A small bell was rung, and immediately the clerk commenced taking up tickets. Here was an eventful period for John--he had not troubled himself with the necessary receipt for passage, for one very good reason--he had none of the needful to purchase it with; like all philosophers he had great faith in luck, and now resigned himself to her care. “I'll take your ticket, sir,” said the clerk. “I wish you would,” said John, “if you see it any where about me.” The clerk took a stare at our hero, and then remarked, “I have no time to jest, sir.” “Nor I any inclination,” added John, “the fact is, my friend, I've got no ticket, and as uncle Sam is my only existing relation, and as you have a contract with him, suppose you book me as one of his males.” “I say I have no time for jesting, sir,” reiterated the clerk, in an angry tone, “so please to hand me your ticket.” “Well, then,” continued John, “I'll have to let you into my secret, I see,--I'm an attaché of the press, on my road to Washington;--now, I suppose, its all right. You are aware if I am delayed, Gales and Seaton will be very angry, and Blair and Rives get in a pucker.” The clerk was here getting into a wrathy state, when John's old friend reached the clerk the amount of his passage, and he passed on. John objected, but the old man insisted upon lending it to him, and the matter of fare being settled they sped onward smoothly as before. “Here's a streak of fat” thought John, “for I have accidentally fell in with a travelling angel,” and as some return for his generosity, he set about making himself particularly agreeable to his old companion. In the course of their conversation the old gent learned John's history, and that he was now on his way to Washington in search of business, to raise money enough to carry him west. His companion informed John that he was a western man, and invited him to bear him company to his home in Cleveland, Ohio; but our hero preferred the Mississippi country. He agreed, however, if he should fail in gaining business in Washington, to accompany him to Wheeling, provided he would increase the debt already incurred, and trust to the goddess, luck, for payment. After being assured that his company was considered worth double the sum, the matter was set at rest, and they entered Washington together. The old man had business in the city, and proposed to our hero, that while he was transacting it, he should take a stroll through the offices and see what chance there was for employment, and afterwards meet him at the Capitol. They separated, and when they again met, according to appointment, our typo “reported no progress,” so it was instantly agreed they should depart for Wheeling. As they gazed from the “spectator's gallery,” John whispered to his companion: