Modern chivalry :: :: University of Virginia Library

THE insuing day, the Captain arrived
in a certain city, and put up at the
sign of the Indian Queen. Taking a day
or two to refresh himself, and get a new
pair of breeches made, and his coat mended,
which was a little worn at the elbows,
he went to look about the city. The
fourth day, when he had proposed to set
out to perambulate this modern Babylon,
and called for Teague to bring him his
boots, there was no Teague there. The
hostler being called, with whom he used
to sleep, informed, that he had disappeared
the day before. The Captain was alarmed;
and, from the recollection of former
incidents, began to enquire if there were any
elections going on at that time. As it

so happened, there was one that very day.
Thinking it probable the bog-trotter, having
still a hankering after an appointment
might offer himself on that occasion, he set
out to the place where the people were
convened, to see if he could discover
Teague amongst the candidates. He could
see nothing of him; and though he made
enquiry, he could hear no account. But
the circumstance of the election drawing
his attention for some time, he forgot
Teague.

The candidates were all remarkably
pot-bellied; and waddled in their gait.
The Captain enquiring what were the pretensions
of these men to be elected; he was
told, that they had all stock in the funds,
and lived in large brick buildings; and
some of them entertained fifty people at a
time, and eat and drank abundantly; and,
living an easy life, and pampering their appetites,
they had swollen to this size.

It is a strange thing, said the Captain, that
in the country, in my route, they would elect
no one but a weaver, or a whisky distiller;
and here none but fat swabs, that guzzle
wine, and smoke segars. It was not so in
Greece, where Phocion came with his plain
coat, from his humble dwelling, and directed

the counsels of the people; or in Rome,
where Cincinnatus was made dictator from
the plough. Something must be wrong,
where the inflate, and pompous are the objects
of choice. Though there is one good arising
from it, that there is no danger of my
Teague here. He could not afford to give
a dinner; and as to funds, he has not a single
shilling in them. They will make him
neither mayor nor legislator in this city.

Na faith, said Mr. M`Donald, the Scotch
gentleman who had been present at the embarrassment
of the Captain, on the occasion
of the former election; and having, a few
days before, come to the city, and observing
the Captain in the crowd, had come
up to accost him, just as he was uttering
these last words to himself: Na faith, said
he, there is na danger of Teague here,
unless he had his scores o' shares in the
bank; and was in league with the brokers,
and had a brick house at his hurdies, or
a ship or twa on the stocks. A great deal
used to be done, by employing advocates
with the tradesmen, to listen to the
news, and tell them fair stories; but all
is now lost in substantial interest, and the
funds command every thing. Besides, this
city is swarming with Teagues, and O'Regans,

and O'Brians, and O'Murphys, and
O'Farrels; I see, that they cannot be at
a loss without your bog trotter.

The Captain having his fears eased, in
this particular, returned home, greatly
troubled, nevertheless, that he could not
come up with the Irishman.