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their　fellow…men　to　age　and　infirmity；　they　had　evidently　some

talisman　or　other　that　kept　death　at　bay。　Two　or　three　of　their

number；　as　I　was　assured；　being　gouty　and　rheumatic；　or　perhaps

bed…ridden；　never　dreamed　of　making　their　appearance　at　the

Custom…House　during　a　large　part　of　the　year；　but；　after　a　torpid

winter；　would　creep　out　into　the　warm　sunshine　of　May　or　June；　go

lazily　about　what　they　termed　duty；　and；　at　their　own　leisure　and

convenience；　betake　themselves　to　bed　again。　I　must　plead　guilty　to

the　charge　of　abbreviating　the　official　breath　of　more　than　one　of

these　venerable　servants　of　the　republic。　They　were　allowed；　on　my

representation；　to　rest　from　their　arduous　labours；　and　soon

afterwards…　as　if　their　sole　principle　of　life　had　been　zeal　for　their

country's　service；　as　I　verily　believe　it　was…　withdrew　to　a　better

world。　It　is　a　pious　consolation　to　me；　that；　through　my　interference；

a　sufficient　space　was　allowed　them　for　repentance　of　the　evil　and

corrupt　practices；　into　which；　as　a　matter　of　course；　every

Custom…House　officer　must　be　supposed　to　fall。　Neither　the　front　nor

the　back　entrance　of　the　Custom…House　opens　on　the　road　to　Paradise。

　　The　greater　part　of　my　officers　were　Whigs。　It　was　well　for　their

venerable　brotherhood　that　the　new　Surveyor　was　not　a　politician；　and；

though　a　faithful　Democrat　in　principle；　neither　received　nor　held　his

office　with　any　reference　to　political　services。　Had　it　been

otherwise…　had　an　active　politician　been　put　into　this　influential

post；　to　assume　the　easy　task　of　making　head　against　a　Whig　Collector；

whose　infirmities　withheld　him　from　the　personal　administration　of　his

office…　hardly　a　man　of　the　old　corps　would　have　drawn　the　breath　of

official　life　within　a　month　after　the　exterminating　angel　had　come　up

the　Custom…House　steps。　According　to　the　received　code　in　such

matters；　it　would　have　been　nothing　short　of　duty；　in　a　politician；　to

bring　every　one　of　those　white　heads　under　the　axe　of　the

guillotine。　It　was　plain　enough　to　discern；　that　the　old　fellows

dreaded　some　such　discourtesy　at　my　hands。　It　pained；　and　at　the

same　time　amused　me；　to　behold　the　terrors　that　attended　my　advent；　to

see　a　furrowed　cheek；　weather…beaten　by　half　a　century　of　storm；

turn　ashy　pale　at　the　glance　of　so　harmless　an　individual　as　myself；

to　detect；　as　one　or　another　addressed　me；　the　tremor　of　a　voice；

which；　in　long…past　days；　had　been　wont　to　bellow　through　a

speaking…trumpet；　hoarsely　enough　to　frighten　Boreas　himself　to

silence。　They　knew；　these　excellent　old　persons；　that；　by　all

established　rule…　and；　as　regarded　some　of　them；　weighed　by　their　own

lack　of　efficiency　for　business…　they　ought　to　have　given　place　to

younger　men；　more　orthodox　in　politics；　and　altogether　fitter　than

themselves　to　serve　our　common　Uncle。　I　knew　it　too；　but　could　never

quite　find　in　my　heart　to　act　upon　the　knowledge。　Much　and

deservedly　to　my　own　discredit；　therefore；　and　considerably　to　the

detriment　of　my　official　conscience；　they　continued；　during　my

incumbency；　to　creep　about　the　wharves；　and　loiter　up　and　down　the

Custom…House　steps。　They　spent　a　good　deal　of　time；　also；　asleep　in

their　accustomed　corners；　with　their　chairs　tilted　back　against　the

wall；　awaking；　however；　once　or　twice　in　a　forenoon；　to　bore　one

another　with　the　several　thousandth　repetition　of　old　sea…stories；　and

mouldy　jokes；　that　had　grown　to　be　passwords　and　countersigns　among

