第7章 A FORWARD MOVEMENT.(3)

"You promised to have it ready.It is not ready.It must be a car with a water jar,the windows must be shut,the fire must be kept up,the blinds must be down.No,this won't do.I shall go through the whole train,and suit myself,for you promised to have it ready.It is not ready,"&c.,all through again,like a hand-organ.She haunted the cars,the depot,the office and baggage-room,with her bed,her tumbler,and her tongue,till the train started;and a sense of fervent gratitude filled my soul,when I found that she and her unknown invalid were not to share our car.

Philadelphia.­An old place,full of Dutch women,in "bellus top"bonnets,selling vegetables,in long,open markets.Every one seems to be scrubbing their white steps.All the houses look like tidy jails,with their outside shutters.Several have crape on the door-handles,and many have flags flying from roof or balcony.Few men appear,and the women seem to do the business,which,perhaps,accounts for its being so well done.Pass fine buildings,but don't know what they are.Would like to stop and see my native city;

for,having left it at the tender age of two,my recollections are not vivid.

Baltimore.­A big,dirty,shippy,shiftless place,full of goats,geese,colored people,and coal,at least the part of it I see.

Pass near the spot where the riot took place,and feel as if I should enjoy throwing a stone at somebody,hard.Find a guard at the ferry,the depot,and here and there,along the road.A camp whitens one hill-side,and a cavalry training school,or whatever it should be called,is a very interesting sight,with quantities of horses and riders galloping,marching,leaping,and skirmishing,over all manner of break-neck places.A party of English people get in­the men,with sandy hair and red whiskers,all trimmed alike,to a hair;rough grey coats,very rosy,clean faces,and a fine,full way of speaking,which is particularly agreeable,after our slip-shod American gabble.The two ladies wear funny velvet fur-trimmed hoods;are done up,like compact bundles,in tar tan shawls;and look as if bent on seeing everything thoroughly.The devotion of one elderly John Bull to his red-nosed spouse was really beautiful to behold.She was plain and cross,and fussy and stupid,but J.B.,Esq.,read no papers when she was awake,turned no cold shoulder when she wished to sleep,and cheerfully said,"Yes,me dear,"to every wish or want the wife of his bosom expressed.