from any doubt of our integrity, as from a fear
lest we should not be equal in social rank."

"Well; but really, don't you think that our
externals might have satisfied that old' lady she
had nothing to apprehend on that score?"

"I can't say how she may have regarded that
point," was the cautious answer.

Calvert pushed his glass impatiently from him,
and said, petulantly, " The woman is evidently a
governess, or a companion, or a housekeeper,
She writes her name in the book, Miss Grainger,
and the others are called Walter. Now, after
all, a Miss Grainger might, without derogating
too far, condescend to know a Fusilier, eh? Oh,
here she comes again."

The lady thus criticised had now re-entered
the room, and was busily engaged in studying
the announcement of steam-boat departures and
arrivals, over the chimney.

"It is too absurd," said she, pettishly, in
French, " to close the telegraph-office at eight,
that the clerks may go to a ball."

"Not to a ball, madam, to the fair at
Lahnech," interposed Franz.

"I don't care, sir, whether it be a dance or a
junketing. It is the same inconvenience to the
public; and the landlord, and the secretary, as
you call him, of this hotel, are all gone, and
nothing left here but you."

Whether it was the shameless effrontery of the
contempt she evinced in these words, or the
lamentable look of abasement of the waiter,
that overcame Calvert, certain is it he made no
effort to restrain himself, but,leaning back in his
chair, laughed heartily and openly.

"Well, sir," said she, turning fiercely on him,
"you force me to say, that 1 never witnessed
a more gross display of ill breeding and bad
manners."

"Had you only added, madam, ' after a very
long experience of life' the remark would have
been perfect," said he, still laughing.

"Oh, Calvert!" broke in Loyd, in a tone ol
deprecation; but the old lady, white with
passion, retired without waiting for that apology
which, certainly, there was little prospect of her
receiving.

"I am sorry you should have said that," said
Loyd, " for though she was scarcely measured
in her remark, your laughter was a gross
provocation."

"How the cant of your profession sticks to
you '." said the other. " There was the lawyer in
every word of that speech. There was the
' case' and the ' set off.'"

Loyd could not help smiling, though scarcely
pleased at this rejoinder.

"Take my word for it," said Calvert, as he
helped himself to the dish before him, " there
is nothing in life so aggressive as one of our
elderly countrywomen when travelling in an in
dependent condition. The theory is attack—
attack—attack! They have a sort of vague
impression that the passive are always imposed
on, and certainly they rarely place themselves in
that category. As I live, here she comes one
more."

The old lady had now entered the room with
a slip of paper in her hand, to which she called
the waiter's attention, saying, "You will
despatch this message to Mayence, when the office
opens in the morning. See that there is no
mistake about it."

"It must be in German, madam," said
Franz. " They'll not take it in in any foreign
language."

"Tell her you'll translate it, Loyd. Go in,
man, and get your knock-down as I did,"
whispered Calvert.

Loyd blushed slightly; but not heeding the
sarcasm of his companion, he arose, and,
approaching the stranger, said, " It will give me
much pleasure to put your message into German,
madam, if it will at all convenience you."

It was not till after a very searching look into
his face, and an apparently satisfactory examination
of his features, that she replied, " Well,
sir, I make no objection; there can be no great
secresy in what passes through a telegraph-office.
You can do it, if you please."

Now, though the speech was not a very
gracious acknowledgment of a proffered service,
Loyd took the paper and proceeded to read it.
It was not without an effort, however, that he
could constrain himself so far as not to laugh
aloud at the contents, which began by an
explanation that the present inconvenience was
entirely owing to the very shameful arrangements
made by the steam-packet company for the
landing of passengers at intermediate stations,
and through which the complainant, travelling
with her nieces, Millicent and Florence Walter,
and her maids, Susannah Tucker and Mary
Briggs, and having for luggage the following
articles—

"May I observe, madam," said Loyd, in a
mild tone of remonstrance, "that these explanations
are too lengthy for the telegraph, not to
say very costly, and as your object is simply to
reclaim a missing article of your baggage—"

"I trust, sir, that having fully satisfied your
curiosity as to who we are, and of what grievance
we complain, that you will spare me your
comments as to the mode in which we prefer
our demand for redress; but I ought to have
known better, and I deserve it!" and, snatching
the paper rudely from his hand, she dashed out
of the room in passion.

"By Jove! you fared worse than myself,*'
said Calvert, as he laughed loud and long. " You
got a heavier castigation for your polite
interference than I did for my impertinence."

"It is a lesson, at all events," said Loyd,
still blushing for his late defeat. " I wonder is
she all right up here," and he touched his
forehead significantly.

"Of course she is. Nay, more, I'll wager a
Nap. that in her own set, amidst the peculiar
horrors who form her daily intimates, she is a
strong-minded, sensible woman, 'that won't
stand humbug,' and so on. These are specialities;
they wear thick shoes, woollen petticoats, and
brown veils, quarrel with cabmen, and live at
Clapham."