them。

　　The　discovery　was　soon　made；　I　imagine；　that　the　new　Surveyor　had　no

great　harm　in　him。　So；　with　lightsome　hearts；　and　the　happy

consciousness　of　being　usefully　employed…　in　their　own　behalf；　at

least；　if　not　for　our　beloved　country…　these　good　old　gentlemen　went

through　the　various　formalities　of　office。　Sagaciously　under　their

spectacles；　did　they　peep　into　the　holds　of　vessels！　Mighty　was

their　fuss　about　little　matters；　and　marvellous；　sometimes；　the

obtuseness　that　allowed　greater　ones　to　slip　between　their　fingers！

Whenever　such　a　mischance　occurred…　when　a　waggon…load　of　valuable

merchandise　had　been　smuggled　ashore；　at　noonday；　perhaps；　and

directly　beneath　their　unsuspicious　noses…　nothing　could　exceed　the

vigilance　and　alacrity　with　which　they　proceeded　to　lock；　and

double…lock；　and　secure　with　tape　and　sealing…wax；　all　the　avenues

of　the　delinquent　vessel。　Instead　of　a　reprimand　for　their　previous

negligence；　the　case　seemed　rather　to　require　an　eulogium　on　their

praiseworthy　caution；　after　the　mischief　had　happened；　a　grateful

recognition　of　the　promptitude　of　their　zeal；　the　moment　that　there

was　no　longer　any　remedy。

　　Unless　people　are　more　than　commonly　disagreeable；　it　is　my

foolish　habit　to　contract　a　kindness　for　them。　The　better　part　of　my

companion's　character；　if　it　have　a　better　part；　is　that　which　usually

comes　uppermost　in　my　regard；　and　forms　the　type　whereby　I　recognise

the　man。　As　most　of　these　old　Custom…House　officers　had　good　traits；

and　as　my　position　in　reference　to　them；　being　paternal　and

protective；　was　favourable　to　the　growth　of　friendly　sentiments；　I

soon　grew　to　like　them　all。　It　was　pleasant；　in　the　summer

forenoons…　when　the　fervent　heat；　that　almost　liquefied　the　rest　of

the　human　family；　merely　communicated　a　genial　warmth　to　their

half…torpid　systems…　it　was　pleasant　to　hear　them　chatting　in　the　back

entry；　a　row　of　them　all　tipped　against　the　wall；　as　usual；　while

the　frozen　witticisms　of　past　generations　were　thawed　out；　and　came

bubbling　with　laughter　from　their　lips。　Externally；　the　jollity　of

aged　men　has　much　in　common　with　the　mirth　of　children；　the　intellect；

any　more　than　a　deep　sense　of　humour；　has　little　to　do　with　the

matter；　it　is；　with　both；　a　gleam　that　plays　upon　the　surface；　and

imparts　a　sunny　and　cheery　aspect　alike　to　the　green　branch；　and　grey；

mouldering　trunk。　In　one　case；　however；　it　is　real　sunshine；　in　the

other；　it　more　resembles　the　phosphorescent　glow　of　decaying　wood。

　　It　would　be　sad　injustice；　the　reader　must　understand；　to

represent　all　my　excellent　old　friends　as　in　their　dotage。　In　the

first　place；　my　coadjutors　were　not　invariably　old；　there　were　men

among　them　in　their　strength　and　prime；　of　marked　ability　and

energy；　and　altogether　superior　to　the　sluggish　and　dependent　mode

of　life　on　which　their　evil　stars　had　cast　them。　Then；　moreover；　the

white　locks　of　age　were　sometimes　found　to　be　the　thatch　of　an

intellectual　tenement　in　good　repair。　But；　as　respects　the　majority　of

my　corps　of　veterans；　there　will　be　no　wrong　done；　if　I　characterise

them　generally　as　a　set　of　wearisome　old　souls；　who　had　gathered

nothing　worth　preservation　from　their　varied　experience　of　life。

They　seemed　to　have　flung　away　all　the　golden　grain　of　practical

wisdom；　which　they　had　enjoyed　so　many　opportunities　of　harvesting；

and　most　carefully　to　have　stored　their　memories　with　the　husks。

They　spoke　with　far　more　interest　and　unction　of　their　morning's

breakfast；　o