:.:-
 
 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 OR. 
 
 WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 
 
 BY 
 
 KATE MANTON. 
 
 BOSTON : 
 
 CROSBY & DAMRELL, 
 
 100 WASHINGTON STREET. 
 1870.
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1870, by 
 
 CROSBY & DAMR! 
 In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts. 
 
 STTIRKOTTPSD BY It. C. WIIITCOMB AND CO., 
 
 15 Water Street, Boston.
 
 I. 
 
 IX the following pages I have given to man, the 
 place which God has given him; to woman, I 
 present her foibles and vanities, that she may see 
 herself as others see her ; trusting that she will derive 
 benefit from the sighf. 
 
 The incidents of history, and those which have 
 most deeply interested me in my travels, I trust will 
 be of equal interest to all who may read them. 
 
 The entries of my love affair, I am free to confess, 
 are tame and commonplace ; but my retired life? dur- 
 ing the past year, has saved me from the stratagems 
 and wiles which are requisite to a popular love story. 
 
 WANTED. " A partner with a capital of a thou- 
 sand dollars in a business, the profits of which will 
 be four thousand the first year." 
 
 (a) 
 1694442
 
 4 AfAM"S WRONGS; 
 
 
 
 A thousand dollars ! Can I not devise some plan 
 to earn it, secure the partnership and present it to my 
 dear father? 
 
 Not that I care for wealth on my own account, for 
 my wants are few, and my blessings far more than I 
 deserve ; but for my mother, my kind, my gentle 
 mother ! When I think of her social position in 
 by-gone days, her luxurious Southern home, her 
 every wish anticipated, the greatest men of the day 
 proud to be classed among her friends and now, 
 yes ! and now, where is she? 
 
 Living on an obscure street in Harlem, a loved 
 wife, and the almost idolized mother of her son and 
 daughter ; ever planning and contriving to meet the 
 expenses of her family, on my father's scanty salary of 
 fourteen hundred a year ; denying herself, and us all, 
 of every luxury, rather than owe any man a penny, 
 and I, poor insignificant being that I am, earning just 
 enough by my six drawing scholars to keep myself in 
 plain clothes. 
 
 But then I am content. 
 
 Ma says " we should not try to deceive people by 
 wearing finery and trinkets, giving them the impres- 
 sion that we are not poor when we are poor" ! She
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 5 
 
 says " when poverty is our misfortune rather than our 
 crime, we should never be ashamed to say we cannot 
 afford this, that, or the other, for such a course would 
 win the respect of any man whose opinion was worth 
 anything" ; and poverty was our misfortune, brought 
 on by our wicked war ! 
 
 Though we were loyal, and always have been loyal, 
 a's pa says, for I neither know or care anything 
 about politics, to the best government on earth, yet 
 our loyalty did not save us, for grandpa and pa were 
 misrepresented by our countrymen, who were angry 
 that they would not join with them in separating from 
 the North ; and thus, as brother Francis says, " help 
 mar the glory of the grand old stars and stripes"! 
 And so our slaves were taken, I'm glad olthat, if 
 they are only treated well, for I never did believe in 
 Slavery, our elegant mansion was turned into bar- 
 racks for the soldiers, our barns and grounds were 
 destroyed, and we driven out to commence life anew 
 in the cold, unsympathizing North. 
 
 How glad I am that uncle Frank insisted on in- 
 vesting that eight thousand of ma's in Bowditch's 
 office, in Boston, the "hub," as the Bostonians call
 
 6 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 it, but /think they are very pretentious, when New 
 Tork is so much more deserving the name ! 
 
 Grandpa was a little touched about it at the time, 
 but had he have deposited it in one of our Southern 
 offices, where would it have been now? 
 
 Echo answers, Where? 
 
 And now for the thousand dollars that I must try 
 and earn ; or if I could raise five hundred even, it 
 may be by that time it would produce a partnership 
 worth twenty-five hundred, or three thousand ; for 
 money is in such demand just now, that the induce- 
 ments oflered for its use are so fabulous, that one is 
 inclined to doubt whether they are bona Jlde or no ! 
 
 But this one reads as if it means what it affirms. 
 If it should prove a humbug, the money that I earn 
 will be no phantom, and in that case I can use it to 
 assist in defraying brother Francis's expenses in 
 Harvard. 
 
 I like old Harvard! 
 
 Grandpa and uncle Frank graduated there. 
 
 How I do love to hear them tell about their college 
 days, particularly when they were Freshmen, and 
 hazed ! They never appeared to feel so sore about it 
 as do the young collegians of the present day.
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. j 
 
 I always smile when I think of uncle Frank walk- 
 ing around his room with his nightcap on, drawing a 
 little lamb on rollers, singing all the while, "Mary 
 had a little lamb little lamb little lamb" which 
 feat was continued until he had made the circuit of 
 the room thirty times ! He says that " he never sees 
 a lamb now, especially a tin one, that he doesn't 
 smile." 
 
 And now, let me strike the anvils of my imagina- 
 tion, and see if a few sparks will emit, which, by 
 lighting in the right direction, will enable me to reap 
 the sum which I so ardently desire ! 
 
 Perhaps, if I should try, I could write a book, 
 but what shall it be about? 
 
 The truth is, I never could write a composition 
 even when I was in school, and contrived all sort of 
 plans to procure a little help, and rid myself, in some 
 way, of the hated duty. 
 
 Apropos. I cannot understand how the writing 
 of compositions originated as a school exercise ! 
 Why not as well compose music or poetry, as prose ? 
 
 Tbc idea of obliging a child who has scarcely an 
 idea in its little pate to write at least a page on 
 " Benevolence," " Conscience," " Moral Suasion,"
 
 8 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 and such like, with the knowledge that its poor 
 attempt is to be paraded before the school, and, in 
 some instances, the poor wight himself being called 
 upon to read his own production. I do not believe 
 the sin of deceiving, yes ! and lying often, will be 
 laid at the door of those poor children who arc 
 actually frightened into wrong-doing. 
 
 Writing is a gift which few comparatively receive. 
 There are those who could not write six pages, or 
 even three, on a given subject, that could be called 
 writing, to save their lives. 
 
 This cxeicise, I think, should be free, without 
 compulsion, and children encouraged rather than 
 driven to take up the study. I fear, though, as the 
 talent and learning of the day are arrayed against 
 me, it will be a long day before there will be 
 reform according to my ideas ! 
 
 But my book ! 
 
 What shall be its title? for there's much in a name ! 
 
 There was Mr. or Miss Hamilton, it is difficult 
 to tell whether Gail is masculine or feminine, 
 masculine, I should say, probably derived from Gains, 
 who I doubt not has made twice the sum I desire, 
 by the sale of the book, " Woman's Wrongs ; "
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 9 
 
 though I am free to confess a handsome portion 
 of it should be sent to poor Dr. Todd, the free use 
 of whose name, doubtless, contributing largely to 
 the sale of the book. 
 
 Suppose I write on JWan's Wrongs, though it 
 is precious little I know of man. I do not believe 
 one-naif that is said against him ; at any rate, I 
 should not be afraid to trust my happiness in the 
 keeping of some one of the little dears ! As far as 
 I can judge, I think man has quite as many wrongs 
 as woman ; though if all were like my pa and ma, 
 there would be no necessity for such a word in con- 
 nection with human beings. 
 
 Should I speak my honest conviction, I should 
 say that woman must thank herself for a great 
 many of her wrongs, as she is pleased to call them. 
 She prefers to read in her Bible the duties of 
 husbands, that they should love and be tender of 
 their wives, as their own bodies ; omitting the weight- 
 ier matters incumbent on herself, as reverence, 
 subjection, submission ! 
 
 Grandpa says, " A kind wife makes a kind hus- 
 band."
 
 10 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 Grandpa is a judge, and he ought to know ; though 
 I remember when I went to school there were excep- 
 tions to rules, but there is the door-bell, and I hear 
 Minnie's voice !
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 1 1 
 
 
 II. 
 
 OX one of the principal avenues in Berkshire 
 is an elegant mansion, surrounded by terraces 
 and grounds in the highest state of cultivation. 
 
 Arbors, fountains, and statuary abound ; trees of 
 
 
 every kind and size furnish a home for multitudes 
 
 of songsters, who are constantly flitting from branch 
 to branch, pouring from their tiny throats such a 
 volume of melody as to impress the beholder with 
 the belief that he must be on some Italian shore. 
 Seated in one of these arbors is an elderly lady, dis- 
 cussing with her son the plans for his future career. 
 
 They are the widow and son of Sir Henry Stuart 
 Vernon, formerly a wealthy barrister of Berkshire, 
 who, at his decease a few weeks previous, had left 
 his only son, then a student in Oxford, the present 
 Sir Henry, an income of forty thousand a year, with 
 the next claim to the title and fortune of his uncle,
 
 12 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 Sir Albert Fortescue Vernon, Earl of Somerset. It 
 hud been the earnest wish of the elder Sir Henry 
 that his only child should wed the fair Alice, eldest 
 daughter of Lord Irving of Northumberland, one of 
 the reigning belles, and heiress to one of the greatest 
 fortunes in the county. 
 
 But young Henry, though a dutiful and obedient 
 son in other respects, on this point was invulnerable, 
 positively declaring that he would never be tied 
 for life to one whom he could neither love or respect. 
 
 "I have money enough of my own, so I surely 
 shall not throw away my whole future happiness 
 for money," said he. 
 
 " The Lady Alice Irving is haughty, cold, and 
 self-opinionated. She never would yield her wishes 
 to any one, especially a husband. 
 
 "No! if I am caught in the wiles of matrimony, 
 it will be with some lady of character and heart; 
 one who will feel for me so strong an affection, 
 that a difference between us will be among the 
 impossibilities. 
 
 " I care not for title or wealth ! 
 
 "My wife, if I am ever blessed with one who is 
 worthy the name of wife, will share my purse and
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. ! 3 
 
 x 
 
 title, and if I secure her heart in return, it is 
 
 enough." So spake Sir Henry Vernon. 
 
 It was for the purpose of discussing this matter 
 that his mother had requested an interview with 
 him ; all that her heart desired, was unbounded 
 wealth and social distinction. For this, she had 
 bartered herself to the elder Sir Henry, and for this 
 she was willing to dispose of the future well-being 
 of her only child. 
 
 " Love is a myth ! " said she. 
 
 " There is no such thing to be found in this en- 
 lightened age. The present aim of every man and 
 woman is, how they can best secure a connection 
 with one who will add in some way to their own 
 
 aggrandizement." 
 
 % 
 " Then, mother, how dare men enter the church, 
 
 stand before the altar in the presence of God, and 
 promise to love and cherish one in whom they have 
 no delight? 
 
 " How can a woman stand before the same altar, 
 and promise audibly, in the presence of the same 
 great Being, to love, submit to, and reverence a 
 man, for whom, alas! too often, she has not even 
 a preference?
 
 14 MAN'S M'ROXGS; 
 
 "Ah, mother, there is something wrong here! I 
 would not perjure myself in this way to secure a 
 throne ; far sooner would I earn my bread by the 
 
 > 
 
 sweat of my brow. 
 
 " The Lady Alice Irving I can never wed ; I would 
 rather be a lone wanderer on the earth, than pass 
 a year with her, much less my whole life. She 
 has my best wishes for her future happiness, but 
 she will never be nearer to me than she now is, an 
 acquaintance only ! I have no desire, even, to be 
 entered on her list of friends ! " 
 
 'My son," replied Lady Edith, "you are blind 
 to your own interests. There was no love, sim- 
 ply an everyday fancy, between your father 
 and me. We were both of us blessed with com- 
 mon 'sense! We knew very well that love will 
 not pay for an establishment, or give social posi- 
 tion ; and as our union would place us both in 
 a much higher standing than we could ever hope 
 to attain if apart, we decided to marry, and entered 
 into an alliance as we should any other business 
 transaction ; and you see we were right, my son ! " 
 
 "This is a matter of opinion," replied Sir Ilenrv, 
 respectfully; " and I trust you will forgive me when
 
 OR, WOMAX'S FOIBLES. 15 
 
 I say that the daily witness of the life which you 
 and my father led, has been the great reason for 
 my taking the decided stand which I now occupy." 
 
 " Do you mean to reflect on our treatment of each 
 other?" inquired Lady Edith, haughtily. 
 
 "Did not your father and I ever maintain the 
 utmost respect towards each other before the world?" 
 
 " Certainly, most certainly, mother ; but God grant 
 that I may never be so situated as to be obliged 
 daily, nay hourly, to feign a respect which I do not 
 feel ! While my dear father lived, I ever tried to 
 believe that I must be mistaken in my supposition, 
 but your own words have proved my surmisings only 
 too true. Again I say, God grant me strength to 
 resist every temptation to connect myself with any 
 one, if I cannot feel assured that love, that perfect 
 love of which the Bible speaks, is to be the foun- 
 dation of my union." 
 
 " Then, my son," replied Lady Edith, rising, and 
 scarcely able to suppress her wrath, " then, my son, 
 the day that dawns upon your marriage with one of 
 ignoble blood, sees you a stranger to your mother 
 evermore ; " and with these words she left the arbor. 
 
