I put up to the St. Nikkleas.  Well, I allers larf when I think of it.  Here was an Irishman tuk my bag, slung it behind him, and says he to me—­“Foller me, if you please, sir.”  I follered accordin’.

I’ve clumb some pretty tall hills in my day, Mr. PUNCHINELLOW, but that ‘ere gettin’ up them stairs jest switches the rag off of all on ’em.  I broke down.  Then he tuk me to a heister, and landed us next to the roof.  I was too pegged out to wash or fix, so I flung off my cowhides, jumped onto the bed and slept clean through till next day.  In the mornin’ I rigged up, went down stairs, and asked the clerk if he would be kind enough to pint out to me where I might see CHARLEY DANY.  He sort o’ smiled like, and said I would find him at the Sun office.  I paid two dollars for a kab to take me down, which it did till we stopped afore a big yaller house, with a big board stuck up agin it havin’ these words: 

+--------------------------------------------+
|                                            |
|               “EXTRA SUN!!!                |
|                                            |
|         ELOPEMENT AT MURRAY HILL.          |
|        FULL HISTORY OF THE PARTIES.        |
|   INTERESTING CHAPTER OF FAMILY SECRETS.   |
|     WHO IS SHE AND WHY DID SHE DO IT?      |
|     GENERAL GRANT BUYS A SKYE TERRIER!     |
|         PARTICULARS OF THE SALE!!          |
|          GENEALOGY OF THE DOG!!!           |
|  SECRETARY FISH BOBBING FOR SPANISH EELS,  |
|         HE IS CAUGHT BY THE GILLS.         |
| THE MINION OF SPANISH TYRANNY IN DISTRESS. |
|     KITCHEN COUNCILS IN FIFTH AVENUE.      |
|       NOTES BY OUR KEYHOLE REPORTER.       |
|   BABY FOUND IN THE PRIVATE OFFICE OF A    |
|              LEADING EDITOR.               |
|   WHOSE IS IT AND HOW DID IT COME THERE?   |
|   INTERESTING DISCLOSURES OF A PROMINENT   |
|             MERCHANT’S LIFE!!!             |
|   FOR FULL DETAILS SEE EXTRA SUN, PRICE    |
|                TWO CENTS!”                 |
|                                            |
+--------------------------------------------+

“Wonder if CHARLEY writ all that ‘ere,” says I, inwardly, inquirin’ of a boy where Mr. DANY’S particular holdin’ out place might be, and givin’ him three cents to show me the way.  Drawin’ a quick breath, I knocked at the door.  “Come in,” says a peskish voice.  I cum in, and there, sure enough, with nose close down to the desk, a writin’ away for dear life, sat CHARLEY.  I knowed him to onc’t, for all he was a little oldish, and a little grayish, and had a bare spot like a turtle’s back on the top of his head.  My heart cum’ a bustin’ up into my throat, and an inward voice seemed to say: 

“Do it now EPHRAIM, do it now, while the feeling is onto you.”  Jest then he looked up, and I bust forth:  “Oh, CHARLEY!  CHARLEY! its a long time sin’ we met, CHARLEY.  Don’t you know me?  Don’t you remember little EPH ECKELS?  Oh!  CHARLEY, CHARLEY, give us a grip of your knob, old hunk”—­and I slewed over towards him for to shake hands when he suddenly drawed back, kinder gloomy like, putting down his pen and chewing his gums sort of swagewise. as he said: