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 it seemed a hull army could eat, everything dainty and luxurious and rich wuz spread before us—kroketts, pattys, salads, cakes of every kind, some on 'em big as a big cheese, all covered with wreathes of posies made in the frostin', and smaller ones of every shape and kind, and jellies heaped up in every color and form, all on 'em pretty, and moulds of ice-cream of all colors, frozen in pyramids and stars and musical instruments and everything else, and great banks of flowers banked up behind 'em, and tall vases of flowers standing amongst 'em, it wuz a sight, a sight.

Josiah enjoyed himself here the best that ever wuz, and we had a quiet corner all to ourselves, but anon, when so much time had passed that I fondly imagined his hunger must be slaked, the crowd had come in till the tent wuz full, and one man behind us spoke to another one: "The wine flows here to-night like water."

"Yes, champagne, too; this spread must cost something."

"Yes," sez the other, "I guess old Greene Smythe will realize it when the bills come in."

But I waited to hear no more. I ketched holt of Josiah's arm, and sez I, "Let us flee from this place to once!"

And he sez, "Why?"

And I sez, "Ask no questions but foller me." He hung back, but see I wuz firm. I had noticed that folks wuz drinkin' sunthin' out of glasses, not good, respectable coffee like my pardner and me, but spozed it wuz lemonade or sweetened water and vinegar, little did I think I had got into a winebibbers' resort. But I see it wuz too true, for as we went out of the tent on another side I see a punch bowl as big as our caldron kettle