 Sir Henry gazed after her, and exclaimed, "Oh!
 
 j6 .V.LV.S- ir/to.vcs; 
 
 my mother, my mother, what might you not have 
 been to your husband and child had you have based 
 your marriage on true affection? My poor dear 
 father, ho\v have you wronged yourself, and how 
 deeply have you been wronged ! I could read your 
 heart when you knew it not ; I was a witness, during 
 your last sickness, of that earnest longing for some 
 one who would whisper to you words of sympathy 
 and love ; one, who instead of delegating the duty 
 to a nurse, would have considered it the sweetest 
 privilege to bathe your fevered brow, and place the 
 cordial to your lips. You would not own it to me, 
 my father, but I know that you were made for love ; 
 that Vhcn you were lying sick and low, you would 
 have given all your wealth, if need be, to have 
 received one loving word, one tender kiss kiss, did 
 I say? I don't believe you ever knew the meaning 
 of the word in your own experience! and yet, 
 what am I saying? what am I thinking? It is my 
 mother ! I must draw a veil over her shortcomings, 
 and not allow myself to dwell upon them, for I am 
 commanded to honor my father and my mother. 
 May God forgive me if I cannot do it ! "
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 17 
 
 III. 
 
 A PARTY ! Laura Jenkins to have a party, and 
 I, of course, not invited. 
 
 I am not in society now. 
 
 And yet I, Kate Manton, in all my poverty, would 
 feel it to be great condescension on my part to 
 visit 7icr, the daughter of a fish-dealer, who has 
 nothing to boast of but the aristocracy of wealth ! 
 
 I am the granddaughter of judge Blake, the 
 highest, most respected, elegant gentleman of the old 
 school, and with his blood in my veins, that she 
 should dare look down on me ! 
 
 But stop! In what feelings am I indulging? Is 
 this the charity that thinketh no evil? What can 
 Laura Jenkins know of my antecedents? Just noth- 
 ing! I am a drawing teacher with six pupils, the 
 daughter of the " Clerk of the House," who has the 
 paltry income of fourteen hundred a year on which 
 
 2
 
 !8 MA.V'S WRONGS; 
 
 to support a family of four, house-rent, fuel, 
 gas, food and clothing, all included. How soon we 
 shall grow rich on this generous stipend ! Laura 
 Jenkins would spend twice the amount on herself 
 alone, in the same length of time, and of course 
 she looks down on me ! But there is one consola- 
 tion. All who are acquainted with our history feel 
 that the condescension would be on our side. Give 
 me superiority of intellect and culture, rather than 
 that of wealth. In my case, however, I fear the one 
 would prove quite as much of a phantom as the 
 other ! 
 
 But why should such a trifle annoy me? How 
 much of real pleasure did I ever experience from 
 the elegant parties which I attended before the 
 dreadful war? 
 
 My own party, which pa gave for me on my 
 entree into society. Would not some of the young 
 ladies who now look down upon me, be astonished 
 at the elegance of that affair? 
 
 And yet, after all, when I compare those days 
 with the present, I really think I lie down to sleep 
 with a much happier heart now than I did then. 
 It was ever a constant vying one with the other
 
 OR. WOMAN'S FOIBLES. I 9 
 
 which should excel in dress, in general appearance, 
 in dancing, in music ; in a word, which should be 
 the observed of all observers ! Should one more 
 happy than the rest chance to secure a little more 
 admiration and attention than the others, what heart- 
 burnings, what jealousies, what envyings! Still, I 
 must confess that it is rather hard for one who has 
 been educated in the highest school of refinement, 
 to be brought so low that even second-class people 
 will look down upon her ! 
 
 But we are not separated entirely from our friends. 
 A few choice ones stand by us yet ; but they are 
 those who stand on their own solid foundation, and 
 no one dare say to them, "Why do ye so?" 
 
 It is only those who stand on slippery places who 
 are afraid to extend the hand of fellowship to those 
 less blest in substance ! 
 
 But I am ashamed of my weakness ! 
 
 Had any one have told me that a trifling slight 
 like this should have thus aroused the evil in my 
 nature, I should have esteemed it an insult. 
 
 How much time I have wasted! 
 
 Had I have been patient under injury, I might 
 have written something on Man's Wrongs ; but if
 
 20 JlfAX'S WfiONGS; 
 
 poor father waits for my inspiration, I fear it will 
 be a long time before he sees brighter days. 
 
 How glad I am that I gave my scat in the horse- 
 car to that poor woman this afternoon ! Wasn't she 
 grateful? Poor thing! I did pity her so. 
 
 I low awkward to enter a car when every scat is 
 taken, and find that you arc standing alone, the 
 object of general surveillance to those who have 
 been more fortunate than yourself. Your form, 
 dress, and person scanned from top to toe. Some- 
 times, if your garment is a trifle out of style, al- 
 though it is the best you can afford, a smile, per- 
 chance a whisper, will be exchanged, and significant 
 glances thrown from one to the other, which will 
 disconcert any modest young ladv. Some young 
 ladies assume an air of nonchalance, striving to show 
 by their manner that they are not at all annoyed, 
 they have a preference for standing ; but any one 
 of ordinary discernment can see at a glance that it 
 is only a disguise of momentary irritation ! 
 
 Didn't those young ladies who sneered at me for 
 offering my seat to the poor woman, look unutter- 
 able things when that elegant stranger rose and 
 proffered me his scat?
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 2 I 
 
 I suppose some fault-finders would ask why he 
 did not rise for the poor woman? lie was at the 
 extreme end of the car, and did not see her till she 
 was in the act of taking my seat. I declined ac- 
 cepting it as long as propriety would admit, for I 
 cannot accept the seat of another, as many people 
 do, as a right ! Such a look of admiration as he 
 gave me, when I politely thanked him. It more than 
 compensated me for performing what I conceived 
 to be my duty. And here it will not be inappro- 
 priate for me to write a word on what I consider 
 one of "Man's Wrongs." 
 
 Why every man who wishes to be considered a 
 gentleman, should feel obliged, no matter how weary 
 he may feel, to rise and proffer his seat whenever 
 a lady enters a car, I cannot comprehend. 
 
 I am sorry to say if this is the criterion of a gen- 
 tleman though, the laboring classes would be in 
 the majority. 
 
 Ma says it was etiquette in her day for no gen- 
 tleman to sit in the presence of a lady while she 
 remained standing. It was a mark of respect for 
 the lady ; but, in our day, there are those who think
 
 22 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 the less respect they show for the presence of ladies, 
 the more independent will they be considered. 
 
 I have heard, on good authority, that there are 
 men in Boston, calling themselves gentlemen, who 
 will rush for the horse-car the moment it arrives at 
 the starting-point, and will so push and jostle one 
 another that they may secure a seat for themselves, 
 it is dangerous, at times, for a lady to attempt 
 entering until these same g-cnttemen(?) have monop- 
 olized every seat. This does not sound well, and 
 is not at all for the credit of our sister city. 
 
 But this evil can be remedied. The trouble is, 
 too much is expected of man in this particular. He 
 has his rights, and they should be respected. lie 
 should never be asked, by a look even, to give up 
 his seat. Should he be kind enough to waive his 
 right for the accommodation of a fellow-passenger, 
 let him be cordially thanked for his politeness. 
 
 The selfishness, the coarseness, the want of true 
 modesty in so many of the women of the present 
 day ; the accepting every favor as though it were a 
 right, has done much to cause men, in many re- 
 spects, to act so contrary to their better nature. 
 
 Before so much was said of woman's rights, man
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 23 
 
 considered himself as her protector ; but as the world 
 progresses, and he finds that she prefers to take 
 care of /^rself, he, acting on the same principle, 
 concludes to look our for /ii'msclf ! 
 
 I do not blame him. 
 
 Man has his rights, and he intends to maintain 
 them. 
 
 One may always recognize, however, a gentleman 
 of the old school ! 
 
 /A' cannot yet bring himself to sit while a lady 
 remains standing ; and others who have been edu- 
 cated in this belief, will not be convinced that any 
 one is a gentleman who does not, at least, proffer 
 his seat, although he may not insist on its being 
 accepted. 
 
 JANUARY 6th. 
 
 To-day is mending-day. It is a mystery to me 
 how ma can contrive to do all her mending in one 
 day, when we have so few clothes, and are obliged 
 to wear them till it appears as if a touch even would 
 tear them. She acts upon the principle, "A stitch 
 in time saves nine ! " 
 
 As we sewed, we discussed Laura Jenkins's party. 
 Ma thinks my views and feelings are very wrong.
 
 24 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 She says "America is very different from Europe," 
 which, of course, I knew before. 
 
 She says " there is no such thing as nobility of 
 descent in America ; that men in this country de- 
 pend mainly on their own efforts for position in 
 society. Should the richest, most refined, and culti- 
 vated people, occupying the highest social position, 
 trace back their genealogy for one or two generations 
 only, they will find that their grandparents, and in 
 some cases their parents even, lived in two or three 
 rooms, were coopers, bricklayers, shoemakers, or 
 mechanics of some sort, who, by their industry and 
 unostentation, laid by a small sum, which, by accu- 
 mulating, enabled them to educate their children, 
 and give them advantages of which they themselves 
 were deprived, and at their death to leave them a 
 handsome fortune. This, combined with education, 
 sound sense, and observation, has given to them an 
 ease and grace of manner which ever elicits the 
 admiration of the world." 
 
 Ma says " it is of no use for one to put on airs in 
 these days, and feel above another whose father, 
 perchance, is a country grocer ! She must be very 
 careful that she herself does not live in a glass
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 25 
 
 house, and learn, to her chagrin, that her own 
 grandfather was a country tailor ! 
 
 She says, also, that "it is the mark of a very weak 
 mind to be constantly on the alert to ascertain a 
 person's pedigree before you dare have any inter- 
 course with them. Those who are called shoddy, 
 to-day, will be the merchant princes in a few more 
 years, and an acquaintance will then be desirable 
 with their children, as much as it is now deprecated. 
 In our land it is the law of rotation ; ' One goes 
 up, and the other goes down ! ' "
 
 26 MAN'S U'ltOXCS; 
 
 IV. 
 
 MINNIE MAVERICK has been in this after- 
 noon, and has told me all about the party. 
 She said " she did not care particularly about going, 
 although Laura was a very amiable and accom- 
 plished young lady ; but as her father desired her 
 to accept, she did so on his account." 
 
 I overheard pa saying to ma that "Maverick was 
 working for an election to Congress next year, so 
 that it was policy for him to ingratiate himself into 
 the good graces of all." 
 
 Minnie Maverick lives on Fifth Avenue. Mr. 
 Maverick is one of Wall Street's wealthy brokers, 
 and I trust I am not uncharitable when I say that 
 "I think the reason he permits Minnie to be so inti- 
 mate with me, is the fact that father was a promi- 
 nent lawyer in Milledgeville, and that Judge Blake 
 is my grandfather." Though fate obliges us to live
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 27 
 
 in obscurity for a time, yet the clay may dawn when 
 we shall be enabled to take our former position. 
 
 Minnie says " she was completely taken by sur- 
 prise. She had supposed the party to be a small, 
 every-day affair, so she dressed herself accordingly, 
 and ordered her carriage to convey her there just 
 after eight, and to call her at half-past ten. 
 
 "What was her chagrin, on arriving, to find that 
 she was the first of the invited guests ; and, to add 
 to her discomfiture, she saw at once that the prepa- 
 rations were on such a scale, it was to be a large 
 and elegant party, and it would be an hour, at the 
 least, before the other guests would arrive." But 
 Minnie is well educated, self-possessed, and equal 
 to any emergency. Although not elegantly, yet she 
 was becomingly dressed. She therefore told Laura, 
 without hesitation, that "she had been laboring under 
 a mistaken impression in regard to the party, and 
 that she would doubtless appreciate the awkward- 
 ness of her position." 
 
 Laura appeared with such quiet dignity, and yet 
 entered into her feelings with such ready sympathy, 
 that Minnie's heart has been completely taken by 
 storm.
 
 3 8 .1fA.\-S Jl'ftO.VGS; 
 
 As Laura was obliged to absent bersclf for a short 
 time, her father, Mr. Jenkins, exerted himself to play 
 the agreeable, and thus cause Minnie to forget her 
 annoyance. 
 
 Poor Minnie is as completely captivated by the 
 father as the daughter. 
 
 " A fish-dealer!" she says. "If everyone in her 
 own circle, even if it is the ' elite,' was as perfect 
 a gentleman as Mr. Jenkins, she shouldn't blame old 
 Mrs. Rogers for calling them 'top-knots'!" "If I 
 have any penetration," said Minnie, " I should think 
 there were very few as high-bred as Mr. Jenkins. 
 Nothing of affectation about him, but a quiet, self- 
 possessed, and cultivated gentleman." 
 
 " Oh, Kate!" said Minnie, "you never saw a col- 
 lection of such elegant paintings as they have at 
 Laura's. I really feel that ours, of which I was 
 always so proud, are scarcely worthy of being men- 
 tioned, even. It seemed to afford Mr. Jenkins real 
 pleasure to point out their beauties, and give me 
 their history. Two of them he purchased when in 
 Spain. He was very fortunate in obtaining them, 
 which he did through the influence of one of his 
 wife's relatives whom they were visiting, as she was
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 29 
 
 a personal friend of the original owner, and evinced 
 much interest in procuring it for them. Laura's 
 mother is of Spanish descent. 
 
 " One of the paintings was by Cano, surnamed 
 El Racionero, who was born in Granada about the 
 year 1600, and who was so distinguished that his 
 countrymen called him the Michael Angelo of Spain. 
 He was court-painter to Philip the Fourth. 'He had 
 an ungovernable temper, and at one time was put 
 upon the rack, on suspicion of having killed his wife 
 in a fit of jealousy ; but he was absolved from the 
 charge. His right arm, however, was exempted 
 from the torture, on account of his excellence in his 
 art. Mr. Jenkins said, also, that ' he refused, when 
 dyijig, to take the crucifix from the priest, on account 
 of its bad workmanship.' 
 
 " The other painting was by Murillo, who was 
 born in Seville about eighteen years after Cano, and 
 who died there about 1682. A short time before 
 his death, he went to Cadiz to paint the espousals 
 of St. Catharine, over the altar in the Capuchin 
 church in that city ; and while engaged on the 
 work, he fell from the scaffolding, and the wound 
 proved fatal. He was buried in the church of Santa
 
 30 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 Cruz, in Seville, before a picture of the ' Descent 
 from the Cross,' by Campana, which he had greatly 
 admired in his life. 
 
