ny　　mornings；　black　for　rainy　ones；　green　for　pictures；　　red　for　household　furniture；　white　for　real　estate；　etc。　Into　these　color…schemes　he　stuck　a　variety　　of　scarf…pinsnone　very　valuable　or　rare；　but　each　one　distincta　miniature　ivory　skull；　for　instance；　　with　little　garnets　for　eyes；　or　tiny　onyx　dice　with　sixes　on　all　sides。
  The　one　man　of　all　the　others　most　beloved　by　Fred　and　every　other　boarder；　guest；　and　habitue　that　gathered　around　the　piano　in　this　garret…room；　and　now　conspicuous　by　his　absence；　he　having　gone　to　the　circus　opposite　the　Academy　of　Music；　and　not　likely　to　return　until　latea　fact　greatly　regretted　by　Fred　who　made　this　announcement　with　lowered　voice　to　Oliverwas　a　young　Irishman　by　the　name　of　McFuddCornelius　McFudd；　the　life　of　the　house；　and　whom　Waller；　in　accordance　with　the　general　　custom；　had　christened　〃Continuous　McFuddie；〃　　by　reason　of　the　nature　of　the　Hibernian's　habits。　His　room　was　across　the　open　space　opposite　Fred's；　with　windows　overlooking　the　yard。
  This　condensation　of　good…nature；　wit；　and　good…　humor；　Fred　went　on　to　say；　had　been　shipped　to　〃The　States〃　by　his　father；　a　rich　manufacturer　of　Irish　whiskies　in　Dublin；　that　he　might　learn　something　　of　the　ways　of　the　New　World。　And　there　was　not　the　slightest　doubt　in　the　minds　of　his　comrades；　　so　Fred　assured　Oliver；　that　he　had　not　only　won　his　diploma；　but　that　the　sum　of　his　knowledge　along　several　other　lines　far　exceeded　that　of　any　one　of　his　contemporaries。　His　allowances　came　regularly　　every　month；　through　the　hands　of　Cockburn；　who　had　known　him　in　London；　and　whose　bank　cashed　McFudd's　remittancesa　fact　which　enabled　my　lord　to　a　greater　extent　than　the　others　to　keep　an　eye　on　the　Irishman's　movements　and　expenditures。
  Whatever　deviltry　was　inaugurated　on　this　top　floor　during　the　day　as　well　as　the　night；　and　it　was　pretty　constant；　could　be　traced　without　much　difficulty　　to　this　irrepressible　young　Irishman。　If　Tomlins　　found　his　dress…suit　put　to　bed；　with　a　pillow　for　a　body　and　his　crush…hat　for　a　head；　or　Cranch　found　Waller's　lay…figure　（Waller　often　used　his　bedroom　as　a　studio）　sitting　bolt　upright　in　his　easy…chair；　with　its　back　to　him　reading　a　newspaperthe　servant　having　been　told　to　announce　to　Cranch；　the　moment　she　opened　the　door；　that　〃a　gentleman　was　waiting　for　him　in　his　room〃；　or　Cockburn　was　sent　off　on　some　wild…goose　chase　uptownit　was　safe　to　say　that　Mac　was　at　the　bottom　of　it　all。
  If；　Fred　added　impressively；　this　rollicking；　devil…　may…care；　perfectly　sound　and　hearty　young　Hibernian　　had　ever　been　absolutely；　entirely；　and　completely　　sober　since　his　sojourn　in　the　land　of　the　free；　no　one　of　his　fellow…boarders　had　ever　discovered　　it。
  Of　this　motley　gathering　〃Ruffle…shirt〃　Tomlins；　the　swell；　〃Fog…horn〃　Cranch；　the　auctioneer；　〃Walrus〃　Waller；　the　sheep…painter；　〃My　Lord〃　Cockburn；　the　Englishman；　Fred　Stone　and　Cornelius　　McFudd；　not　only　occupied　the　bedrooms；　but　had　seats　at　Miss　Teetum's　table；　four　flights　below。　Bianchi　and　the　others　were　the　guests　of　the　evening。
