when, on a second or third return, mamma was troubled, and inquired, she had for reason what she seemed to receive as satisfactory, that nurse was having her ice, and could not come till she was ready. That part of the company's supper would have been spoiled for nurse's taste if she first put her charge to bed! If this arises from the goodtempered indulgence of the mistress, I venture to think it is carried beyond discretion. If she cannot help herself, there is need for amendment in the order of things.

A lady told me what befell her brother in the "far west." Let it be always remembered, that the state of things there is so new and utterly different from the east, and the west seems so indefinitely far, that eastern people do not shrink from criticising manners and notions there, and are also ready to invite the observation of strangers.

The brother was a young lawyer who had left a rising city, the scene of his labours, and gone to ruralise in his clearing, where his house and its appliances were as comfortable as is usual in such circumstances. Some of his brethren of the bar met him at the assizes, and told him they were coming to see his settlement and dine with him next day. The friendly youth hastened home intent on his hospitalities, intending that never heartier dinner smoked on board than should grace his tomorrow. He was sorely disconcerted to find that his housekeeper had gone home, without leave or

M

warning. He rode from clearing to clearing, seeking "help." But none was to be had, as everybody was as independent and averse to servitude as himself. He was musing on his own talent for roasting turkey and boiling ham, and about to return crestfallen and discomfited to receive his friends, when a damsel compassionated his case so as to propose to "go cook" on condition of being at table with the guests, as she would be no man's servant, and had never cooked a dinner of which she had not partaken. The terms were gladly accepted. Without doubt her independent character, and the American respect for the female sex, secured her becoming treatment, but one feels persuaded that the awkwardness of her position must have produced some quarrel between the compassion and the dignity which had, when united, placed her in so new and curious a situation. This, however, it must be re-urged, was in the far west.

Another circumstance, which never could have occurred in England, may be related.

On a very stormy and cold Sunday, having caught cold at morning church, I resolved to remain by the fireside in my chamber in the afternoon, and purposely invited a young Scotchwoman to come to me, when all should be gone to church. She was a stranger, and a sudden and early widow, and, but for the benevolence of the friends I visited, would have been without a shelter. I wished to discuss her prospects, to let her tell her troubles, and take

the great relief to a full heart, if she needed it, of having a good hearty cry beside me. I wished to try to lead her to the only consolation which will never fail, and to tell her of the faithfulness of the widow's God. She had scarcely been persuaded to take a seat, when the old housekeeper introduced herself uninvited. When asked quietly if she wanted anything, she said it was very cold, she wished to put more wood on the fire. After she had done this, she deliberately drew forward a rocking-chair, established herself in the centre of the hearth, and began to tell me of the ignorance of my young countrywoman, who, when she first came, would have dined with the coloured people if she had not been there to rescue her from such a disgrace. When asked what harm it would have done her if she had, she seemed to discover that all people from Caledonia were alike savage in their ideas, and said, "She was a native American, they all knew better than to associate with such; keep them at a distance—if you give them an inch, they will take an ell. She had rather eat all her meals standing in her own bed-room all her life than eat with one of them." "Well, now, that seems strange to me;-cook is dark, every morsel you eat comes through coloured hands; and Ben and Will that wait at table do everything for us, and I don't feel that we get any harm from them." "Wait! yes, that's another thing-keep them under, and they do well enough; but let them once look up the least bit, and there's an end of

them they won't do no more good after that." "What will you say when I tell you, I have dined at table with a coloured gentleman, and found him well-bred, well-informed, and a true Christian?" The old lady rose from her seat, and I expected she was going to avoid my pestilent society, but she reconsidered the matter, and, to my regret, re-seated and re-rocked herself. 66 Well, he might be a Christian-I believe some on them are." "If they are, then our heavenly Father does not dislike darkies as you do?" "No, to be sure, for he made them." "And if they get to heaven, and you get to heaven, what will you do about them there?" "Oh! that will be settled when the time comes." With such troublesome converse did the aged domestic obtrude herself upon me in my own chamber, till I proposed to read to them, and then she fell asleep. My unbidden guest was awakened by the return from church of the rest of the family, and was, and still is, unconscious of having committed what was in my eyes a most unwonted act. It must be confessed that, though she received no invitation or encouragement, yet, after she had come, my curiosity was excited to see how such a visit might turn, so that I gave no indication of annoyance at her pre

sence.

In spite of these manners, which, though not what we are used to, we are not entitled to pronounce upon as being bad, servants seem to do all that is expected of them, at least, so far as a visitor might

observe. The only thing we found difficulty about, was how to get our shoes cleaned. Mine were laid on the hearth day by day, where the housemaid in making the fire must be obliged to see and remove them. That did not procure a brushing. I have put them outside the chamber-door, and seen them kicked about and tumbled over; still the soil was left on them. I have put them on again, wondering if no ragged school-boy, with red flannel shirt and a blacking-box, might be found in the streets as in London-and if found, how one could employ him. In short, where all besides was hospitality, comfort, and elegance, there stood your boots with the mud of yesterday in bright brown rims. When at last the favour was asked to have them brushed, you saw an expression of countenance which, it ought to be told, was never seen on any other occasion, that betrayed that something about this one service is offensive or disagreeable in a high degree. At last, I inquired of a sensible lady what was wrong, and was told that shoe-cleaning is counted an office so menial, that it is beneath the dignity of freemen to condescend to such an employment; and then it was explained why everybody wore India rubbers, or highly-polished leather, which can be washed with soap, water, and a sponge, and having acquired this knowledge, it was easy to possess one's self of the means of having comfortable feet again.

A gentleman whom I knew slightly in early days was far too much of a democrat in his notions of