 " There was an exquisite Madonna of Raphael's, 
 a painting of Vouct, a celebrated French artist, 
 beside many smaller works of some of the masters. 
 These hung in the drawing-room. 
 
 "The library adjoining was hung with pictures by 
 other artists, among which were paintings by Copley, 
 Turner, Fielding, and others of renown ; and last, 
 though not least, one of Bierstadt's elegant pictures. 
 
 " Beside the paintings, there were curiosities of 
 every description ; but before I had time to examine 
 one-half of them, Laura returned. She was dressed 
 in the sweetest dress of white muslin, without a 
 jewel about her; a few exquisite camelias only in 
 her hair, and a tea-rose in place of a brooch ! 
 
 " The rooms were filled with the fragrance of 
 flowers, which were scattered around in the greatest 
 profusion. 
 
 " Laura's mother soon followed her, and is really 
 an elegant woman. She has a dark, rich, olive com- 
 plexion, with the blackest eyes and hair. She wore 
 a dress of black satin, tastily trimmed with lace, and
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 31 
 
 the longest train I have seen this season. She is so 
 tall and noble looking, that altogether she was my 
 beau ideal of elegance, in every sense of the word. 
 .. " Shortly after, the other guests began to arrive. 
 Many of them I knew by name, but a few only 
 whom I had ever met before. They appeared, how- 
 ever, quite as much at ease as they do in our own 
 circles ; and, between us, Kate," said Minnie, " I 
 think there is a great deal of humbug about our 
 being the elite ! To be sure there are some among 
 us who act as if they really believe they are made 
 of better flesh and blood than men at large, but 
 I am beginning to be enlightened in this respect." 
 
 "What of the supper?" asked I. 
 
 " The table looked superbly," replied Minnie. 
 " Solid silver, cut glass, and the most exquisite china 
 adorned it, interspersed with the most fragrant and 
 magnificent pyramids of flowers that I have ever 
 seen. There was the greatest profusion of niceties 
 and delicacies, of every name and kind, the whole 
 under the direction of six black waiters who were 
 in attendance. 
 
 " I forgot to tell you, Kate," said Minnie, " that
 
 32 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 I was introduced to Laura's brother, who arrived 
 'from Europe last week. 
 
 " He is just through with his studies, you know 
 he was in Oxford. He had with him the most dis- 
 tinguished looking stranger I ever saw, and whom 
 he introduced as Mr. Vernon. 
 
 " Laura told me afterward that he had lately lost 
 his mother, and that he was to travel from six 
 months to a year in America. Also that he was 
 engaged to a young English lady by the name of 
 Irving. They say it is not a love-ma'tch, but he 
 engaged himself to her to please his mother, who 
 was very anxious they should be united. 
 
 " One thing I must confess, to my shame ! Min- 
 nie mentioned me casually while talking with Laura, 
 who said she had never heard of me. She regretted 
 it exceedingly, as it would have afforded her much 
 pleasure to have included me among her guests. 
 Minnie was kind enough to say that 'although the 
 invitation would have afforded me much pleasure, 
 it was doubtful if I had accepted it, as my life 
 was so changed, and I went out but very little. I 
 had been suddenly transplanted from a luxurious 
 Southern home, to a home in what I dignified ' the
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 
 
 33 
 
 cold, unsympathizing North ! ' I suppose the North- 
 erners will resent my unwarrantable assertion, as they 
 will deem it ; but I only affirm what I really believe 
 to be true, when I say, ' there is as much differ- 
 ence in the characters and habits of the inhabitants 
 of our Southern States from those of the Northern 
 portion, as in their climate.' 
 
 "To-morrow I am to take tea socially with Minnie. 
 I do enjoy it so much, I am so strongly reminded 
 of my own Southern home ; the attentive colored 
 waiter anticipating, at the right moment, your every 
 wish. Forgive me, if I do sigh for the good old 
 days of yore ; and yet I believe that patience is 
 having its perfect work, and that in patience I shall 
 yet possess my soul ! "
 
 34 MAN'S WRONGS} 
 
 V. 
 
 TRUTH is stranger than fiction! 
 To think that I should meet again my hero 
 of the horse-car ! 
 
 Yesterday, about four o'clock, Minnie called for 
 me in her barouche, and we took a delightful drive 
 through Greenwood Cemetery. 
 
 There is something peculiarly solemn, and yet 
 intensely interesting, to me, in visiting a cemetery, 
 especially where everything bears such unmistakable 
 evidence of care and affection for the loved dust. 
 It is one of my favorite haunts, 
 
 "Far from the abode of man and strife." 
 
 As we drove through the rustic gateway, and beheld 
 the long* aisles of this great temple, with its dark
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 35 
 
 branches meeting overhead, in arches much more 
 graceful than any formed by the hand of man, while 
 here and there rose the monuments erected to the 
 departed, I thought I had never seen a fitter recep- 
 tacle for the ashes of those who have gone before. 
 The wind whistled mournfully among the trees, and 
 the waters, as they washed the shore, sent forth a 
 melancholy dirge, but it was in keeping with my 
 feelings. 
 
 One of the first spots that we visited was Indian 
 Mound, on which is a monument bearing a sculp- 
 tured figure of a mourning Indian warrior. It was 
 erected to the memory of Do-Hum-Mee. She was 
 a Sachem's daughter of the Sac Indians, who visited 
 Washington with her father, and Who was married 
 before arriving at New York, to a young Iowa chief, 
 who was of their party. Shortly after her mar- 
 riage she took a violent cold, which resulted in her 
 death while yet in New York, and before she had 
 been married many days. She was only eighteen 
 years of age, and her death occasioned a profound 
 sensation. 
 
 In Locust Avenue, near South wobd, we were at- 
 tracted by a singular-looking monument, bearing the
 
 36 ATAX'S WRONGS; 
 
 names of two ladies by the name of Cairns ; one, 
 one hundred and seventeen years old, the other, one 
 hundred years. Minnie says that "for a long time 
 there were glass jars affixed to the gate and fence- 
 posts, which contained a fluid labelled ' Eden's Oil,' 
 but they were supposed to have been stolen." 
 
 On Battle Avenue I saw a monument which re- 
 minded me of dear brother Francis, as it was to 
 the memory of a school-boy, " Our Fred" ! What 
 feelings of gratitude welled in my heart, that it was 
 not our Frank! How seldom we care or think even 
 of the sorrows of others ! My thoughts wandered 
 back to the time when "Our Fred" was as full of 
 buoyancy and hope as Francis now is, and yet 
 he had to lie down and die, leaving all the loved 
 ones behind. Ah ! it is not the old who alone are 
 taken, and nothing will so impress one with the 
 vanity of all things here below, as a visit to a grave- 
 yard. This monument was a well-executed figure 
 of a school-boy. 
 
 Near this was the imitation of a tree-trunk in 
 white marble, leaning against which was a cross, 
 the whole overspread with sculptured vines and 
 flowers.
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 37 
 
 As we passed along Highland Avenue, at the base 
 of Chestnut Hill, we thought of the monument to 
 Miss Canda, and turned towards Greenbough Avenue 
 to look upon it. 
 
 Miss Canda was of French descent, who, returning 
 from a party one evening, was thrown from her 
 carriage and instantly killed. On Battle Avenue, 
 at its junction with Greenbough, is a very magnifi- 
 cent monument of white marble, in the form of 
 a Gotlv'c Chapel, in a niche of which is a statue, 
 which was meant as a likeness of Miss Canda. 
 Flowers of different kinds hang in great profusion 
 from the mouldings of the arches. 
 
 The initials " C. C.," upon a shield, is formed of 
 seventeen rosebuds. On each of sixteen gablets is 
 a. bunch of flowers, and each bunch has seventeen 
 roses. There is an oblong space in front of the 
 statue, which is surrounded by a balustrade, forming 
 a sort of porch to the monument. A monumental 
 slab is in the middle of the space, having at its head 
 an urn, with books and instruments of music and 
 drawing scattered around ; while upon the rose ami 
 jessamine branches which adorn the balustrade are 
 little birds, of which the departed young lady was
 
 38 MAN'S H'XONGS; 
 
 very fond. Numerous butterflies are scattered around, 
 emblems of the body released from the grave and 
 ascending to the skies. 
 
 Leaving this sad but elegant offering to the de- 
 parted, we passed on through Alder Avenue, Forest, 
 and Woodland Avenues, to Woodland Ridge, to 
 look upon the grave of Lieutenant Stone, who was 
 killed at the battle of Gettysburg!!. Minnie says he 
 was only twenty years old, and that he was univer- 
 sally beloved. 
 
 We were anxious to mount the summit of Ocean 
 Hill, but time would not allow. Minnie says "from 
 its summit you can see the villages of Flatbush and 
 New Utrecht ; also Coney Island, with the blue sea 
 skirting its curving shores." I wish I could pass a 
 day, rather than two hours, visiting this beautiful 
 spot, for I have but just begun to see its beauties ; 
 but Minnie assures me I shall drive out again with 
 her before many days have elapsed. 
 
 I feel better for this visit to Greenwood. I feel 
 more keenly than ever that this life is but the prep- 
 aration for another, and that I shall yet find reason 
 to praise God for the path through which lie i*
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 39 
 
 leading me, though it is mostly dark and dreary, 
 and I fear often I shall faint by the way. 
 
 As we were returning from our drive I saw two 
 gentlemen approaching, who, as they drew near, 
 raised their hats to Minnie with the most inimitable 
 grace ! Before I could recover from my surprise, 
 Minnie ejaculated, "Isn't he splendid-looking?" 
 
 "Who? which?" said I. "Why, Minnie, one of 
 them is the identical gentleman who gave me his 
 seat in the horse-car! Where have you seen him? 
 Who is he? tell me quick, for I am almost beside 
 myself with curiosity." 
 
 " First, Katy dear, you must inform me why you 
 are so agitated 1 This is the first intimation that I 
 have ever received, the quiet, dignified Miss Manton 
 was interested in any one ! 
 
 " Tell me his name, Minnie," I replied, " and I 
 will tell you all you wish concerning the matter." 
 
 " The one nearest the barouche," replied Minnie, 
 " was Laura Jenkins's brother ; and the other, your 
 hero, was Sir Henry Stuart Vernon, the wealthy 
 barrister from England, who is engaged to an heiress, 
 the Lady Alice Irving, of noble descent, and whom 
 I told you I met at Laura's party. So, Katy dear,
 
 4 o MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 we'll ' hang our harps on the willow-tree,' as far as 
 he is concerned ! " 
 
 Ah ! how little Minnie knew how my poor heart 
 went down, down, till I felt almost miserable. 
 
 I then told Minnie the incident as I confided it 
 to you, dear Diary ! How was I startled to hear 
 her reply ! 
 
 " Why, Kate Manton ! Have you lived in New 
 York a year, and not yet discovered that it is a very 
 rare occurrence for a gentleman or lady to ride in 
 a horse-car? They patronize the omnibus almost 
 entirely, and the gentlemen are noted for their great 
 politeness to all who use this mode of conveyance. 
 How Sir Henry came in a horse-car is the first 
 mystery, and how you came there yourself is the 
 second ! " 
 
 *' For Sir Henry, I cannot answer ; but for myself," 
 replied I, " I am so exhausted after giving my 
 drawing-lessons, I am very glad to go home in the 
 way which requires the least effort, and I must admit 
 I vastly prefer the horse-car. They are patronized 
 by people of the highest respectability in other 
 places." 
 
 " Very true," replied Minnie, " and are used here,
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 41 
 
 if necessity require. There is no disgrace in riding 
 in them during the day, but they arc very undesirable 
 in the evening." 
 
 "Why, Kate! what is the matter? You surely 
 cannot have lost your heart, for you have not had 
 so much as an introduction to Sir Henry." 
 
 I did not answer, although I felt that it was not 
 at all necessary to be introduced to a gentleman 
 before you can fall in love with him ! 
 
 "For my own part," continued Minnie, "I am 
 much more inclined to be fascinated with Arthur 
 Jenkins. I think he is superb!" 
 
 " Yes ! and after you are married you can have a 
 carriage with the insignia of a fish ! " 
 
 " Kate Manton," said Minnie, " how bitter you 
 are! What is the matter with you?" 
 
 This speech recalled my wandering thoughts. I 
 assumed an air of easy nonchalance ; bantered Minnie 
 about Arthur, and laughed to scorn the idea of my 
 poor, insignificant, crest-fallen girl that I am 
 of my lifting my thoughts for a moment to Sir Henry 
 Stuart Vernon. Miserable deception ! My heart 
 was sick, though, and I could not prevent it. 
 
 No one but myself knew, and no one else should
 
 42 MAX'S WRONGS; 
 
 know, how that one admiring, sympathizing 
 glance which he bestowed on me in the car, sank 
 into my soul. How eagerly I tried to extract com- 
 fort from the thought that even if he was engaged, 
 it was only to please his mother! 
 
 Soon after our arrival home, tea was announced ; 
 and, as soon as we had supped, we hastened to 
 Minnie's room, to prink a little, in case we should 
 Le favored with calls in the evening. 
 
 Minnie declared " she had a presentiment that 
 the two strangers would call." 
 
 I insisted upon it that she should give me some 
 reason f^r so thinking ; but she positively declared 
 " that notl./'ng, save an indescribable secret feeling, 
 occasioned the remark." 
 
 " They will /lot see me, if they do call," replied 
 I, "for they will have to become acquainted with 
 my present posrtion ! " 
 
 " You are a perfect mystery to me, Kate," said 
 Minnie. 
 
