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　best　real　estate　voice　commanded　silence。
  〃Ladies　and　Gentlemen；〃　thundered　the　auctioneer；　　〃I　have　the　honor　to　announce　that　the　great　barytone；　Mr。　Oliver　Horn；　known　to　the　universe　as　the　'Musical　Cornucopia；'　late　of　the　sunny　South；　and　now　a　resident　of　this　metropolis；　will　delight　this　company　by　singing　one　of　those　soul…moving　plantation　melodies　which　have　made　his　name　famous　　over　two　hemispheres。　Mr。　'Pussy　Me…ow'　Simmons；　the　distinguished　fiddling　pianist；　late　of　the　Bowery；　very　late；　I　may　remark；　and　now　on　the　waiting　list　at　Wallack's　Theatreevery　other　month；　I　am　toldwill　accompany　him。〃
  〃Hear！　Hear！〃　〃Horn！　Horn！〃　〃Don't　let　him　get　away；　Fred。〃　〃Song！　Song！〃　was　heard　all　over　the　room。
  Oliver　again　tried　to　protest；　but　he　was　again　shouted　down　by　cries　of
  〃None　of　that！〃　〃Can't　fool　us。〃　〃You　know　a　barrel　of　'em。〃　〃Song！　Song！〃
  Cranch　broke　in　again〃Mr。　Horn's　modesty；　gentlemen；　greatly　endears　him　to　his　fellow…members；　　and　we　love　him　the　better　for　it；　but　all　the　same〃　and　he　raised　his　hand　with　the　same　gesture　　he　would　have　used　had　it　held　an　auctioneer's　hammer　〃All　in　favor　of　his　singing　again　say　'Aye！'　Going！　Going！　Gone！　The　ayes　have　it。〃　In　the　midst　of　the　cheering　Cranch　jumped　from　the　chair　and　taking　Oliver　by　the　hand　as　if　he　had　been　a　young　prima　donna　at　her　first　appearance；　led　him　to　the　piano　with　all　the　airs　and　graces　common　to　such　an　occasion。
  Our　young　hero　hesitated　a　moment；　looked　about　in　a　pleased　but　helpless　way；　and　nerving　himself　tried　to　collect　his　thoughts　sufficiently　to　recall　some　one　of　the　songs　that　were　so　familiar　to　him　at　home。　Then　Sue's　black　eyes　looked　into　histhere　must　always　be　a　woman　helping　Oliverand　the　strains　of　the　last　song　he　had　sung　with　her　the　night　before　he　left　home　floated　through　his　brain。　（These　same　eyes　were　gazing　into　another's　at　the　moment；　but　our　young　Oliver　was　unconscious　of　that　lamentable　fact。）
  〃Did　you　ever　happen　to　hear　'The　Old　Kentucky　Home'？〃　Oliver　asked　Simmons。　〃No？　Well；　it　goes　this　way；〃　and　he　struck　the　chords。
  〃You　play　it；〃　said　Simmons；　rising　from　the　stool。
  〃Oh；　I　can　only　play　the　chords；　and　not　all　of　them　right〃　and　he　took　Simmons's　seat。　〃Perhaps　I　can　get　throughI'll　try　it；〃　he　added；　simply；　and　squared　himself　before　the　instrument　and　began　the　melody。
  The　sun　shines　bright　in　the　old　Kentucky　home；　'Tis　summer；　the　darkies　are　gay。　The　corn…top's　ripe　and　the　meadow　is　in　bloom；　While　the　birds　make　music　all　the　day。
  Weep　no　more；　my　ladyoh；　weep　no　more　to…day！　We'll　sing　one　song　for　the　old　Kentucky　home；　For　the　old　Kentucky　home　far　away。
