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inging　the　vespers　he　was　skylarking　like　an　imp。　　While　he　was　pouring　out　the　most　divine　melody；　he　would　take　the　opportunity　of　kicking　the　shins　of　the　boy　next　to　him；　and　while　he　was　waiting　for　his　part；　he　would　kick　out　behind　at　any　one　who　was　incautious　enough　to　approach　him。　　There　never　was　such　a　vicious　boy；　he　kept　the　whole　loft　in　a　ferment。　　When　the　monk　rumbled　his　bass　in　his　stomach；　the　boy　cut　up　monkey…shines　that　set　every　other　boy　into　a　laugh；　or　he　stirred　up　a　row　that　set　them　all　at　fisticuffs。

And　yet　this　boy　was　a　great　favorite。　　The　jolly　monk　loved　him　best　of　all　and　bore　with　his　wildest　pranks。　　When　he　was　wanted　to　sing　his　part　and　was　skylarking　in　the　rear；　the　fat　monk　took　him　by　the　ear　and　brought　him　forward；　and　when　he　gave　the　boy's　ear　a　twist；　the　boy　opened　his　lovely　mouth　and　poured　forth　such　a　flood　of　melody　as　you　never　heard。　　And　he　did　n't　mind　his　notes；　he　seemed　to　know　his　notes　by　heart；　and　could　sing　and　look　off　like　a　nightingale　on　a　bough。　　He　knew　his　power；　that　boy；　and　he　stepped　forward　to　his　stand　when　he　pleased；　certain　that　he　would　be　forgiven　as　soon　as　he　began　to　sing。　　And　such　spirit　and　life　as　he　threw　into　the　performance；　rollicking　through　the　Vespers　with　a　perfect　abandon　of　carriage；　as　if　he　could　sing　himself　out　of　his　skin　if　he　liked。

While　the　little　angels　down　below　were　pattering　about　with　their　wax　tapers；　keeping　the　holy　fire　burning；　suddenly　the　organ　stopped；　the　monk　shut　his　book　with　a　bang；　the　boys　blew　out　the　candles；　and　I　heard　them　all　tumbling　down…stairs　in　a　gale　of　noise　and　laughter。　　The　beautiful　boy　I　saw　no　more。

About　him　plays　the　light　of　tender　memory；　but　were　he　twice　as　lovely；　I　could　never　think　of　him　as　having　either　the　simple　manliness　or　the　good　fortune　of　the　New　England　boy。






ON　HORSEBACK


I

〃The　way　to　mount　a　horse〃…　said　the　Professor。

〃If　you　have　no　ladderput　in　the　Friend　of　Humanity。

The　Professor　had　ridden　through　the　war　for　the　Union　on　the　right　side；　enjoying　a　much　better　view　of　it　than　if　he　had　walked；　and　knew　as　much　about　a　horse　as　a　person　ought　to　know　for　the　sake　of　his　character。　　The　man　who　can　recite　the　tales　of　the　Canterbury　Pilgrims；　on　horseback；　giving　the　contemporary　pronunciation；　never　missing　an　accent　by　reason　of　the　trot；　and　at　the　same　time　witch　North　Carolina　and　a　strip　of　East　Tennessee　with　his　noble　horsemanship；　is　a　kind　of　Literary　Centaur　of　whose　double　instruction　any　Friend　of　Humanity　may　be　glad　to　avail　himself。

〃The　way　to　mount　a　horse　is　to　grasp　the　mane　with　the　left　hand　holding　the　bridle…rein；　put　your　left　foot　in　the　stirrup；　with　the　right　hand　on　the　back　of　the　saddle；　and…〃