 " Suppose you are in depressed circumstances, 
 you are a lady ! I have heard my father say, again 
 and again, that wealth is no criterion in the mind 
 of a true gentleman. He who would barter himself
 
 on 
 
 E 
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 43 
 
 for wealth is not a. gentleman. There could be no 
 greater insult than for a man to win the affection of 
 a woman, simply that he may aggrandize himself. 
 I don't believe it possible for a genuine gentleman to 
 be selfish! 
 
 "No, Kate; in this respect I think man is oft- 
 times wronged. Man is of a nobler, stronger nature 
 than woman. He is free from her foibles, her 
 weakness. He feels that he is a man! He stands 
 on his own foundation. He cares not for Mrs. D 
 
 Mrs. L's opinion ; he acts according to the dic- 
 tes of his own better judgment. A true gentleman 
 cannot be a snob. Whenever I meet one of these 
 deluded mortals, I always think I should like to 
 shut him up in a farm-yard with a dozen peacocks, 
 and oblige him to parade himself every day to the 
 admiring crowd, till he came to his senses. 
 
 " I think if God has been pleased to bless one 
 man with more of this world's goods than He has 
 another, it is the very best reason why he can afford 
 to be generous ; and he ivill be so, if left to him- 
 self, if no woman insinuates that he should not 
 extend the hand of fellowship with Mr. G, simply 

 
 44 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 because he counts his dollars by hundreds rather 
 than thousands." 
 
 " Speaking of gentlemen, Minnie," said I, " re- 
 minds me of grandpa. Notwithstanding he is so 
 highly educated, and of such high social position, 
 he always takes the greatest pains to notice the poor, 
 if they are educated and of modest demeanor. 
 
 " Of course he keeps aloof from those persons 
 whose conVerse and bearing betoken vulgarity. 
 There is so great a want of congeniality with 
 such, that he cannot be blamed. If, however, he is 
 thrown in the path of this class, he treats them with 
 such marked politeness as ever to elicit the remark, 
 'He is every inch a gentleman!' 
 
 " Now between us, Minnie, I think all this would 
 sound very well on paper ; but when it comes to 
 the actual demonstration of such feeling, I plead 
 guilty ! 
 
 " I cannot help feeling that I am a little better 
 than some who live on Fifth Avenue, even though 
 they may be possessed of ten times our wealth. I 
 know it is preposterous, but still there is the old 
 latent pride in my heart. 
 
 " I struggle against it day by day, and am no
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 45 
 
 nearer rising above it than when I commenced the 
 attempt ; and yet, if I know my own heart, it is 
 mv very humiliated position that rouses such feelings; 
 perhaps you will say, that reveals my true self. 
 
 " I believe if I should ever again be placed in my 
 former position, I should delight to 'condescend to 
 men of low estate ! ' ' 
 
 " Well, Kate, it appears that we are sadly wan- 
 dering from our mark, and not enlightening each 
 other much on what constitutes a gentleman ! To 
 return from our starting-point: you do not wish to 
 meet a gentleman simply because he is rich and you 
 are poor. I think it is an absurd idea. Any man 
 whose acquaintance is worth cultivating, will esteem 
 you for yourself. You think that if Sir Henry 
 should discover that you are poor, he will not care 
 about placing you on his list of friends, and that 
 if he has a penchant for you, the discovery of your 
 poverty would turn the current of his feelings at 
 once. I don't agree with you ! 
 
 "I believe, Kate, in love. I do not believe in its 
 being bought or sold. There are scores of mar- 
 riages, day after day, without a particle of love
 
 46 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 between the parties ; but may I be delivered from 
 such a marriage ! 
 
 " If I ever marry, the man that I wed must love 
 me for myself alone. He must be as happy to wed 
 me if a pauper, as though I were an heiress. Then, 
 should we meet with reverses, which you know at 
 this time are an every-day occurrence, we shall still 
 be happy in one another. No sacrifice would be 
 too great for me to make for the one I love, if I am 
 assured that my love meets an equal return." 
 
 " Yes, Minnie," said I, " this is all true, and meets 
 my views entirely ; but how are you going to ascertain 
 that you are loved for yourself alone? Your father is 
 a millionaire, and you have the advantage not only 
 of wealth, but beauty and grace combined. Of 
 course Miss Minnie Maverick is one of the belles, 
 and as such can bring almost any one she may 
 desire to her feet." 
 
 " She has no desire for the worship of the many, 
 Katy dear," replied Minnie. 
 
 " That is true," said I ; "no one will ever accuse 
 you of being a flirt, Minnie, any more than myself. 
 Simply a flirtation I does not heal the wounded
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 47 
 
 heart. Love, in my estimation, is a matter of too 
 much moment for trifling." 
 
 " Candidly, Kate," said Minnie, " I have never, 
 among all my many acquaintances, met with but one 
 gentleman whom I think I could intrust with the 
 keeping of my happiness ! " 
 
 " Xor I either," replied I, quickly. 
 
 " Ah, Kate, be careful, my dear friend, and don't 
 give your heart to one that can never be anything 
 to you but a friend. I wish so much it could be. 
 I warn you only because I love you so well, and I 
 could not bear to see you miserable." 
 
 " I shall not be miserable, Minnie. My lot in 
 life will be one of single blessedness. In fact I 
 have never seen but the one being that I could pos- 
 sibly fancy ; and I have common sense, so do not be 
 uneasy about me, Minnie dear. 
 
 " Now there are pa and ma ! No one could 
 doubt for a moment but theirs was a marriage of 
 true love. The wealth was on ma's side. Pa was 
 rich in everything but gold, but no one could say 
 he married ma for her lands ! It was pure, perfect 
 love between them, as time has fully proved. 
 
 "Think, Minnie, what a change for ma, reared
 
 48 MAX'S WRONGS; 
 
 in affluence,, and now being obliged to turn over a 
 five-cent postal two or three times before she can 
 decide to spend it ; and yet no sacrifice is too great 
 for her to make for pa, if she can only conduce to 
 his comfort. She does everything in such a quiet, 
 unostentatious manner, anxious only that he should 
 not discover the sacrifice ! 
 
 " It does seem as though some women perfectly 
 admire to make a heroine of themselves in their 
 husbands' eyes ! See what a sacrifice I am making 
 for you ! Sec how hard I work to give you a neat, 
 comfortable home ! Such a meek look of quiet 
 forbearance. 
 
 "For my own part, I should rather make an 
 open parade of it at once, and say to my husband, 
 ' I've sacrificed so much, I have worked so long, 
 and so hard, just for you ; and now what have you 
 got to say for yourself by way of thanks ? ' 
 
 " I should like to ask such wives what their hus- 
 bands are doing in the way of work and sacrifice 
 for them? 
 
 " Not one wife in twenty knows the mental care 
 and anxiety with which almost every husband and 
 father returns to his own fireside at night. These
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 49 
 
 cares he leaves at the outer door, so that he may 
 not add a single drawback to the happiness of his 
 ittle /amily. I must say that I do not wonder the 
 Bible makes man the nobler being, for I think, if 
 you take him as a whole, he is, and I am willing 
 to admit it. 
 
 " As to pa and ma, I never knew them to have 
 a difference but once, and that was last voting-day. 
 
 " You know ma was born in Milledgeville ; but 
 pa was born in Lenox, Massachusetts, and always 
 lived North till after he graduated ; then he came to 
 Milledgeville to practise law, and there he fell in 
 love with my darling ma ! Of course they were 
 both strong Union in their politics, but ma was rather 
 more conservative than pa. She favored Seymour's 
 being President. She was ever talking about his 
 being such a noble specimen of a Christian man ; 
 and though pa did not perfectly agree with her, yet 
 he never contradicted her, or made any remark to 
 irritate her. 
 
 " When the morning of voting-day arrived, uncle 
 
 Francis looked in while we were at breakfast, and 
 
 asked pa to be at the polls in good season, adding, 
 
 ' Of course you'll vote for the General' Pa made 
 
 4
 
 50 J/.LVN U'lfONGS; 
 
 no reply ; but, with a look of recognition, went on 
 eating his breakfast. 
 
 Vs soon as uncle Frank closed the door, ma 
 said, in a very excited manner, ' Charles Manton, if 
 you vote for Ulysses Grant, there'll be war in the 
 house ! I had much rather you would not vote at 
 all, than throw away your vote in this manner.' 
 
 " Pa waited a moment before speaking, and then 
 said, ' Mary, do you think your husband competent 
 to judge and act for himself, or do you wish to 
 take his place? Be careful, dear, and don't let the 
 first word of bitterness that ever came between us 
 be on account of politics! 
 
 "'Charles,' she soberly replied, 'I do love you, 
 and I believe in your good sense and judgment ; 
 but if you only could vote for the noble Seymour, 
 I should be so happy ! I never did believe in a 
 military man for a statesman! I suppose I must 
 endure it, however. Oh, Charles, if women only 
 could have their rights ! ' 
 
 " ' Yes, darling, and you shall have yours this 
 moment;' and with these words he caught ma, and 
 giving her a good kiss on each cheek, said, 4 These
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 51 
 
 are woman's rights, and they are all she ought to 
 desire ! ' 
 
 ' Ma laughed, and said that was one way to get 
 over a wrong, and as long as pa was so true to her, 
 she would try and be contented to let him adopt 
 his own views as to being true to his country." 
 
 \\\-ll," said Minnie, " my father is down on 
 ' Womans' Rights.' lie says that when the day 
 arrives for women to go to the polls, there will be 
 no such thing as a home for a man. He says Satan 
 is trying to deceive the poor women, and make 
 them feel that they are humiliated and wronged 
 because they cannot cast their vote ; but if the day 
 shall ever arrive when their object is attained, he 
 will then show the cloven foot, and there will be 
 nothing but families at variance among themselves ! " 
 
 Dear me ! there's the dinner-bell, and I haven't 
 written half that I wish ; and as I must attend to 
 my drawing-scholars this afternoon, I must wait 
 till this evening to finish my account of my visit to 
 Minnie's.
 
 MAX'S U'JfONGS; 
 
 VI. 
 
 AND now, before I am interrupted, let me 
 finish the account of my visit to Minnie's. 
 
 As soon as we had beautified ourselves, we 
 did powder just one little bit, though I must confess 
 I feel a little cheap when I think of it, we re- 
 turned to the parlor. Just imagine a young lady 
 receiving her first kiss, and finding the powder had 
 gone from her forehead and remained on the gen- 
 tleman's lips ! 
 
 They say that the forehead is the place for the 
 first stolen kiss; although as I have yet had no ex- 
 perience in such matters, I cannot answer for the 
 truth of it! I'm sure, in such a case, I shouldn't 
 blame the gentleman if it was not only the first, but 
 the last kiss also ! 
 
 Grandpa says " all who use powder arc deluded ! 
 Their charms may be heightened, but once pow-
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 53 
 
 dering is always powdering, and that, after its use 
 
 
 
 for a time, the complexion without it is dreadful ; 
 and then, if man finds that the charms which at- 
 tracted him are false, he will be very apt to turn 
 away from the deceiver in disgust." 
 
 Well! this is my first time, and I mean it shall 
 be the last, though I may not be so fair to look 
 upon. 
 
 My weakness was that I wanted to look radiant 
 in the eyes of Sir Henry Vernon, in case Minnie's 
 presentiment should prove true. Weakness, indeed ! 
 wickedness, I should say, that I should desire for 
 a moment to turn him from his allegiance to the 
 Lady Alice Irving. How supremely ridiculous for 
 me to allow myself to think of him for a moment ! 
 Sir Henry Vernon is as far from my reach, as the 
 North from the South Pole. 
 
 We had scarcely reentered the parlor when the 
 door-bell rang. 
 
 "Presentiment!" said Minnie, while the fun 
 danced in her eyes. 
 
 The 3oor was thrown open, and the footman an- 
 nounced Sir Henry Vernon and Mr. Jenkins. After 
 the usual form and ceremonies of introduction had
 
 54 
 
 passed, and the ordinary topics of the day had been 
 discussed, Sir Henry asked Minnie if she sang. 
 
 I do not," replied Minnie ; " playing only is my 
 forte. My friend Mi>s Manton sings." 
 
 \Yliy, Minnie ! how can you?" said I. 
 
 " Will you not favor us, Miss Manton?" said Sir 
 Henry. 
 
 Remembering my father's advice, that when a 
 young lady was asked to play or sing it was not 
 that she was expected to astonish her friends, but 
 simply to gratify them as far as she -was able, and 
 how much more she would raise herself in the esti- 
 mation of all by simply expressing her willingness 
 to thus gratify them, rather than to waste, as some 
 young ladies are in the habit of doing, many minutes 
 with sundry 'excuses, and yet meaning at the same 
 time to display their powers in the end. ('' This," he 
 said, "was simply vanity, that it took away one- 
 half the charm of the music, and made the hearer 
 much more inclined to criticise the performance. 
 Not that he approved of flying to the piano the mo- 
 ment one was invited to play, and then monopolizing 
 it to the exclusion of all other musicians, as it is the 
 wont of some to do, but that there is a happy me-
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 55 
 
 dium between the two that a sensible person -will 
 discover, and know how to conduct under all cir- 
 cumstances,") I replied to Sir Henry that " I sang 
 a few simple ballads to gratify my own immediate 
 friends, but as my style was simple, and I may say 
 uncultivated, it would not be likely to please in 
 general." 
 
 " There are times when simplicity of performance 
 is more gratifying, and in accordance with the feel- 
 ings of the listener, even if his taste is highly cul- 
 tivated, than a more elaborate style ; " and with these 
 words he rose, and coming towards me, remarked, 
 *' I feel you will gratify us, Miss Manton ! " 
 Of course I could not refuse, and, accepting his 
 proffered arm, he conducted me to the piano. 
 