  As　the　words　rolled　from　his　lips　Oliver　seemed　to　forget　the　scene　before　him。　Somehow　he　could　see　the　light　in　Sue's　eyes；　as　she　listened；　and　hear　her　last　words。　He　could　hear　the　voice　of　his　mother；　and　feel　her　hand　on　his　head；　and　then；　as　the　soft　vowels　and　cadences　of　the　quaint　melody　breathed　themselves　out；　he　could　catch　again　the　expression　of　delight　on　the　face　of　Malachiwho　had　taught　him　the　songas　he　listened；　his　black　cheek　in　his　wrinkled　palm。　It　was　a　supreme　moment　with　Oliver。　The　thrill　of　happiness　that　had　quivered　　through　him　for　days；　intensified　by　this　new　heaven　of　Bohemia；　vibrated　in　every　note　he　uttered。
  The　effect　was　equally　startling　on　those　about　him。　Cranch　craned　his　head；　and　for　once　lowered　his　voice　to　a　whisper　in　speaking　to　the　man　next　him。　Bowdoin；　the　painter；　and　one　of　the　guests；　left　his　seat　and　tip…toed　to　the　piano；　his　eyes　riveted　on　Oliver's　face；　his　whole　being　absorbed　in　the　melody。　Bianchi　and　Waller　so　far　lost　themselves　that　their　pipes　went　out；　while　Simmons　was　so　entranced　　that　he　forgot　to　applaud　when　Oliver　finished。
  The　effect　produced　was　not　so　much　due　to　the　quality　in　Oliver's　voicesweet　and　sympathetic　as　it　wasnor　to　his　manner　of　singing；　nor　to　the　sentiment　　of　the　song　itself；　but　to　the　fact　of　its　being；　with　its　clear；　sweet　notes；　a　positive　contrast　to　all　of　noise　and　clamor　that　had　gone　before。　This　fact；　more　than　any　other；　made　his　listeners　hold　their　breath　in　wonder　and　delight。　It　came　like　the　song　of　a　bird　bursting　out　after　a　storm　and　charming　everyone　with　the　beauty　of　its　melody；　while　the　thunder　of　the　tempest　still　reverberated　through　the　air。
  In　the　hush　of　the　death…like　stillness　that　followed；　the　steady　tramp　of　feet　was　heard　on　the　staircase；　and　the　next　instant　the　head　of　a　young　man；　with　a　rosy　face　and　side…chop　coachman　whiskers；　　close…cut　black　hair　and　shoe…button　eyes；　glistening　with　fun；　was　craned　around　the　jamb　of　the　door。
  It　was　the　property　of　Mr。　Cornelius　McFudd！
  He　was　in　full　evening　dress；　and　as　immaculate　as　if　he　had　stepped　out　of　a　bandbox。
  Whatever　stimulants　had　permeated　his　system　and　fired　his　imagination　had　evidently　escaped　his　legs；　for　they　were　as　steady　as　those　of　a　tripod。　His　entrance；　in　a　measure；　restored　the　assemblage　to　its　normal　condition。　Mr。　McFudd　raised　his　hand　impressively；　checking　the　customary　outbreak　that　always　greeted　his　appearance　on　occasions　like　this；　struck　a　deprecatory　attitude　and　said；　solemnly；　in　a　rich；　North…of…Ireland　accent：
  〃Gentlemen；　it　is　with　the　greatest　surprise　that　I　find　ye　contint　to　waste　your　time　over　such　riotous　proceedings　as　I　know　have　taken　place　here　to…night；　when　within　a　block　of　yez　is　a　perfarmance　that　would　delight　yer　souls。　Think　of　a　man　throwing　a　hand…spring　over〃
  At　this　instant　a　wet　sponge　was　fired　point　blank　from　an　open　bedroom　door；　missed　McFudd's　head　by　an　inch　and　bounded　down　the　staircase。
  〃Thank　ye；　Admiral　Lord　Cockburn；　for　yer　civility；〃　　cried　McFudd；　bowing　low　to　the　open　bedroom　door；　〃and　for　yer　good　intintions；　but　ye　missed　it　as　yer　did　yer　mither's　blessingand　as　ye　do　most　of　the　things　ye　try　io　hit。〃　This　was　said　without　raising　his　voice　or　changing　a　muscle　of　his　face；　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　door　inside　of　which　stood　Cockburn。