  All　this；　and　more；　Fred　poured　into　Oliver's　willing　　ear　in　loud　or　soft　tones；　dependent　upon　the　particular　　kind　of　bedlam　that　was　loose　in　the　room　at　the　moment；　as　they　sat　side　by　side　on　the　floor；　Oliver's　　back　supported　by　a　pillow　which　Tomlins　had　brought　from　his　own　bed　and　tucked　behind　his　shoulders　with　his　own　hand。
  This　courtesy　had　been　followed　by　another；　quite　as　comforting　and　as　thoughtful。　Cockburn；　the　moment　　Oliver's　back　touched　the　wall；　had　handed　him　a　tooth…brush　mug　without　a　handle；　filled　to　the　brim　with　a　decoction　of　Cockburn's　own　brewing；　compounded　　hot　according　to　McFudd's　receipt；　and　poured　from　an　earthen　pitcher　kept　within　reach　of　Cockburn's　hand；　and　to　which　Oliver；　in　accordance　with　his　habitual　custom；　had　merely　touched　his　lips；　he　being　the　most　temperate　of　young　gentlemen。
  While　they　talked　on；　stopping　now　and　then　to　listen　to　some　outburst　of　Cranch；　whose　voice　drowned　all　othersor　to　snatches　of　song　from　Wenby　　Simmons；　the　musician；　or　from　Julius　Bianchi；　Waller's　voice　managed　to　make　itself　felt　above　the　din　with　an　earnestness　that　gained　the　attention　and　calmed　all　the　others。
  〃You　don't　know　what　you're　all　talking　about；〃　he　was　heard　to　say。　He　was　still　astride　his　chair；　his　pipe　in　his　hand。　〃Inness's　picture　was　the　best　thing　we　had　in　the　Exhibition；　except　Eastman　Johnson's　'Negro　Life　at　the　South。'　Kensett's　'Lake　George'　was〃
  〃Whatthat　Inness　smear？〃　retorted　〃My　Lord〃　Cockburn；　who　still　stood　with　the　coal…scuttle　in　his　hand　ready　for　another　chorus。　〃Positively；　Waller；　you　Americans　amuse　me。　Do　you　really　think　that　you've　got　anybody　about　you　who　can　paint　anything　worth　having〃
  〃Oh！　oh！　Hear　the　high…cockalorum！　Oh！　oh！〃
  The　sheep…painter　raised　his　hand　to　command　silence。
  〃Do　I　think　we've　got　anybody　about　here　who　can　paint？you　fog…headed　noodle　from　Piccadilly？　We've　got　a　dozen　young　fellows　in　this　very　town　that　put　more　real　stuff　into　their　canvases　than　all　your　men　put　together。　They　don't　tickle　their　things　to　death　with　detail。　They　get　air　and　vitality　and　out…of…doors　into　their　work；　and〃
  〃Names！　Names！〃　shouted　〃My　Lord〃　Cockburn；　　rattling　the　scuttle　to　drown　the　answers　to　his　questions。
  〃George　Inness　for　one；　and　young　McEntee　and　Sanford　Gifford；　and　Eastman　Johnson；　Page；　Casilear　a　lot　of　them；〃　shouted　〃The　Walrus。〃　〃Go　to　the　Exhibition　and　see　for　yourself；　and　you〃
  The　rest　of　the　discussion　was　lost　to　Oliver's　ears　owing　to　the　roar　of　Cranch's　fog…horn；　accompanied　by　another　vigorous　shaking　of　the　scuttle；　which　the　auctioneer　caught　away　from　〃My　Lord〃　Cockburn's　　grasp；　and　the　pounding　of　Simmons's　fingers　on　the　yellow　keys　of　the　wheezy　piano。
  The　tribute　to　Inness　had　not　been　missed　by　Oliver；　　despite　the　deafening　noise　accompanying　its　utterance。　He　remembered　another　green　smear；　that　hung　in　Mr。　Crocker's　studio；　to　which　that　old　enthusiast　always　pointed　as　the　work　of　a　man　who　would　yet　be　heard　from　if　he　lived。　He　had　never　appreciated　it　himself　at　the　time；　but　now　he　saw　that　Mr。　Crocker　must　be　right。
