St. Bridget or Head Porter of the Island of Porto Rico. I'm going to
see about it."

"'Then this lady,' I says to Andy, 'moves against the authorities at
Washington with her baggage and munitions, consisting of five dozen
indiscriminating letters written to her by a member of the Cabinet
when she was 15; a letter of introduction from King Leopold to the
Smithsonian Institution, and a pink silk costume with canary colored
spats.

"'Well and then what?' I goes. 'She has the letters printed in the
evening papers that match her costume, she lectures at an informal
tea given in the palm room of the B. & O. Depot and then calls on the
President. The ninth Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Labor, the
first aide-de-camp of the Blue Room and an unidentified colored man
are waiting there to grasp her by the hands--and feet. They carry her
out to S.W. B. street and leave her on a cellar door. That ends it.
The next time we hear of her she is writing postcards to the Chinese
Minister asking him to get Arthur a job in a tea store.'

"'Then,' says Andy, 'you don't think Mrs. Avery will land the
Marshalship for Bill?'

"'I do not,' says I. 'I do not wish to be a septic, but I doubt if
she can do as well as you and me could have done.'

"'I don't agree with you,' says Andy. 'I'll bet you she does. I'm
proud of having a higher opinion of the talent and the powers of
negotiation of ladies.'