Postscript.

           TheprecedingtaleisgivenalmostintheprecisewordsinwhichIhearditrelatedataCorporationmeetingattheancientcityofManhattoes,atwhichwerepresentmanyofitssagestandmostillustriousburghers.Thenarratorwasapleasant,shabby,gentlemanlyoldfellow,inpepper-and-saltclothes,withasadlyhumourousface,andonewhomIstronglysuspectedofbeingpoor--hemadesucheffortstobeentertaining.Whenhisstorywasconcluded,therewasmuchlaughterandapprobation,particularlyfromtwoorthreedeputyaldermen,whohadbeenasleepthegreaterpartofthetime.Therewas,however,onetall,dry-lookingoldgentleman,withbeetlingeyebrows,whomaintainedagraveandratherseverefacethroughout,nowandthenfoldinghisarms,inclininghishead,andlookingdownuponthefloor,asifturningadoubtoverinhismind.Hewasoneofyourwarymen,whoneverlaughbutupongoodgrounds--whentheyhavereasonandlawontheirside