  Someone　now　started　the　chorus
  Down　among　the　dead　men；　down。
  Instantly　every　man　was　on　his　feet　crowding　about　the　piano；　Oliver　catching　the　inspiration　of　the　moment　and　joining　in　with　the　others。　The　quality　of　his　voice　must　have　caught　the　ear　of　some　of　the　singers；　for　they　gradually　lowered　their　tones；　leaving　　Oliver's　voice　almost　alone。
  Fred's　eye　glowed　with　pleasure。　His　new…found　friend　was　making　a　favorable　impression。　He　at　once　urged　Oliver　to　sing　one　of　his　own　Southern　songs　as　the　darkies　sung　them　at　home；　and　not　as　they　were　caricatured　by　the　end　men　in　the　minstrel　shows。
  Oliver；　at　first　abashed；　and　then　anxious　to　contribute　　something　of　his　own　in　return　for　all　the　pleasure　they　had　given　him；　hummed　the　tune　for　Simmons；　and　in　the　hush　that　followed　began　one　of　the　old　plantation　songs　that　Malachi　had　taught　him；　beginning　with
  De　old　black　dog　he　bay　at　de　moon；　Away　down　yan　ribber。　Miss　Bull…frog　say　she　git　dar　soon；　Away　down　yan　ribber。
  As　the　melody　rang　through　the　room；　now　full　and　strong；　now　plaintive　as　the　cooing　of　a　dove　or　the　moan　of　a　whippoorwill；　the　men　stood　stock…still；　their　wondering　eyes　fixed　on　the　singer；　and　it　was　not　until　the　timely　arrival　of　the　Bull…frog　and　the　escape　of　her　lover　had　been　fully　told　that　the　listening　　crowd　allowed　themselves　to　do　much　more　than　breathe。　Then　there　came　a　shout　that　nearly　raised　the　roof。　The　peculiar　sweetness　of　Oliver's　voice；　the　quaintness　of　the　melody；　the　grotesqueness　of　his　gesturesfor　it　was　pantomime　as　well　as　music　and　the　quiet　simplicity　and　earnestness　with　which　it　had　all　been　done；　had　captivated　every　man　in　the　room。　It　was　Oliver's　first　triumphthe　first　in　all　his　life。
  And　the　second　was　not　far　off；　for　in　the　midst　of　all　the　uproar　that　followed；　as　he　resumed　his　place　on　the　floor；　Cockburn　sprang　to　his　feet　and　proposed　Mr。　Oliver　Horn　as　a　full　member　of　the　Skylarkers'　Club。　This　was　carried　unanimously；　and　a　committee　of　two；　consisting　of　〃Ruffle…shirt〃　Tomlins　and　Waller；　were　forthwith　appointed　to　acquaint　the　said　member；　who　stood　three　feet　away；　of　his　election；　and　to　escort　him　to　Tomlins's　chair　the　largest　and　most　imposing…looking　one　in　the　room。　This　action　was　indorsed　by　the　shouts　and　cat…calls　of　all　present；　accompanied　by　earthquake　shakings　of　the　coal…scuttle　and　the　rattling　of　chairlegs　　and　canes　on　the　floor。
  Oliver　rose　to　his　feet　and　stood　blushing　like　a　girl；　thanking　those　about　him　in　halting　sentences　for　the　honor　conferred　upon　him。　Then　he　stammered　　something　about　his　not　deserving　their　praise；　for　he　could　really　sing　very　few　songsonly　those　he　had　sung　at　home　to　help　out　an　occasional　chorus；　and　that　he　would　be　delighted　to　join　in　another　song　if　any　one　of　the　gentlemen　present　would　start　the　tune。
  These　last　suggestions　being　eminently　distasteful　to　the　group；　were　immediately　drowned　in　a　series　of　protests；　the　noise　only　ceasing　when　〃Fog…horn〃　Cranch　mounted　a　chair　and　in　his　bes