 After playing a short prelude, I sang "Highland 
 Mary," one of Burns's sweet little songs. Sir 
 Henry said that "it was very interesting to remember 
 the circumstances under which it was composed. 
 ' Highland Mary ' was Mary Campbell, who was 
 the daughter of a mariner residing in Greenock. 
 She became acquainted with Burns while on service 
 at the Castle of Montgomery, where they plighted 
 their mutual faith bv the exchange of Bibles." He
 
 56 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 said " that they stood with a running stream be- 
 tween them, and, lifting up the water in their hands, 
 vowed love while woods grew and waters ran. The 
 Bible which the poet gave was elegantly bound. 
 'Ye shall not swear by my name falsely," was 
 written in it by Burns, and underneath the verse his 
 own name, and mark as a Freemason. Mary Camp- 
 bell died, however, of a fever, and they parted to 
 meet no more." 
 
 Sir Henry said, also, " that he had seen the iden- 
 tical Bible, which was in the keeping of her rela- 
 tions, and also a lock of her hair." lie said, also, 
 that " he scarcely knew which piece he preferred ; 
 the ' Highland Mary,' or the ' Ode to Mary in 
 Heaven,' commencing, 
 
 'Thou ling'ring star, with less'ning ray.' 
 
 This last was written on the anniversary of ' High- 
 land Mary's' death." 
 
 I then sang the sweet little piece, 
 
 "Oh Mary, go and call the cattle home!" 
 
 which elicited much admiration. 
 
 "Vernon," said Mr. Jenkins, "will you and Miss
 
 I 
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 57 
 
 Manton sing, for my especial benefit, the duct, ' See 
 the pale moon'? I think it a perfect little gem." 
 
 After a moment's hesitation, Sir Henry replied, 
 " I am out of practice entirely ; still, if Miss Manton 
 will permit me to accompany her, I shall be very 
 happy to make the attempt." 
 
 \Yhile we were searching for the notes he said, 
 in a low tone, " Miss Manton, have I not had the 
 pleasure of meeting you before?" 
 
 I hesitated. 
 
 "In the horse-car?" he asked. 
 
 I nodded assent. He said nothing more, but such 
 
 4 
 
 a look of admiration and respect as he gave me I 
 shall never forget ; and yet it isn't ten minutes since 
 I declared that I would never think of him again, 
 but would banish his image every time it came un- 
 bidden to my mind ; but I must think of him a 
 moment, just while I write these events in my Diary. 
 After we sang the duct I arose, and, leaving the 
 piano, Sir Henry conducted me to my seat, and, 
 taking a chair near me, we prepared to listen to 
 Minnie, who had just consented to favor Mr. Jenkins 
 with a suite, in C sharp minor, of William Sterndale 
 Bennett's.
 
 58 AfAWS Jl'JtOXGS; 
 
 Sir Henry said that " he was proud to acknowl- 
 edge Bennett as an Englishman, although he must 
 admit that he owed a great deal of the beauty and 
 grace of his style to his great intimacy with Men- 
 delssohn, with whom he was very intimate, and at 
 whose invitation he visited Leipsic, where he brought 
 out some of his works, which were received with 
 such favor that he was induced to make Germany 
 his home for many years." 
 
 Minnie also played, in a very sprightly manner, 
 a scherzo by Chopin. 
 
 I delight in the wild, soul-stirring harmonies of 
 Chopin ! One imagines himself in Poland, when 
 listening to the weird strains.- 
 
 That Chopin was a genius, rare and gifted, no one 
 will pretend to deny. One cannot weary of listen- 
 ing to his varied productions, for even his waltzes 
 and impromptus, simple though they be, pour forth 
 a flood of melody. Although there is such a wide 
 difference in the style of these two composers, yet 
 both are irresistible ! 
 
 After the music had ceased, and a few moments 
 of general conversation had ensued, the gentlemen, 
 assuring us how much our music had contributed to
 
 Off, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 59 
 
 the pleasure of their call, and expressing the hope 
 that thev should soon meet us again, bade us good- 
 evening, and withdrew. 
 
 For a minute Minnie looked at me, and I looked 
 at Minnie. 
 
 "What do you think of presentiments, Kate?" 
 said she. 
 
 " That they come true sometimes," said I, " though 
 not always." 
 
 " Isn't Jenkins magnificent?" said Minnie. 
 
 'lie is certainly very line-looking," said I. 
 
 ' Why don't you own up, Kate, and say not half 
 so good-looking as Vernon ? " 
 
 " Because I do not wish to," I replied. 
 
 "Why, Kate Manton ! I do believe you've lost 
 your heart," said Minnie. 
 
 " I have not the slightest doubt you have lost 
 yours to Jenkins," I replied. " or you would not 
 .think of mentioning him in the same breath with 
 Sir Henry. You know love is blind ! But, Minnie, 
 i love me, do not quiz me about Mr. Vernon ; 
 for if you do, I shall Teel so conscious when I meet 
 him, he will divine my secret, and then I should be 
 miserable indeed."
 
 60 AfAWS 
 
 \'o, Katie clear, you are too good to be annoyed, 
 and I will promise you that I will say no more about 
 his honor Sir Henry Stunrt Vcrnon, save as a pass- 
 ing acquaintance and friend. There is no doubt we 
 shall be thrown in his way often," said Minnie, 
 " for of course there will be any number of parties 
 given on his account. Each will vie with the other 
 as to who shall show him the greatest attention. 
 You know that it is not often that we are so fortu- 
 nate as to have an English nobleman at our parties." 
 
 'Yes, and I have just thought," I replied, "that 
 he will remember not seeing me at Laura Jen;, 
 party, and he will ask Arthur the reason, and, of 
 course, the history of our poverty will follow. So 
 here ends my acquaintance with Sir Henry!" 
 
 "Nonsense!" said Minnie. "If there is anything 
 to be judged by the looks of a person, Sir Henry 
 will not slight a girl simply because she is poor. 
 I should judge that he thinks there are other treas- 
 ures in the world beside money." 
 
 "Perhaps so," I replied; " but you know, Minnie, 
 that I shall probably not be thrown in his way 
 again. I may be invited to some of the parties ; 
 but of course I cannot attend more than two, if
 
 OR, irav.i.vs FOIBLES. 61 
 
 any. You know pa will not permit me to wear 
 any of my party-dresses that I wore in my Southern 
 home ! 
 
 " It seems hard, sometimes, when I think of the 
 elegant silks and satins, with all the other append- 
 ages to a lady's toilette, that are packed away, doing 
 no one any service. Pa says if I wore them it 
 would be a species of deception ; and you know he 
 is above every such meanness. 
 
 " Ma says that one of these days, when the affairs 
 of the country are settled, that grandpa will send for 
 me to visit him in England, and then I may find 
 them very useful. Grandpa said, in his last letter, 
 that the clouds were breaking, and that, if we did 
 not have trouble on the Alabama question, he 
 thought we may yet recover some of our property 
 that was confiscated. 
 
 " As to the parties, my one poor muslin must 
 answer to appear in twice, and that will end my 
 dissipation ! " 
 
 " And why not three times? " asked Minnie. 
 "You can vary it by using trimmings of a different 
 color and style each time." 
 
 'Minnie, you know too well that there will be
 
 1VKOXGS; 
 
 some who will sneer, e'en though I wear the dress 
 for a second time only ! " 
 
 " I do think," answered Minnie, " that this is one 
 of the crying evils of the clay. 
 
 "The useless expenditure, the waste, not only of 
 time, but of material, in adorning our poor frail 
 bodies, and for what? Surely not to gain the 
 respect of men, but to gratify pride, one of the 
 seven things that the Lord doth hate ; to foster 
 vanity and self-sufficiency! I know that it is con- 
 sidered almost an insult for a lady to appear at a 
 party clad in a dress in which she has previously 
 appeared. 
 
 " How many husbands and fathers have been 
 ruined by this extravagant, foolish custom ! No 
 wonder so many desirable young men shrink from 
 the thought of matrimony, when they consider what 
 it costs to support a family in dress alone. Is it not 
 time for some lady of undoubted social position to 
 introduce reform in this respect? 
 
 " I read in last evening's paper that some Euro- 
 pean princess was about to introduce the fashion 
 of appearing in plain, unornamented dress, at parties 
 and assemblies. But it is a shame for us, who take
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 63 
 
 the lead in other great works, to allow ourselves to 
 live on in vanity and useless extravagance, till our 
 European sisters initiate the move, and by follow- 
 ing which we shall admit their superiority ! It is 
 of no use for the women of America to clamor for 
 their rights, until they have strength of mind enough 
 to do right, independent of the world at large. I, 
 for one, shall rue the day when woman, with her 
 weak and frivolous notions, is admitted to the bal- 
 lot. I should say, in the words of our good Litany, 
 ' From all such evil, good Lord, deliver us ! ' ' 
 
 " I don't think you are very complimentary to 
 your sex, Minnie," said I. 
 
 " Ah, Kate, you well know that my remarks 
 are just. There are many good, noble, Christian 
 women in our land ; but you could not find a single 
 one in the number who would go to the polls, if 
 they were allowed the privilege (I). 
 
 " It is only poor, vain, conceited, weak-minded 
 women, who writhe under the thought that man is 
 placed by God over them. They are not willing 
 to listen to anything against, what they consider, 
 their rights; but, in the very face of Holy \Viit, 
 which expressly declares man to be the head of
 
 6.J MAX'S WRONGS; 
 
 , she insists on being his equal! If she 
 cannot gain her end in any other "way, she will call 
 in the aid of Satan, and, at last, if the poor men 
 do not receive strength from One greater than 
 Satan, they will be so harassed and tormented, that, 
 for the sake of ease and quiet, they will cry, ' Vote, 
 then, if this will satisfy you ! ' But, ah ! then it 
 will be too late, when the die is cast ; and ivoe for 
 our land when woman shall decide its destinies! 
 Yes, a woe we shall deserve, when men, for their 
 own peace, shall allow women to take a part in our 
 public affairs. Let your women be chaste, keepers 
 at home, not standing round the -polls! My blood 
 starts at the thought!" 
 
 "Why, Minnie," said I, "I really believe you 
 would make another Dickinson ; though, judging 
 from appearances, you would be on one side of 
 the hedge, and she on the other." 
 
 " The carriage is ready. Miss Manton," said Sam, 
 and, promising to see Minnie at an early day, I 
 bade her good-night, and soon found myself in my 
 humble, but none the less loved home.
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 65 
 
 VII. 
 
 FEBRUARY 23d. 
 
 X TESTERDAY was Washington's birthday, and, 
 * as pa had a holiday, uncle Francis invited 
 us all to visit the former home of Irving. Although 
 the glory of the house was departed, yet a visit to 
 the places once loved and trod by one so universally 
 beloved and admired as Washington Irving, was 
 fraught with the deepest interest. 
 
 There had been a slight fall of snow the day pre- 
 vious ; but this only added to the beauty of the 
 scenery. The morning was bright and charming. 
 We took the boat up the Hudson, as far as Tarry- 
 town, remarkable for being the place where Andre 
 was captured, and a little to the north of which is 
 "Sleepy Hollow," rendered famous by the legend 
 of Irving. We took a carriage from this place, 
 and drove out to the great author's home. 
 5
 
 66 MAX'S U'fiONGS; 
 
 This remarkable man was born in New York city, 
 lie left school at sixteen, and commenced the study 
 of law. At the age of nineteen he commenced his 
 literary career, over the signature of " Jonathan 
 Oldstyle." A year or two after, being afflicted with 
 pulmonary complaints, he resolved to try the benefit 
 of a sea voyage, and a visit to the summer climate 
 of the south of Europe. When he reached Genoa, 
 he concluded to remain for some weeks in the old 
 city of palaces. 
 
 It was here he first became acquainted with 
 grandpa, and here that they formed that intimacy 
 which ended only with life. How I love to hear 
 grandpa tell about those days ! No wonder that he 
 says they were among the happiest of his life ! 
 
 I can conceive of nothing more delightful than to 
 visit places of note in the Old World, that will carry 
 one far back to the pristine age, with such a man . 
 as Irving by my side. Genoa is famed, grandpa 
 says, for its palaces. They are rich in works of 
 sculpture and painting, as are also the churches 
 and chapels. Of these last there arc about two 
 hundred and fifty. I can remember the names only 
 of one or two, San Lorenzo and San Mattco ; yes,
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 67 
 
 and Stcfano, I think. Grandpa says that the history 
 of Genoa may be traced back, by tradition, before 
 the foundation of Rome. Livy mentions it as a 
 town in friendly relations with the Romans, and in 
 the time of Strabo it was an emporium for the pro- 
 duce of the interior. When viewed from the harbor, 
 the city, with its churches, palaces, promenades, and 
 gardens, the fortifications encircling it, the Apennines, 
 and the ice-covered peaks of the Alps behind, affords 
 one of the grandest and most picturesque sights in 
 the world. 
 
 After remaining in Genoa for about two months, 
 grandpa and Irving visited Naples, and then pro- 
 ceeded to Rome. Naples is in the immediate vicinity 
 of Vesuvius, and not far from the site, of Hercula- 
 neum and Pompeii, and is justly regarded as one 
 of the most interesting cities in the world, on account 
 of its classical associations. Its palaces are numerous 
 and elegant. As you approach it from the sea every 
 one is struck with its loveliness. I trust the time 
 will arrive when I shall see for myself, and not be 
 acquainted witli it save by the hearing of the ear! 
 The streets of the city are straight, and paved with 
 blocks of lava ; but only the principal have side-
 
 68 AfA.V'S U'A'O.VGS; 
 
 walks, or arc lighted by gas. The Neapolitans are 
 very fond of out-door life. None, save those of the 
 lowest rank, walk abroad. If they cannot ailurd a 
 carriage, their pride dooms them to perpetual im- 
 prisonment. As the roofs of the houses arc flat, 
 they adorn them with flowers and shrubs in boxes, 
 and the care of them afford the women air and 
 exercise. 
 
