Correliana submitted to the retrospective review of the Dosch, as a matter of fact relation, in freedom from other emotions than those of joyful gladness for the recovery of her treasure, and the appreciation bestowed by the Manatitlan matrons upon the wisdom of her choice. Then Mr. Dow smilingly offered the Dosch and Doschessa the privilege of reading the letter of his wife and children; but as it was one of reproof we will simply state, that in writing home he had been so much absorbed in the prospective grandeur of his elevation as the precentor of the discovery, that the remarkable traits of the Heracleans and Manatitlans had scarcely been noticed, but in a sufficient degree for the excitement of intense curiosity. This unpardonable oversight had caused, in the place of congratulations, a letter filled to overflowing with catechistic questions relating to the habits and customs of the Animalculans, to the entire exclusion of a remark touching his agency in the discovery, inasmuch as it would contribute to his personal fame. The reflex action of Mr. Dow’s omission greatly amused the Dosch and his wife. After the mirth had subsided, occasioned by the reading of Mr. Dow’s family letter, which left him as void of home information as he had left them in his letter communication with regard to the habits and customs of the Manatitlans, M. Hollydorf proposed to read aloud the reply of the R. H. B. Society to his letter.
TO M. HOLLYDORF, _Director of the Animalculan Corps of the R. H. B. Society, at present conducting their explorations in the newly discovered city of Heraclea Doweri, in the country of the wild hordes in the Andean region of La Plata._—Greeting, in behalf of our patrons and members of the Society, with personal congratulations! Wonder and surprised amazement are terms of too weak invention to express the emotional excitement caused by your letter of discovery, which reached us with unaccountable despatch. The introduction,—although conducted with consummate skill, that our credulity might not be overstrained by the relation of concurring events in a manner too abrupt,—was of a character so startling that our mouths unconsciously retained the smoke of our pipes, to be emitted in the full volume of accumulation with an involumed sigh of relief, when impressed with the conviction of your sanity. It appears from your relation, that your progress was attended by concurrent events of the most surprising description, which by a conjunction of circumstances, when subject to opposition, were readily overcome, with an effect that tended to the final development of the Animalculan race of humanity. The train with the slightest descriptive discrepancy would have consigned your letter to the basket as a maniacal production. As it was, with the first announcement, all eyes became fixed upon the reader in mute astonishment, too deeply impressed for skeptical thought, or incredulous comparison; the valves of respiratory emotion continued closed to voluntary exercise, with singular endurance, until the last sentence of your letter opened their vent with a prolonged whe-w accompanied with a volume of condensed smoke commensurate with the capacity of each member for marvelous inflation. Before proceeding to the theoretical discussion, and precedental comparison of your revelations with those of past ages, the members indulged in a variety of extra-scientific ejaculations decidedly foreign to your Manatitlan code of educational ethics.