Just　then　the　horse　stepped　quickly　around　on　his　hind　feet；　and　looked　the　Professor　in　the　face。　　The　Superintendents　of　Affairs；　who　occupy　the　flagging　in　front　of　the　hotel；　seated　in　cane…　bottomed　chairs　tilted　back；　smiled。　　These　useful　persons　appear　to　have　a　life…lease　of　this　portion　of　the　city　pavement；　and　pretty　effectually　block　it　up　nearly　all　day　and　evening。　　When　a　lady　wishes　to　make　her　way　through　the　blockade；　it　is　the　habit　of　these　observers　of　life　to　rise　and　make　room；　touching　their　hats；　while　she　picks　her　way　through；　and　goes　down　the　street　with　a　pretty　consciousness　of　the　flutter　she　has　caused。　　The　war　has　not　changed　the　Southern　habit　of　sitting　out…of…doors；　but　has　added　a　new　element　of　street　picturesqueness　in　groups　of　colored　people　lounging　about　the　corners。　　There　appears　to　be　more　leisure　than　ever。

The　scene　of　this　little　lesson　in　horsemanship　was　the　old　town　of　Abingdon；　in　southwest　Virginia；　on　the　Virginia　and　East　Tennessee　railway；　a　town　of　ancient　respectability；　which　gave　birth　to　the　Johnstons　and　Floyds　and　other　notable　people；　a　town；　that　still　preserves　the　flavor　of　excellent　tobacco　and；　something　of　the　easy…　going　habits　of　the　days　of　slavery；　and　is　a　sort　of　educational　center；　where　the　young　ladies　of　the　region　add　the　final　graces　of　intellectual　life　in　moral　philosophy　and　the　use　of　the　globes　to　their　natural　gifts。　　The　mansion　of　the　late　and　left　Floyd　is　now　a　seminary；　and　not　far　from　it　is　the　Stonewall　Jackson　Institute；　in　the　midst　of　a　grove　of　splendid　oaks；　whose　stately　boles　and　wide…　spreading　branches　give　a　dignity　to　educational　life。　　The　distinction　of　the　region　is　its　superb　oak…trees。　　As　it　was　vacation　in　these　institutions　of　learning；　the　travelers　did　not　see　any　of　the　vines　that　traditionally　cling　to　the　oak。

The　Professor　and　the　Friend　of　Humanity　were　about　starting　on　a　journey；　across　country　southward；　through　regions　about　which　the　people　of　Abingdon　could　give　little　useful　information。　　If　the　travelers　had　known　the　capacities　and　resources　of　the　country；　they　would　not　have　started　without　a　supply　train；　or　the　establishment　of　bases　of　provisions　in　advance。　　But；　as　the　Professor　remarked；　knowledge　is　something　that　one　acquires　when　he　has　no　use　for　it。　The　horses　were　saddled；　the　riders　were　equipped　with　flannel　shirts　and　leather　leggings；　the　saddle…bags　were　stuffed　with　clean　linen；　and　novels；　and　sonnets　of　Shakespeare；　and　other　baggage；　it　would　have　been　well　if　they　had　been　stuffed　with　hard…tack；　for　in　real　life　meat　is　more　than　raiment。