 Nero made his first public appearance on the 
 stage at Naples ; but its chief glory was its asso- 
 ciation with Virgil, who is supposed to have resided 
 there for a considerable time, and whose tomb is 
 said to have been still extant in the time of Statins 
 and Italicus, which latter poet died in Naples, 
 while the former speaks of the city as his birthplace. 
 In 1860, it was taken possession of by Garibaldi for 
 the King of Sardinia, and, in November, Victor 
 Emanuel entered and took possession of it. 
 
 From Naples, grandpa says they proceeded to 
 Rome, where they formed the acquaintance of Wash- 
 ington Allston, which acquaintance, on Irving's part, 
 ripened into intimate friendship. In fact he became 
 so delighted with Italy, that he seriously considered 
 the idea of remaining there, and becoming himself
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 69 
 
 a painter ; but, on mature deliberation, he relin- 
 quished the thought. 
 
 On leaving Rome they proceeded to Paris, where 
 they remained for some time, and at length they 
 landed on England's shore. After remaining there 
 for a short time they returned together to New York, 
 and resumed their law studies, and were duly ad- 
 mitted to the bar. While grandpa gave himself up 
 exclusively to his profession, it seemed to possess 
 no attraction for Irving ; his thoughts turned wholly 
 to literature. 
 
 After the war of 1812, Irving visited England a 
 second time, where he remained for seventeen years. 
 During this time he visited Scotland, where he be- 
 came acquainted with Sir Walter Scott. 
 
 Scott, in writing to a friend soon after, wrote, 
 " When you see Campbell, tell him, with my best 
 love, that I have to thank him for introducing me 
 to Mr. Washington Irving, who is one of the best 
 and pleasantest acquaintances I have made this 
 many a day ! " 
 
 Soon after his visit to Scott he met with pecuniary 
 reverses, not, however, owing to any fault of his 
 own, and he was reduced to poverty. It was thea
 
 70 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 that .he wrote his famous " Sketch Book ; " and, as 
 he afterward wrote grandpa, it was to Scott that he 
 was indebted for his success, as he pronounced it 
 " positively beautiful ! " 
 
 After this he filled the post of Minister to Spain 
 for four years. 
 
 For some years before his death he resided at 
 " Sunnyside," the beautiful spot that we visited yes- 
 terday. This is on the banks of the Hudson, near 
 by " Sleepy Hollow," of which place he says, " If 
 ever I should wish for a retreat where I might steal 
 from the world and its distractions, and dream 
 quietly away the remainder of a troubled life, I 
 know of none more promising than this little valley." 
 
 The house at " Sunnyside " is the identical dwell- 
 ing represented as the castle of Baltus Von Tassel, 
 where Ichabod Crane paid his addresses to the little 
 Dutch beauty Katrina, and in which the great country 
 frolic took place. It is a poet's cottage, lost in ver- 
 dure and flowers, nestling down on the banks of that 
 beautiful river, which the master of the mansion 
 has adorned and illustrated by his genius. The 
 house is in the genuine Dutch style, and everything 
 about it is redolent of bygone days.
 
 OR, WOMAX'S FOIBLES. ji 
 
 Here, on the banks of this beautiful stream, away 
 from the world and its distraction, as he had wished, 
 did the loved Irving tranquilly pass his last years. 
 
 Uncle Francis says that he was never married. 
 He told grandpa that he had loved a beautiful lady 
 by the name of Hoffman, and that he intended to 
 marry her ; but she died, and he had no room in his 
 heart for a second love ! 
 
 When he lay upon his death-bed he had her Bible, 
 an old and time-worn copy, on a table by his 
 side. His brothers and their children made a happy 
 home for him, as uncle Francis and grandpa can 
 aver, for they visited him often. He died of heart 
 disease, about ten years since. Uncle Francis was 
 at his funeral. He says that the procession passed 
 by a road which winds through " Sleepy Hollow ; " 
 and near that place, rendered famous by his genius, 
 he now sleeps. 
 
 On our return home we visited his grave, and 
 left our tribute behind, a tear ! for ours was not 
 the admiration of genius alone, but love for the 
 man. lie was our friend. Many were the days 
 and weeks that he had passed at grandpa's, where 
 he had endeared himself to all our hearts. Of none
 
 7 2 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 of those who have been classed among our friends 
 do I feel more proud, than of the friendship of Wash- 
 ington Irving. A small lock of his hair, and a copy 
 of his " Sketch Book," containing my name, written 
 in his own valued handwriting, are among my most 
 precious mementos ! 
 
 When we arrived home, which was not till after 
 nine o'clock, I found two cards bearing the names 
 of Vernon and Jenkins ! I must confess the truth, 
 and say that I was perfectly crestfallen at first, for 
 Sir Henry had called upon us but once before, and 
 I had really brought myself to believe that the sight 
 of our humble home would keep his lordship from 
 calling a second time. 
 
 What could have prompted him? I have never 
 met him at an evening party, for the simple reason 
 that I have never attended one ; although, to my 
 great surprise, I have received an invitation to every 
 one, with the exception of two, that has been given 
 this winter. It is well ! 
 
 Our depression in circumstances is producing a 
 good effect upon me. 
 
 I am beginning to see that " this world is but a 
 fleeting show, for man's illusion given ; " every day
 
 OR, WO MAX'S FOIBLES. 73 
 
 brings some fresh token of its selfishness and vanity. 
 But I must try by my actions to show, and not only 
 to show, but to be a child of wisdom in this evil 
 generation. I must study my Bible more, and learn 
 to be like Christ, my Saviour, who was poor for 
 my sake. I must try to be patient. I must be will- 
 ing to suffer evil, and, what is harder than all, to 
 think no evil. 
 
 What a world this would be if that charity which 
 the Bible teaches us, " That vaunteth not itself, 
 that is not puffed up," should be practised by all 
 men. 
 
 Well ! I will try, for one, and cultivate the spirit, 
 and perhaps others will follow my example. 
 
 And now, instead of disquieting myself about the 
 notice and opinions of others, I will commence at 
 once a course of study, and revive at least all my 
 historical knowledge ; for if grandpa should send 
 for me to go out to England, I should not wish to feel 
 myself an ignoramus, knowing nothing of England 
 as a country, or of its inhabitants as a people ; and 
 while I think of it, I will purchase a manuscript this 
 afternoon, which I will devote exclusively to general 
 information regarding all the countries of Europe,
 
 74 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 their principal localities, kings and queens, great 
 men, aye, and women too ! But the first and most 
 important thing is to acquaint myself at once with 
 the names and lineage of the present kings and 
 queens, for I must confess that I am deplorably igno- 
 rant on this subject. I fear if Sir Henry should in- 
 troduce any of them as a topic of conversation, he 
 would think I ought to attend school again at once. 
 It is really sad to think that as soon as a young 
 lady leaves school, and goes into society, how soon 
 its vanities and vexations will cause her to forget 
 almost all she ever did learn. But there's the dinner- 
 bell again. It doesn't seem more than an hour since 
 breakfast ; but I must run, as pa very much dislikes 
 tardiness. 
 
 MARCH ist. 
 
 Last evening I attended what was declared to be 
 the most elegant party of the season, at Mis. 
 Luddington's. 
 
 Her husband was a classmate of grandpa's, and 
 while in college formed an intimacy witli him which 
 has never yet been interrupted. 
 
 Mr. Luddington is an old-school gentleman, digni-
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 7- 
 
 fied, yet courteous in his bearing, with a face so full 
 of sympathy and kindness that even a child would 
 love him. 
 
 Mrs. Luddington, like her husband, although an 
 elegant, most highly-accomplished lady, has a soul 
 overflowing with love and good-will to all, and 
 never is her high breeding more manifest than in 
 her efforts to show that she esteems others better 
 than herself! 
 
 I wore my white muslin, my first appearance 
 in it, trimmed in the plainest manner with folds 
 of lace, and silk of the palest blue ; not a jewel of 
 any kind, although I must confess to a little chagrin 
 when I thought of the elegant set of pearls, neck- 
 lace, bracelets, pin and ear-rings, my last gift 
 from grandpa before the horrid war, lying packed 
 away in my escritoire at home, doing service to 
 none.' 
 
 But then pa said it would be highly improper for 
 me to wear them ; and, in fact, on a little reflection 
 I thought so too ! A few snow-berries, just peeping 
 from among their green leaves, were the only deco- 
 ration to my hair ; a small silver cross, a gift from 
 Minnie, was my pin : kid gloves of the palest blue,
 
 y6 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 black satin slippers, and white silk stockings, 
 remnants of my better days, one of my simplest 
 embroidered handkerchiefs, with just a drop of 
 " Love among the Roses," and an exquisite little fan 
 of rice, sent me by a gentleman from France in my 
 younger days. 
 
 As almost every one, however poor, has some 
 such trinket, which, if not presented to them per- 
 sonally, descended from their ancestors, pa thought 
 it not amiss that I should take it. I have a weak- 
 ness in this particular. I always feel more at case 
 if I can find some way in which to employ my hands 
 while at a party ! 
 
 Minnie called for me just before nine ; it is so 
 thoughtful in her. It is not every girl who would 
 be willing to call in her own carriage to convey one 
 to a party who cannot afford to hire one for the 
 purpose, much less ride in her own ! 
 
 While we were arranging ourselves in the dressing- 
 room, preparatory to descending to the drawing- 
 room, Minnie spoke of my appearance. She assured 
 me that " I looked lovely, and that the most fas- 
 tidious person present could find no fault with me. 
 My dress was plain, but in perfect taste." This she
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 77 
 
 said not to flatter me, but to reassure me, and I was 
 much more at case for her kind approval, as I knew 
 she was sincere. 
 
 Minnie Maverick is a girl that one can trust. She 
 is not of that class of women who arc all things to 
 all men ! She would scorn the thought of praising 
 one's appearance to their face, and making sport 
 of them as soon as they had turned away ! Minnie 
 is a girl of character and heart. If she knows her 
 duty, she tries to perform it. She never asks, as 
 weak-minded people ever do, " What will this one 
 say?" or "What will that one think?" She has 
 a mind of her own ; and, though possessed of a large 
 organ of approbativeness, never sacrifices her own 
 independence to the whims and caprice of others. 
 
 Minnie looked very handsomely. Her dress was 
 of rich blue silk, an overskirt of white silk tissue, 
 trimmed with a deep puffing around the bottom, and 
 three garlands of blue flowers passing around the 
 back part of the dress, raising the tissue in puffs that 
 form panniers. A string of pearls were around her 
 hair, pearl pin and ear-rings, gloves that matched 
 the dress in shade, and a handsome bouquet in an 
 elegant silver flower-holder!
 
 78 MAN'S li'XO.VGS; 
 
 Mr. Maverick entertains the same opinion that pa 
 does; and that is, a strong dislike for a lady, under 
 any circumstances, exposing her arms and neck at 
 an evening party ; consequently Minnie and I belong 
 to the high-neck and long-sleeve class ! 
 
 As we entered the drawing-room, young Fred 
 Luddington, who was standing near the door as 
 we entered, offered me his arm, and Harry Ham- 
 ilton offering his to Minnie ; we were led up to pay 
 our respects to the host and hostess. 
 
 We then joined a group of young ladies who were 
 busily engaged in discussing some subject, which 
 we learned to be as to the presence of Sir Henry 
 Vernon. 
 
 A distinguished Englishman is a lion in our set. 
 Nothing creates so intense an excitement as the ar- 
 rival of a foreigner, especially if he is distingue ! 
 Suddenly the voices subsided into a gentle murmur ; 
 and as I turned my head to learn the cause, I saw 
 Sir Henry, with Laura Jenkins hanging on his arm, 
 and Arthur Jenkins, with Emily Schuylcr, just paying 
 their devoirs to Mr. and Mrs. Luddington. 
 
 Breathe not my weakness ! but I felt for a mo- 
 ment, just a moment, as if bereft of sense and
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 79 
 
 feeling! By the time they had approached our 
 group, I was perfectly self-possessed, though I 
 imagine I looked a trifle pale. Sir Henry bowed 
 
 
 
 very politely, and passed on, Laura still hanging on 
 his arm. The criticisms now fell fast and thick, 
 but they passed on and heard them not. / heard 
 them. 
 
 " They say," said Belle Schuyler, " that Vernon 
 and Laura Jenkins are to make a match. Charlie 
 says that Arthur brought him over simply on Laura's 
 account." 
 
 " I don't think much of Englishmen, any way," 
 said Fanny Hamilton ; " for my own part I am very 
 well contented with our New Yorkers, although I 
 have a strong penchant for Southern gentlemen ; but 
 if they are American they are all one, or ought to 
 be!" 
 
 " I don't believe Mr. Vernon has a thought of any 
 one this side of the Atlantic," said Minnie, " for I 
 have good reason to think he left his heart on the 
 other side." 
 
 "Not his heart ! " said Harry Hamilton, oh ! how 
 I thanked him, " for report says that his hand only 
 is promised ; his heart goes not with it."
 
 80 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 " I dare say there are scores of young Indies 
 present who would not care a straw for his heart, 
 if they could only secure his hand," said Belle 
 Schuyler. " Not one in ten, in this age, believe in 
 love, or hearts." 
 
 " I hope you don't judge by yourself, Miss Schuy- 
 ler," said Hany Hamilton, mischievously. 
 
