Sellers, as general superintendent of a great public enterprise, was all that a mere human being could be -- and more.

These two grandees went at their imposing "improvement" with the air of men who had been charged with the work of altering the foundations of the globe.
They turned their first attention to straightening the river just above the Landing, where it made a deep bend, and where the maps and plans showed that the process of straightening would not only shorten distance but increase the "fall." They started a cut-off canal across the peninsula formed by the bend, and such another tearing up of the earth and slopping around in the mud as followed the order to the men, had never been seen in that region before.

There was such a panic among the turtles that at the end of six hours there was not one to be found within three miles of Stone's Landing.

They took the young and the aged, the decrepit and the sick upon their backs and left for tide-water in disorderly procession, the tadpoles following and the bull-frogs bringing up the rear.
Saturday night came, but the men were obliged to wait, because the appropriation had not come.

Harry said he had written to hurry up the money and it would be along presently.