice, "that is not the way to deliver a message here. Just step inside and make believe that you are Dean Swift. I will go out and make believe that I am bringing him a present. I will show you how a messenger ought to behave." "I'll agree to that," said the man; and he stepped inside. The Dean took the rabbit and went out of the house. He walked up the street to the next block. Then he came back and knocked gently at the door. [Illustration]