  McFudd　continued；　〃The　perfarmance　of　this　acrobat　is　one　of　the〃
  Cries　of　〃Don't　you　see　you　disturb　the　music？〃　〃Go　to　bed！〃　〃Somebody　sit　on　McFudd！〃　etc。；　filled　the　room。
  〃Go　on；　gentlemen。　Continue　your　insults；　defame　　the　name　of　an　honest　man　who　is　attimpting　to　convey　to　yer　dull　comprehinsions　some　idea　of　the　wonders　of　the　acrobatic　ring。　I'll　turn　a　hand…spring　　for　yez　meself　that　will　illustrate　what　I　mane；〃　and　Mr。　McFudd　carefully　removed　his　coat　and　began　　sliding　up　his　shirt…cuffs。
  At　this　juncture　〃My　Lord〃　Cockburn；　who　had　come　from　behind　the　door；　winked　significantly　at　Waller；　and　creeping　on　all　fours　behind　McFudd；　just　as　that　gentleman　was　about　lifting　his　legs　aloft；　swept　him　off　his　feet　by　a　twist　of　his　arm；　and　deposited　　him　on　the　small　of　his　back　next　to　Oliver；　his　head　resting　against　the　wall。　There　Waller　stood　over　him　with　a　chair；　which　he　threatened　to　turn　over　him　upside　down　and　sit　on　if　the　prostrate　Irishman　moved　an　inch。
  McFudd　waved　his　hand　sadly　as　if　in　acquiescence　to　the　inscrutable　laws　of　fate；　begged　the　gentlemen　present　to　give　no　further　thought　to　his　existence；　and　after　a　moment　of　silence　continued　his　remarks　on　the　acrobatic　ring　to　Oliver　in　the　same　monotonous　　tone　of　voice　which　he　had　addressed　to　the　room　before　Cockburn's　flank　movement　had　made　him　bite　the　dust。
  〃It　may　seem　to　you；　Mr。　Mr。；　I　haven't　your　name；　sir；〃　and　he　bent　his　head　toward　Oliver。
  〃Horn；　sir；〃　Oliver　suggested。　〃Oliver　Horn。〃
  〃Thanks；　it　may　seem　to　you　that　I'm　exaggerating；　　Mr。　Oliver　Horn；　the　wonder　of　this　perfarmance；　　but…〃
  The　rest　of　the　sentence；　despite　the　Hibernian's　well…intentioned　efforts；　was　not　addressed　to　Oliver；　but　to　the　room　at　large；　or　rather　to　its　furniture；　or　to　be　still　more　exact；　to　the　legs　of　the　piano；　and　such　chairs　and　tables　as　the　Irishman's　prostrate　body　bumped　into　on　the　way　to　his　room。　For　at　that　instant　Waller；　to　save　Oliver；　as　he　pretended；　from　further　annoyance；　had　caught　the　distinguished　Hibernian　by　both　feet；　and　in　that　position　dragged　him　along　the　floor；　as　if　he　had　been　a　wheelbarrow；　McFudd's　voice　never　changing　its　tone　as　he　continued　　his　remarks　on　physical　culture；　and　the　benefits　　which　would　accrue　to　the　human　race　if　they　would　practice　the　acrobat's　hand…spring。
  When　Fred　and　Oliver　had　closed　their　bedroom　door　for　the　night；　the　guests　having　departed　and　all　the　regular　boarders　being　supposedly　secure　in　their　beds　（Fred　without　much　difficulty　had　persuaded　　Oliver　to　share　his　own　bed　over　night）；　there　came　a　knock　at　Fred's　door；　and　the　irrepressible　Irishman　stalked　in。
  He　had　removed　his　vest；　high　collar；　and　shoes；　and　had　the　air　and　look　of　an　athlete。　The　marvellous　　skill　of　the　acrobat　still　occupied　his　mind。
  〃Don't　disturb　yourself；　my　dear　Stone；　but　me　deloightful　conversation　with　yer　friend；　Mr。　Horn；　was　interrupted　by　that　wild　beast　of　a　Waller；　and　I　wanted　to　finish　it。　I　am　quite　sure