The　hotel；　in　front　of　which　there　is　cultivated　so　much　of　what　the　Germans　call　sitzfleisch；　is　a　fair　type　of　the　majority　of　Southern　hotels；　and　differs　from　the　same　class　in　the　North　in　being　left　a　little　more　to　run　itself。　　The　only　information　we　obtained　about　it　was　from　its　porter　at　the　station；　who　replied　to　the　question；　〃Is　it　the　best？〃　　〃We　warrant　you　perfect　satisfaction　in　every　respect。〃　　This　seems　to　be　only　a　formula　of　expression；　for　we　found　that　the　statement　was　highly　colored。　　It　was　left　to　our　imagination　to　conjecture　how　the　big　chambers　of　the　old　house；　with　their　gaping　fireplaces；　might　have　looked　when　furnished　and　filled　with　gay　company；　and　we　got　what　satisfaction　we　could　out　of　a　bygone　bustle　and　mint…julep　hilarity。　　In　our　struggles　with　the　porter　to　obtain　the　little　items　of　soap；　water；　and　towels；　we　were　convinced　that　we　had　arrived　too　late；　and　that　for　perfect　satisfaction　we　should　have　been　here　before　the　war。　　It　was　not　always　as　now。　　In　colonial　days　the　accommodations　and　prices　at　inns　were　regulated　by　law。　　In　the　old　records　in　the　court…house　we　read　that　if　we　had　been　here　in　1777；　we　could　have　had　a　gallon　of　good　rum　for　sixteen　shillings；　a　quart　bowl　of　rum　toddy　made　with　loaf　sugar　for　two　shillings；　or　with　brown　sugar　for　one　shilling　and　sixpence。　　In　1779　prices　had　risen。　　Good　rum　sold　for　four　pounds　a　gallon。　　It　was　ordered　that　a　warm　dinner　should　cost　twelve　shillings；　a　cold　dinner　nine　shillings；　and　a　good　breakfast　twelve　shillings。　　But　the　item　that　pleased　us　most；　and　made　us　regret　our　late　advent；　was　that　for　two　shillings　we　could　have　had　a　〃good　lodging；　with　clean　sheets。〃　The　colonists　were　fastidious　people。

Abingdon；　prettily　situated　on　rolling　hills；　and　a　couple　of　thousand　feet　above　the　sea；　with　views　of　mountain　peaks　to　the　south；　is　a　cheerful　and　not　too　exciting　place　for　a　brief　sojourn；　and　hospitable　and　helpful　to　the　stranger。　　We　had　dinedso　much；　at　least；　the　public　would　expect　of　uswith　a　descendant　of　Pocahontas；　we　had　assisted　on　Sunday　morning　at　the　dedication　of　a　new　brick　Methodist　church；　the　finest　edifice　in　the　region　a　dedication　that　took　a　long　time；　since　the　bishop　would　not　proceed　with　it　until　money　enough　was　raised　in　open　meeting　to　pay　the　balance　due　on　it：　a　religious　act；　though　it　did　give　a　business　aspect　to　the　place　at　the　time；　and　we　had　been　the　light　spots　in　the　evening　service　at　the　most　aristocratic　church　of　color。　　The　irresponsibility　of　this　amiable　race　was　exhibited　in　the　tardiness　with　which　they　assembled：　at　the　appointed　time　nobody　was　there　except　the　sexton；　it　was　three　quarters　of　an　hour　before　the　congregation　began　to　saunter　in；　and　the　sermon　was　nearly　over　before　the　pews　were　at　all　filled。　　Perhaps　the　sermon　was　not　new；　but　it　was　fervid；　and　at　times　the　able　preacher　roared　so　that　articulate　sounds　were　lost　in　the　general　effect。　　It　was　precisely　these　passages　of　cataracts　of　sound　and　hard　breathing　which　excited　the　liveliest　responses；〃Yes；　Lord；〃　and　〃Glory　to　God。〃　　Most　of　these　responses　came　from　the　〃Amen　corner。〃　　The　sermon　contained　the　usual　vivid　description　of　the　last　judgmentah；　and　I　fancied　that　the　congregation　did　not　get　the　ordinary　satisfaction　out　of　it。　　Fashion　had　entered　the　fold；　and　the　singing　was　mostly　executed　by　a　choir　in　the　dusky　gallery；　who　thinly　and　harshly　warbled　the　emotional　hymns。　　It　occupied　the　minister　a　long　time　to　give　out　the　notices　of　the　week；　and　there　was　not　an　evening　or　afternoon　that　had　not　its　meetings；　its　literary　or　social　gathering；　its　picnic　or　fair　for　the　benefit　of　the　church；　its　Dorcas　society；　or　some　occasion　of　religious　sociability。　　The　raising　of　funds　appeared　to　be　the　burden　on　the　preacher's　mind。　Two　c