“Such being the difficulties respecting domestic arrangements,” adds our author, “it is obvious, that the ladies who are brought up amongst them cannot have leisure for any developement of the mind:  it is, in fact, out of the question; and, remembering this, it is more surprising that some among them should be very pleasing, than that none should be highly instructed.  But, whatever may be the talents of the persons who meet together in society, the very shape, form, and arrangement of the meeting is sufficient to paralyze conversation.  The women invariably herd together at one part of the room, and the men at the other; but, in justice to Cincinnati, I must acknowledge that this arrangement is by no means peculiar to that city, or to the western side of the Alleghanies.  Sometimes a small attempt at music produces a partial reunion; a few of the most daring youths animated by the consciousness of curled hair and smart waistcoats, approach the piano-forte, and begin to mutter a little to the half-grown pretty things, who are comparing with one another ’how many quarters’ music they have had.’  Where the mansion is of sufficient dignity to have two drawing-rooms, the piano, the little ladies, and the slender gentlemen are left to themselves; and on such occasions the sound of laughter is often heard to issue from among them.  But the fate of the more dignified personages, who are left in the other room, is extremely dismal.  The gentlemen spit, talk of elections and the price of produce, and spit again.  The ladies look at each other’s dresses till they know every pin by heart; talk of Parson Somebody’s last sermon on the day of judgment, or Dr. T’otherbody’s new pills for dyspepsia, till the ‘tea’ is announced, when they all console themselves together for whatever they may have suffered in keeping awake, by taking more tea, coffee, hot cake and custard, hoe cake, johny cake, waffle cake, and dodger cake, pickled peaches, and preserved cucumbers, ham, turkey, hung beef, apple sauce, and pickled oysters, than ever were prepared in any other country of the known world.  After this massive meal is over, they return to the drawing-room, and it always appeared to me that they remained together as long as they could bear it, and then they rise en masse—­cloak, bonnet, shawl, and exit.”

Conversation of an American Woman.

“’Well now, so you be from the old country?  Ay—­you’ll see sights here I guess.’  ‘I hope I shall see many.’  ’That’s a fact.—­Why they do say, that if a poor body contrives to be smart enough to scrape together a few dollars, that your King George always comes down upon ’em, and takes it all away.  Don’t he?’ ‘I do not remember hearing of such a transaction.’  ’I guess they be pretty close about it.’  ’Your papers ben’t like ourn, I reckon?  Now we says and prints just what we likes.’  ’You spend a good deal of time in reading the newspapers.’  ’And I’d like you to tell me how we can spend it better.  How should freemen spend their