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〃Why； at our place； we drink Mr。 Molyneux's health every Christmas Day； and I am afraid the little ones used to think that you had a red nose； a gray beard； and came down the chimney！〃
〃As； at another place；〃 said Matty； 〃they thought of Mr。 Bruceof Noah's Ark memory。〃
〃Anyway；〃 said Mr。 Molyneux； 〃any crumbs of comfort we scattered that day were BREAD UPON THE WATERS。〃
Of Mr。 Kuypers's quick journey the main points have been told。 Six days before； by some good luck； which could hardly have been expected； the 〃Gem City Medium's〃 despatch from Washington was full enough to be intelligible。 It was headed； 〃ANOTHER SWINDLER NAILED。〃 It said that Mr。 Molyneux； of the Internal Improvement office； had feathered his nest with 500；000 during the war； in a pretended expedition to the Rio Grande。 It had now been discovered that there never was any such expedition； and the correspondent of the Associated Press hoped that justice would be done。
The moment Bruce Kuypers read this he was anxious。 Before an hour passed he had determined to cross to the Pacific train eastward。 Before night he was in a sleeping…car。 Day by day as he met Eastern papers； he searched for news of the investigation。 Day by day he met it； but thanks to his promptness he had arrived in time。 It was pathetic to hear him describe his anxiety from point to point； and they were all hushed to silence when he told how glad he was when he found he should certainly appear on Christmas Day。
After the dinner； another procession； not wholly unlike the rabble rout of the morning； moved from the dining…room to the great front parlor； where the tree was lighted； and parcels of gray and white and brown lay round on mantel； on piano； on chairs； on tables； and on the floor。
No； this tale is too long already。 We will not tell what all the presents were to all the ten；to Venty； Chloe； Diana； and all of their color。 Only let it tell that all the ten had presents。 To Mr。 Kuypers's surprise； and to every one's surprise； indeed； there were careful presents for him as for the rest； but it must be confessed that Horace and Laura had spelled Chipah a little wildly。 The truth was that each separate person had feared that he would feel a little left on one side；he to whom so much was due on that day。 And each person； severally； down to the Brick himself； had gone secretly； without consulting the others； to select from his own possessions something very dear； and had wrapped it up and marked it for the stranger。 When Mr。 Kuypers opened a pretty paper； to find Matty's own illustrated Browning； he was touched indeed。 When in a rough brown paper he found the Brick's jack…knife labelled 〃FOR THE MAN；〃 the tears stood in his eyes。
The next day the 〃Evening Lantern〃 contained this editorial article：
〃The absurd fiasco regarding the accounts of Mr。 Molyneux； which has occupied the correspondents of the periodical press for some days； and has even been adverted to in New York journals claiming the title of metropolitan； came to a fit end at the Capitol yesterday。 The wiseacre owls who started it did not see fit to put in an appearance before the committee。 Mr。 Molyneux himself sent to the Chairman a most interesting volume of manuscript； which is； indeed； a valuable historical memorial of times that tried men's souls。 The committee and other gentlemen present examined this curious record with great interest。 Not to speak of the minor details； an autograph letter of the lamented Gen。 Trebou gives full credit to the Bureau of Internal Improvement for the skill with which they executed the commission given them in a department quite out of their line。 Our brethren of the ‘Argus' will be pleased to know that every grain of oats and every spear of straw paid for by； the now famous 47；000； are accounted for in detail。 The authenticated signatures of the somewhat celebrated Camara and Gazza and the mythical Captain Cole appear。 Very valuable letters； throwing interesting light on our relations with the Government of Mexico； from the pens of the lamented Adams and Prigg； show what were the services of those Spanish turncoats and their allies。
〃We cannot say that we regret the attention which has thus been given to a very important piece of history； too long neglected in the rush of more petty affairs。 We take the occasion； however； to enter our protest once more against this preposterous system of ‘Resolutions；' in which； as it were in echo to every niaiserie of every hired pen in the country； the House degrades itself to the work of the common scavenger； orders at immense expense an investigation into some subject where all well informed persons are fully advised； and at a cost of the national treasure； etc。； etc。； etc。 to the end of that chapter。'〃
But I fear no one at the Molyneux mansion had 〃the lantern。〃 They had 〃found a man；〃 and did not need a lantern to look farther。
It was as Mr。 Molyneux had said： he had cast his Bread upon the Waters； and he had found it after many days。
THE LOST PALACE
THE LOST PALACE
＇From the Ingham Papers。＇
〃Passengers for Philadelphia and New York will change cars。〃
This annoying and astonishing cry was loudly made in the palace…car 〃City of Thebes；〃 at Pittsburg； just as the babies were well asleep； and all the passengers adapting themselves to a quiet evening。
〃Impossible！〃 said I； mildly； to the 〃gentlemanly conductor；〃 who beamed before me in the majesty of gilt lace on his cap； and the embroidered letters P。 P。 C。 These letters do not mean； as in French； 〃to take leave；〃 for the peculiarity of this man is； that he does not leave you till your journey's end： they mean； in American； 〃Pullman's Palace Car。〃 〃Impossible！〃 said I； 〃I bought my ticket at Chicago through to Philadelphia； with the assurance that the palace…car would go through。 This lady has done the same for herself and her children。 Nay； if you remember； you told me yourself that the ‘City of Thebes' was built for the Philadelphia service； and that I need not move my hat； unless I wished； till we were there。〃
The man did not blush； but answered； in the well… mannered tone of a subordinate used to obey；
Here are my orders； sir； telegram just received here from headquarters： ‘〃City of Thebes〃 is to go to Baltimore。' Another palace here； sir； waiting for you。〃 And so we were trans…shipped into such chairs and berths as might have been left in this other palace； as not wanted by anybody in the great law of natural selection； and the 〃City of Thebes〃 went to Baltimore； I suppose。 The promises which had been made to us when we bought our tickets went to their place； and the people who made them went to theirs。
Except for this little incident； of which all my readers have probably experienced the like in these days of travel； the story I am now to tell would have seemed to me essentially improbable。 But so soon as I reflected； that； in truth； these palaces go hither； go thither； controlled or not； as it may be； by some distant bureau； the story recurred to me as having elements of vraisemblance which I had not noticed before。 Having occasion； nearly at the same time； to inquire at the Metropolitan station in Boston for a lost