remarkable characters, among whom were noticed Davy Jones, the
distinguished nautical personage, and a rude, carelessly dressed,
harum-scarum sort of elderly fellow, known by the nickname of Old
Harry. The latter, however, after being shown to a dressing-room,
reappeared with his gray hair nicely combed, his clothes brushed, a
clean dicky on his neck, and altogether so changed in aspect as to
merit the more respectful appellation of Venerable Henry. Joel Doe
and Richard Roe came arm in arm, accompanied by a Man of Straw, a
fictitious indorser, and several persons who had no existence except
as voters in closely contested elections. The celebrated Seatsfield,
who now entered, was at first supposed to belong to the same
brotherhood, until he made it apparent that he was a real man of
flesh and blood and had his earthly domicile in Germany. Among the
latest comers, as might reasonably be expected, arrived a guest from
the far future.

"Do you know him? do you know him?" whispered Monsieur On-Dit, who
seemed to be acquainted with everybody. "He is the representative
of Posterity,--the man of an age to come."

"And how came he here?" asked a figure who was evidently the
prototype of the fashion-plate in a magazine, and might be taken to
represent the vanities of the passing moment. "The fellow infringes
upon our rights by coming before his time."

"But you forget where we are," answered the Man of Fancy, who
overheard the remark. "The lower earth, it is true, will be
forbidden ground to him for many long years hence; but a castle in
the air is a sort of no-man's-land, where Posterity may make
acquaintance with us on equal terms."