I would serve to-morrow if you would take me as a soldier,' said he,
stroking his white whiskers.
The crowd laughed heartily; and some wag observed that I should
perhaps think him too old.
'Well,' said the old man, smiling, 'the gentleman himself is not very
young, and yet I dare say he is a good servant of his Government.'
This was paying me off for making the people laugh at his expense.
'True, my old friend,' said I, 'but I began to serve when I was
young, and have been long learning.'
'Very well,' said the old man, 'but I should be glad to serve the
rest of my life upon a less salary than you got when you began to
learn.'
'Well, my friend, you complain of our Government; but you must
acknowledge that we do all we can to protect you, though it is true
that we are often acting in the dark.'
'Often, sir? you are always acting in the dark; you, hardly any of
you, know anything of what your revenue and police officers are
doing; there is no justice or redress to be got without paying for
it, and it is not often that those who pay can get it.'
'True, my old friend, that is bad all over the world.
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