Then,settinghishairerectwithonecomprehensivesweep,hecaughtuphiscoat—skirtsoverhisarm,and,assumingaparliamentaryattitude,burstintoacomicalmedley,composedofextractsfromJeffersonBrick\'sandLafayetteKettle\'sspeeches,andElijahPogram\'sDefiance,from\"MartinChuzzlewit。\"GazingatGus,whowasconvulsedwithsuppressedmerriment,hethunderedforth:
\"Inthenameofourcommoncountry,sir,inthenameofthatrighteouscauseinwhichwearejined,andinthenameofthestar—spangledbanner,Ithankyouforyoureloquentandcategoricalremarks。You,sir,areamodelofamanfreshfromNatur\'smould。
Atrue—bornchildofthisfreehemisphere;verdantasthemountainsofourland;brightandflowin\'asourmineralLicks;unspiledbyfashionasairourboundlessperearers。Roughyoumaybe;soairourBarrs。Wildyoumaybe;soairourBuffalers。But,sir,youairaChildofFreedom,andyourproudanswertotheTyrantis,thatyourbrighthomeisintheSettin\'Sun。And,sir,ifanymandeniesthisfact,thoughitbetheBritishLionhimself,Idefyhim。Letmehavehimhere！\"——smitingthetable,andcausingtheinkstandtoskip——\"here,uponthissacredaltar！Here,upontheancestralashescementedwiththegloriousbloodpouredoutlikewaterontheplainsofChickabiddyLick。AloneI\'darethatLion,andtellhimthatFreedom\'shandoncetwistedinhismane,herollsacorsebeforeme,andtheEaglesoftheGreatRepublicscream,Ha,ha！\"
Bythistimetheboyswererollingaboutinfitsoflaughter;evensoberFrankwasredandbreathless,andJacklayback,feeblysquealing,ashecouldlaughnomore。InamomentRalphwasasmeekasaQuaker,andsatlookingabouthimwithamildlyastonishedair,asifinquiringthecauseofsuchunseemlymirth。A
knockatthedoorproducedalull,andincameamaidwithapples。