 " Ah, no, Mr. Hamilton ! " And Belle, affecting a 
 sigh, but speaking from her heart more than she 
 would desire us to suspect, said, in a low whisper, 
 
 "A home in the heart is a home for me, 
 Whether it be on land or sea 1 " 
 
 We were amused at the sly glances that passed 
 between her and Harry. 
 
 " Well," said Grace Montague, " I for one must 
 say that I am rather glad I have not, as yet, made 
 M"!'. Vernon's acquaintance ; for I should be in con- 
 tinual terror lest he should say something in regard 
 to England that I should know nothing about, and 
 I verily believe I should die of mortification ! 
 
 " I am sorry to say that a continual round of par- 
 ties, theatres, and like dissipation, in the winter, 
 with Newport, and its round of fashionable society,
 
 OR, U'O.lfAX'S FOIBLES. Si 
 
 in the summer, has so completely engrossed my 
 thoughts and time, that I have just about forgotten 
 all my former knowledge of history. 
 
 " I used to be quite a proficient in that study, 
 and had the names of all the kings and queens, 
 with their right of succession, dates of birth, mar- 
 riage and death, at my tongue's end ; but when one 
 leaves school, and goes into society, there are so 
 many things to distract the attention, that, without 
 method and effort, one's education is almost thrown 
 away." 
 
 Just at this moment, Mr. Vernon, who had disen- 
 gaged himself from Laura, joined our group. He 
 was formally introduced to Misses Montague, Hamil- 
 ton, and Schuyler, whom he recognized as having 
 been in society with him, but to whom he had not 
 had the pleasure of an introduction. 
 
 " I really think, Mr. Vernon, your visit to America 
 will conduce highly to the improvement of some of 
 our young ladies," said Belle Schuyler. 
 
 "In what respect, may I ask?" said Sir Henry, 
 smiling. 
 
 Poor Grace Montague looked unutterable things. 
 
 "I can answer for myself," said Belle, "that I 
 6
 
 83 J/.J.V .9 U HONGS; 
 
 have been very much afraid lest you may introduce, 
 in conversation, some Englishman of renown, of 
 whom I may have been so unfortunate as never to 
 have heard, and, even though I may have been 
 familiar with his history in days gone by, that I 
 may have forgotten. So I will now inform you that 
 I remember scarcely anything concerning English 
 history, and you will not be disappointed in me. 
 I can just recall William the Silent, William Rufus, 
 and Edward the Black Prince ; also Bloody Mary, 
 Elizabeth, and Anne Boleyn. These I cannot forget ; 
 but as to the Georges, the Hanoverian line, the 
 houses of York and Lancaster, as far as I am con- 
 cerned, they rest in the tomb of the Capulets ! " 
 
 " I will give you credit for candor, most certainly," 
 said Mr. Vernon ; "and as to your historical knowl- 
 edge, I presume if any of your American gentlemen 
 should visit England, they would find a large num- 
 ber of English ladies, who consider themselves highly 
 educated, as unfamiliar with the history of America 
 as you are with England. I myself heard one of 
 them remark, in the presence of a number of gentle- 
 men and ladies, that the Americans were a con- 
 ceited, puny race !
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 83 
 
 "I answered that they were anything but puny; 
 for in their infancy they whipped their old mother 
 England so severely, she would retain her scars till 
 the day of her death. 
 
 " The young lady was astonished, and had not 
 the slightest recollection of any such event. 
 
 " I assured her that it would be much better for 
 us, as a nation, to remember it, and to be very 
 careful that we never again irritated so powerful a 
 people. 
 
 "But, Miss Schuyler, I must say that I think, 
 not only here, but in the Old World, there is not 
 time enough given to the cultivation of the memory 
 and the mind. No matter of how much knowledge 
 a man may be possessed, he must be constantly re- 
 viewing and increasing it, or it will gradually fade 
 from his mind. I think if every young gentleman 
 and lady should set aside a portion of time for each 
 day, and devote themselves to acquiring general 
 information, thereby preventing the current of thought 
 from growing stagnant, there would not be so much 
 folly and worldly-mindedness laid to their charge." 
 
 " I agree with you perfectly, Mr. Vernon," said 
 Minnie, " and, I doubt not, ail my friends will unite
 
 84 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 with me in thanking you for your advice, and in 
 endeavoring to profit by it." 
 
 Of course \ve all nodded in acquiescence. 
 
 " But it is so difficult, after you have formed a 
 plan, to keep to it," said Grace Montague. " It is 
 almost impossible, in this frivolous age, to fix your 
 attention on the more serious side of life." 
 
 " Try it, Miss Montague," said Mr. Vernon ; " I 
 hardly believe you will continue to think it a serious 
 side, but I think, in a short time, if you persevere 
 with it, you will anticipate it as one of your most 
 enjoyable hours ! " 
 
 Just then the sound of music struck upon our 
 ears, and the crowd commenced moving toward the 
 spot. As Sir Henry was standing nearest me, 
 of course he offered me his arm ; common politeness 
 could have done no less. He said, in a low tone, 
 " that he regretted not finding me at home on the 
 evening of his call." 
 
 I answered that " I equally regretted being absent 
 from home, but that I had gone on an excursion 
 with my parents and uncle, to visit the home of 
 Washington Irving." 
 
 I did not tell him that Irving was a friend of
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 85 
 
 grandpa's. I had just pride enough left to feel that 
 if Sir Henry was my friend, he must be so on 
 account of myself, and not because I was the grand- 
 daughter of a judge! Neither did I glance at him 
 to see how he was affected by the mention of the 
 name of Irving I 
 
 " How much I should have enjoyed being of 
 your party, Miss Manton ! " said he. 
 
 " I should have been most happy to have had 
 you accompany us, had I have been aware that it 
 would have afforded you any pleasure," I replied. 
 
 " I think this is the first party at which I have 
 had the pleasure of meeting you, Miss Manton." 
 
 " It is the first one of this season which I have 
 attended," I replied ; and, with some hesitancy, I 
 added, " I attend only one or two in a season ; my 
 father's means will not allow of my attending 
 more." 
 
 " And can you witness the beauty and elegance 
 attendant upon these parties once or twice only, 
 and remain contented during the remainder of the 
 season?" he inquired. 
 
 " Better now than formerly," I replied. " It was 
 very hard at first, I admit; but, as time progresses,
 
 86 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 it is much easier to endure the trial. My allowing 
 myself to be unhappy would be of no avail, and 
 would enhance greatly the unhappiness of my par- 
 ents. I take for my lesson each day, to ' be content 
 with such things as I have.' " 
 
 Our conversation was beginning to attract the 
 notice of the surrounders ; which, as Mr. Vernon 
 observed, he very kindly left me with Minnie, and 
 withdrew to another part of the room ; not, however, 
 until he had given me another glance into his heart ! 
 I strove to pay attention to the music ; I answered 
 Minnie's look of inquiry with an amused smile ; 
 and how could I help it? To be obliged to hear 
 what I would fain have shut my ears against, the 
 remarks that were made at my expense. " A 
 dra~jo /'w^-teacher ! " "Poor!" "Lives in a small, 
 out-of-the-way place in Harlem!" "Her father 
 was a rebel! Just good enough for them ; always 
 thinking themselves better than their neighbors ! " 
 "These Southern nabobs do feel so big, even if they 
 are poor as church-mice ! " I was greatly amused. 
 The very idea of their being jealous and envious 
 of me, who feel myself less than the least among
 
 O/?, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 87 
 
 them ! Poor deluded mortals! I had vastly rather 
 be slandered than the slanderer ! 
 
 Shortly after, supper was announced. Sir Henry 
 took Mrs. Luddington to the supper-room ; and, to 
 my great surprise, Mr. Luddington took poor, insig- 
 nificant me ! It is surprising how an attention like 
 this will sometimes call into being emotions of a 
 strength and nature that remain during life. How 
 grateful, when one conceives herself to be the least, 
 to receive such attention. Had I have been the 
 Duchess of Sutherland, I could not have been treated 
 with more marked consideration or respect. 
 
 The repast, of course, was sumptuous, and served 
 in the most magnificent style. Mrs. Luddington 
 embraced the opportunity to ask me about grandpa, 
 and evinced so great an interest in everything con- 
 cerning us, that I really felt quite at ease. 
 
 Whether it was the particular attention shown 
 me by the host and hostess, or from the promptings 
 of his own heart, I cannot say ; but one thing is 
 true, that Sir Henry asked the honor of escorting 
 me to my carriage, when it should arrive ; and from 
 that moment till the carriage was announced, I 
 scarcely knew whether I was in or out of the body !
 
 88 MAN'S WAONGS; 
 
 Kate Manton, where are your fine resolves never 
 again to think of Sir Henry Vernon? Take the 
 warnings of your own heart, and do not deceive 
 yourself into a belief that he cares for you, save as 
 he may care for any valued friend! Rest assured 
 you will save yourself much pain if you will follow 
 these promptings. 
 
 " Others love, are loved, filled full thereof; 
 I, only I, must faint and fall; 
 Must starve for that I can never have ! ah me I "
 
 Off, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 89 
 
 - 
 
 VIII. 
 
 T AURA JENKINS called yesterday, and I must 
 - ' sa\-, in justice to her, she appears lovely. What 
 a rival I have in her ! handsome, wealthy, and ac- 
 complished, while I am poor, plain, and good- 
 natured only because I have to be ! I very much 
 fear, at times, that if the few friends I possess could 
 look into my heart, and see it just as it is, I should 
 number fewer still. 
 
 Laura made a very handsome apology for not 
 inviting me to her party, and then invited me to 
 take a trip on the Hudson, as far as West Point, the 
 following day. Thanking her for her kindness, I 
 assured her I would accept the invitation with the 
 greatest pleasure. 
 
 And now, as it is but five o'clock, and we do not 
 start till nine, I will try and refresh my memory so 
 far as the present kings and queens of Europe are
 
 90 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 concerned, so that I may feel a little at ease if Sir 
 Henry shouUl chance to engage me in conversa- 
 tion, for, of course, he will be there ! and Minnie, 
 dear girl that she is, she will keep me in coun- 
 tenance, at least. Let me see, yes, I will begin 
 with Victoria : 
 
 Victoria Alexandrina, Queen of Great Britain 
 and Ireland, born at Kensington Palace, May 241)1, 
 1819. She is the daughter of Edward, Duke of 
 Kent, fourth son of George the Third, and the Prin- 
 cess Victoria Mary Louisa of Saxe Coburg Saalfeld. 
 Her father died in 1820; and, as neither George the 
 Fourth, nor his brothers next of kin, the Dukes 
 of York and Clarence, had surviving children, 
 she was looked upon as future sovereign of England. 
 On the death of George the Fourth he was suc- 
 ceeded by his brother, the Duke of Clarence, who 
 received the name of William Henry from his uncle, 
 the Duke of Gloucester, and ascended the throne in 
 1830, with the title of William the Fourth. As he 
 died without a male heir, it caused the crown of 
 Hanover to be separated from that of Great Britain, 
 his brother, the Duke of Cumberland, becoming
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 91 
 
 King of Hanover, and his niece, Victoria, Queen 
 of Great Britain. She was therefore crowned in 
 Westminster Abbey, June 2Sth, 1838, and in August, 
 1859, sne vvas a ^ so proclaimed Queen of Hindostan. 
 
 On February loth, 18^0, Victoria married Prince 
 Albert of Saxe Coburg Gotha, who died December 
 i4th, 1861, the same year of the death of her 
 mother, the Duchess of Kent. 
 
 Victoria has had nine children, Victoria Ade- 
 laide, who married the Crown Prince of Prussia, 
 Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, who married 
 Alexandrina, Princess of Denmark, Alice, who 
 married Prince Louis of Hesse, Alfred, Helena, 
 Louisa, Arthur, Leopold, and Beatrice. 
 
 Louis Charles Napoleon Bonaparte is the pres- 
 ent Emperor of the French. He was the youngest 
 son of Louis Bonaparte, King of Holland, and Hor- 
 tensc Beauharnais, the daughter of the Empress 
 Josephine, and consequently nephew of the great 
 Napoleon ! lie was born in Paris, in 1808. 
 
 After Louis Philippe was dethroned, he was chosen 
 deputy to the National Assembly, and when in 1850 
 the election for President came on, he was found to
 
 pa MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 be the most popular candidate, and was chosen by 
 a large majority of votes. Before two years had 
 transpired, a decree was put forth ordering the es- 
 tablishment of universal suffrage, and the election 
 of a President for ten years. lie was, of course, 
 elected under this decree. At the close of 1852, the 
 people were asked to revive the imperial dignity in 
 the person of Louis Napoleon. The votes were 
 largely in his favor, and he was declared Emperor, 
 under the title of Napoleon Third. 
 
 In 1853 he married Eugonie, Countess de Teba, 
 a Spanish lady of remarkable beauty and accomplish- 
 ments. He has one son, born in 1856. He suc- 
 ceeded Louis Philippe, who ascended the throne of 
 France in 1830, from the branch known as Bourbon 
 Orleans, tracing its origin to Philippe, Duke of 
 Orleans. Louis Philippe reigned eighteen years, 
 and lost his crown in the revolution of February, 1848. 
 
 Prancis Joseph, the reigning Emperor of Austria, 
 was the eldest son of the Archduke Francis Charles, 
 and the Archduchess Sophia, daughter of the King 
 of Bavaria, and sister of the Queens of Prussia and 
 Saxony.
 
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 93 
 
 He was also grandson of Francis Second, Emperor 
 of Germany, and First, of Austria, whom he suc- 
 ceeded. He was nephew of Ferdinand First, and 
 also of Maria Louisa, second wife of the great Napo- 
 leon, lie was born in 1830. In 1854 he married 
 Elizabeth, daughter of the Bavarian Duke Maximilian 
 Joseph of Zwerbriicken Birkenfeld. Francis First, 
 the grandfather of the present Emperor, was the son 
 of Leopold Second, and of Maria Louisa, daughter 
 of Charles Third, King of Spain ; and Francis 
 Charles, the father of the present Emperor, was his 
 son by his second wife, Maria Theresa. 
 
