wisely about self-government, sitting under one's own vine and
fig-tree, and all that sort of thing; for; in the first place, he has
a great deal of wisdom, handy to be got at, it all lying in his face.
And then he is so much for self-government that no one can govern him
in anything. Then again, as to the idea of sitting under a fig-tree, I
think it is one that Bart would most naturally entertain; for had he a
tree to sit under, be it fig or bass-wood, and enough to eat, he would
sit there till he was gray, before he would think of moving."

"Not badly drawn, that similitude," said Stearns, after the burst of
laughter, by which these remarks were greeted, had a little subsided;
"but methinks I see a flaw therein, friend Brush: you said our young
republican's wisdom, alias ideas, all lay in his face; and then, in
the matter of the fig-tree, you go on to intimate he _has one_
distinct idea in his head, thereby lessening the force and exactness
of the comparison, as I think you will allow."

"I crave pardon, gentlemen," cried the secretary; "I should have
qualified; for, really, I have several times seriously suspected Bart
to have ideas, or, at least, one whole idea of his own; and if you
think that is too much to allow the individuals of the party
generally, with whom I have compared him, why, then I must knock
under, that's all."

"You are down! you are down, then, Brush!" shouted several, with
another uproarious burst of laughter.

Bart, the chief butt of this ridicule, in the mean while, was moving
quietly about the room in performance of his bidden tasks, without
appearing to notice a word that was uttered; and but for a certain