The Life and Adventures of Maj. Roger Sherman PotterAdams, F. Colburn (Francis Colburn)
General
The Life and Adventures of Maj. Roger Sherman Potter
Adams, F. Colburn (Francis Colburn)
Political fiction
Just at this moment, a dozen or so of wan faced reporters, in
massive beards and black hats, pressed eagerly through the crowd,
and went to work like beavers dotting down all that was said, and a
little more. Then commenced the address by Alderman Dan Dooley,
whose breath was redolent of anything but the balm of a thousand
flowers, and who delivered his speech with an unctuous self
satisfaction, and in a style of rhetoric totally unknown to
Pericles, and never thought of by Demosthenes. The address was
carefully worded, so as to make the major a greater statesman than
had been known in any previous age, which is a fashion at this day;
and if I be not much mistaken, this speech was written by that
witty scribbler of the "Times" newspaper, who gets up speeches for
heroes at five minutes' notice, and then, having pocketed the money,
laughs in his sleeve at the men he has made fools.
As addresses of the nearest possible resemblance to that delivered
on this occasion by Alderman Dan Dooley, may be found almost any day
in the morning papers, I hold it good economy not to occupy my
valuable space in recording it here. Nor, indeed, will it be
necessary to insert the major's reply, since it was very similar to
that made by him to the Commodore of the Yacht Club, and may also be
found in all the newspapers. And now, when these ceremonies were
over, the major bethought him of his horse and pig, the former of
which he found surrounded by a swarm of unruly boys, whom the
strange figure he cut, with the holsters and saddlebags mounted,
afforded much amusement. The latter was quietly lying down in his
cage, but came forward to render homage as soon as he heard the
major's voice. I should mention that the major always aimed to be up
to the fashion of the times, and learning from Councilman
Blennerhasset that demonstrations of a more public character had
recently been declined by one or two very distinguished politicians,
he made up his mind not to be a whit behind any of them, (for the
reason of which the reader may discover by conjecture,) and
therefore positively declined all public demonstrations,
notwithstanding the Splinters' Guard was soon on the spot, ready to
do him escort duty. He, however, retired into the cabin, where, (I
say it without envy, for I love a brave soldier,) he took a quiet
glass of whiskey and a sandwich with the very honorable "committee
of reception." And this being duly noted by the reporters, (one of
whom was seen purloining a sandwich or two,) the major gave
directions about the care of his pig, ordered his saddlebags upon
old Battle, who was weak enough in the extremities, and proceeded to
the wharf amidst the deafening acclamations of a hundred ragged
urchins, who, notwithstanding the distress of the animal, would have
mounted and rode away, but for the kindly interposition of two
policemen.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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