 William First, King of Prussia, is the second son 
 of Frederic William the Third. He was born in 
 1797, and succeeded his brother Frederic William 
 Fourth to the throne in 1861, and was crowned at 
 Konigsberg. He was married in 1829 to the Duchess 
 Marie Luise Auguste Katharine, of Saxe Weimar, 
 lie had a son and daughter the elder, the Crown 
 Prince Friedrich Wilhelm Nicholas Karl, born in 
 1831, married in 1858, to Victoria, Princess Royal of 
 Great Britain ; and the younger, the Princess Luise
 
 Marie Elizabeth, born in 1838, and married in 1856, 
 to the Grand Duke Frederic of Baden. 
 
 Alexander Second, Czar of Russia, was born in 
 1818. He was the son and successor of Nicholas 
 First. His mother was Charlotte of Prussia, the 
 eldest daughter of Frederic William the Third. 
 
 In 1841 he married Maria Alcxandrowna, Grand 
 Duchess of Hesse Darmstadt. It was wholly a love 
 match, the young prince having made his own choice 
 among a host of German princesses. He ascended 
 the throne in 1855. Alexander is the eldest of five 
 children ; his sister Maria, next in age, is widow of 
 the Duke of Leuchtenburg ; Olga, wife of the Crown 
 Prince of Wurtemburg, Nicholas, and Michael. 
 
 I cannot say how much of these I shall remember, 
 but my memory is certainly refreshed a little. How 
 foolish we young ladies arc to waste so much time 
 in frivolous pursuits! Why can we not think more 
 of the mind, and strive to cultivate that? 
 
 Learning is always respected. No matter what 
 a man's social position, if he is educated, and \ve
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 95 
 
 find that he is our superior in literary attainments, 
 the knowledge at once elicits our respect. 
 
 Not that I approve of being a bookworm, or a 
 blue-stocking, but there is a happy medium in this 
 as in all things. 
 
 Would each young lady devote one hour in the 
 morning, before breakfast, instead of wasting that 
 precious time in bed, to the study of some useful 
 subject, a new era would dawn upon us ! It is 
 melancholy to find how much ignorance lies con- 
 cealed beneath the chignons,' crimps, curls and vel- 
 vets, to say nothing of the imperials, mustaches, 
 and whiskers of our youth ! Verily, all is vanity ! 
 Ah ! here is Minnie, and I must array myself for 
 the excursion. 
 
 MARCH 3d. 
 
 Such a glorious time as I had yesterday ! We 
 had a pleasant party of twenty, twelve ladies and 
 eight gentlemen. Minnie and I were escorted by 
 Arthur Jenkins, and Laura, with Emily Schuyler, 
 were under Sir Henry Vernon's escort, at least when 
 we started. I am not at all jealous of Laura. It 
 seems as if Sir Henry belongs to her by right. I was
 
 96 A/AX'S H'XO.YGS; 
 
 calm and self-possessed, although I confess to an in- 
 describable trembling when he first lifted his hat 
 and bowed to me ! But I am growing wiser ; yes ! 
 wiser. 
 
 What difference will it make to me whom I 
 love, or who loves me, when fifty years shall have 
 rolled their round? What difference, when I leave 
 this world, with all its vanities, to go hence, and 
 be known no more, whether I am married or single, 
 rich or poor, envied or despised? 
 
 None ! If Christ will give me strength to walk 
 in just such paths as He approves ; to follow, not 
 the inclination of my own sinful heart, but after 
 that which is well-pleasing in His sight, if He is 
 my friend, it is enough ! 
 
 It was a glorious morning ! Crowds of people 
 were standing on the wharves. The steamer, which 
 was ready to start as soon as we were on board, 
 lay at the foot of the pier. 
 
 As we passed on to the boat, I was very much 
 delighted by meeting Judge Francis, a chum of 
 grandpa's, in old Harvard. 
 
 lie is a fine-looking, elderly gentleman of the old 
 school, and had with him his wife and daughter
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 97 
 
 They were returning from a visit in Washington, 
 to their home in Newburg ; were very cordial, and 
 gave me an urgent invitation to visit them in their 
 home. 
 
 " I hear, Kate, how nobly you are bearing your 
 
 reverses ! " said the Judge. " They will do you no 
 
 harm, but will develop your character and mind, 
 
 and I doubt not you will yet live to thank the 
 
 Lord for leading you by this very way." 
 
 "Oh," I replied, "please don't praise me, sir; for 
 I bear it anything but nobly. I am easily irri- 
 tated, and prone to be very bitter against those who 
 dare look down upon me ; and yet I suppose it is 
 perfectly natural that some weak minds should feel 
 thus ; for they know that I am a hated Southerner ! 
 
 "You know, sir, there are a great many at the 
 North who believe that in a Southerner there is no 
 good thing ! " 
 
 "Ah," said the Judge, "you must not feel thus, 
 Miss Kate. I think, now that Grant is in the Presi- 
 dential chair, this feeling will be done away with 
 in a great measure." 
 
 " Excuse me for disagreeing with you, sir ; but I 
 think if our noble Seymour had have been elected, 
 7
 
 98 MAN'S WKOXGS; 
 
 we should have had a much better chance of being 
 restored to our true position as Southerners. My 
 father is with you, sir ; but ma and I are filled with 
 sympathy for the Democratic cause ; and the one 
 redeeming feature only in ' Woman's Rights,' the 
 right of the ballot, is, that when that day shall 
 arrive, there will be no struggle between parties ; 
 for the women will carry in the Democratic candi- 
 date with such an overpowering majority, there will 
 be no necessity for the poor Republicans to present 
 a candidate ! " 
 
 "Well, really, Miss Kate, you are quite a politi- 
 cian ; but if I thought there was the least ground 
 for your suspicions, I should wield my pen with 
 all its force against ' Woman's Rights ' ! Why, Miss 
 Kate, if the Democrats should be again in power, 
 the country would be ruined ! " 
 
 " It is laughable," I replied, " how conceited you 
 Republicans arc ; " and then, remembering how 
 superior Judge Francis was to me in age as well 
 as intellect, I said, " You will pardon me, sir, I did 
 not intend being rudef but I do feel that we, as a 
 part of the country, are so wronged !
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 99 
 
 " I feel that I am becoming, however, more recon- 
 ciled to my fate, and I trust it will make of me a 
 more perfect woman ! " 
 
 I then invited Miss Francis to walk to another 
 part of the boat, and allow me to introduce her to 
 my friends. 
 
 She politely acceded to my request. 
 
 I felt proud of the honor of introducing her. She 
 was an elegant young lady, of about twenty-six, 
 dressed in the most perfect taste, with an air of 
 high-breeding that betokened the lady. Shortly 
 after her introduction, Mr. Vernon asked me " if 
 Miss Francis, whose name was very familiar, was 
 relative of Judge Francis, formerly of New York?' 
 
 ' ; She is his daughter," I replied. 
 
 " I then asked him if he was acquainted witl 
 Judge Francis? " 
 
 " Only by reputation," he replied. 
 
 " He was an intimate friend of my uncle Sil 
 Albert Vernon, in years gone by." 
 
 After a moment's hesitation, he asked me " if I 
 would favor him with an introduction to the Judge?" 
 and as I cordially assented, he gave me his arm,
 
 100 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 and we walked to the part of the boat where Judge 
 Francis and his wife were sitting. 
 
 When I mentioned Sir Henry's name, the Judge 
 started, and exclaimed, "Is it possible? Do I in- 
 deed behold the nephew of my valued friend Sir 
 Albert Fortescue Vcrnon? I think I must have 
 recognized you by your strong resemblance to your 
 uncle. And your father?" 
 
 "Was Sir Henry Stuart Vernon ! " 
 
 "Yes, I knew him also; but not as intimately as 
 his brother. It is many years since I heard of or 
 from your uncle." 
 
 " He has been a confirmed invalid," Sir Henry 
 replied, " for nearly ten years." 
 
 " Your grandfather, Kate, Judge Blake, was 
 another friend of Sir Henry's uncle." 
 
 " Your grandfather, Miss Manton ! " said Sir 
 Henry. " Wonders will never cease ! Why, I 
 have dined at my uncle's, with your grandfather, 
 within six months ! 
 
 "Why did I not know of your relationship? I 
 have asked Arthur of your relatives, Miss Kate ; " 
 and then, with a blush, as if he had unnecessarily 
 committed himself, he "added, "your face reminded
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. IOI 
 
 me so strongly of one I had seen before, and this 
 accounts for it. 
 
 "Arthur told me simply that you were a South- 
 erner ; once in high social life, but now suffering 
 adversity, caused by your dreadful war ! 
 
 " Ah, Arthur," said Sir Henry, aside, " I did not 
 think this of you. 
 
 " I have evinced more interest in Miss Manton 
 than I ought, and it may be that you fear Laura will 
 have a rival, poor fellow ! I have not lived these 
 years for nothing, and in future I will be more 
 careful to guard my secret ; therefore I will assume 
 an air of nonchalance with all." 
 
 "And so, Miss Manton, Judge Blake is your 
 grandfather? " 
 
 " He was my mother's father," I replied. 
 
 " Yes ; and Miss Manton's father would have 
 been a Judge by this time, had it not have been for 
 the horrible war ! " 
 
 " Splendid talents ! splendid talents, I assure you, 
 Mr. Vernon," said the Judge, " but obliged to come 
 North and take a position with the paltry sum of 
 fourteen hundred a year ; and this young lady, who 
 is his blessing " but I excused myself, and joined
 
 102 AfAX'S WRONGS; 
 
 our party, knowing full well that Judge Francis 
 would leave nothing unsaid in my favor. 
 
 And now we 'drew near the place where the 
 Hudson begins its passage through the beautiful 
 hills called the " Highlands," which rise abruptly 
 fn>m the water; while, in some places, vessels fol- 
 lowing the channel pass so near the shore that one 
 can almost touch the cliffs from their decks. 
 
 Among the most remarkable of these hills are 
 Beacon, so named from the signal fires which 
 used to burn on its summit during the Revolutionary 
 War, "Crow's Nest," "Sugar Loaf Mountain," 
 "Anthony's Nose," and " Dunderberg," the " Thun- 
 der Chamber," as it is called. 
 
 Instead of stopping at West Point, we concluded 
 to enjoy the sail as far as Newburg, and take the 
 return boat for West Point. 
 
 As Newburg broke upon our view I was perfectly 
 delighted with its appearance. There it rose in its 
 beauty, on a steep slope, rising, as Judge Francis 
 informed us, to a height of somewhere about one 
 hundred and fifty feet, on the west bank of the 
 Hudson. There stood the court-house, of which 
 Judge Francis was the Superior Judge, large man-
 
 OR, WOAfA.V'S FOIBLES. 103 
 
 ufactories, foundries, and the spires of nearly twenty 
 churches, which I counted. The Judge informed 
 us that that they were supplied with water from 
 " Little Pond," which was about three miles dis- 
 tant. 
 
 He also pointed out an old stone mansion which 
 overlooked the Hudson, which, he said, was " Wash- 
 ington's Headquarters," and which was owned and 
 kept in order by the State. Besides its association 
 with the Revolutionary War, and its great Chief, the 
 building contains numerous interesting relics of that 
 period. 
 
 When the boat stopped, the Judge and his family 
 repeated their cordial invitation to visit them in 
 Xcwburg, and extended the invitation also to all 
 our party to pass a day, and visit the old stone man- 
 sion and any other objects of interest. 
 
 Sir Henry escorted them to the wharf. Stop, my 
 miserably jealous heart! 
 
 Do you see a rival in Miss Francis also? 
 
 Anything but a jealous young lady ! 
 
 I pity the man who weds her, and yet there 
 is much of it in woman's nature ! 
 
 She hates to see the man she loves showing in-
 
 104 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 terest in any other ; and yet if he objects to her flirt- 
 ing (just for fun you know her flirtations are, with 
 Tom, Richard, and Henry), she is so injured, 
 he begins to think he is the aggressor rather than 
 the aggrieved ! Oh, what a compound women are ! 
 allowing themselves in things that if their poor 
 husbands ever dreamed of even, they would find no 
 rest for their poor souls ! 
 
 We enjoyed the extended trip greatly ; and on 
 our return between Newburg and West Point, we 
 dined on board the boat, that we may devote all 
 the time that remained in seeing the " lions " at 
 West Point. 
 
 In the midst of the " Highlands," to which I have 
 before alluded, where the Hudson flows with so 
 many windings, which add so greatly to its beauty, 
 on a bold promontory, commanding magnificent 
 views both North and South, stands West Point. 
 
 This was an important fortress during the Revo- 
 lutionary War, but its chief importance is in its 
 being the seat of the United States Military Academy. 
 
 Near by stands Mount Independence, about a mile 
 to the south-west, on the crest of which, in the Rev- 
 olution, stood Fort Putnam, surrounded on three
 
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 105 
 
 sides by deep ravines commanding the river, and 
 protecting the other defences. It stood between five 
 and six hundred feet above the river. 
 
 Another fort, called " Clinton," stood on the north- 
 east side. Most of the works were built under the 
 superintendence of Kosciusko. I remembered the 
 treason of Arnold consisted in obtaining command 
 of the fortress by false representations, with the in- 
 tention of surrendering it to the British, which 
 scheme was happily foiled by Andre's arrest. 
 
 On landing at West Point we turned our steps 
 toward the Military Academy. The buildings are 
 of stone ; one, nearly three hundred feet long, is de- 
 signed for military exercise in the winter. There 
 is also a fine building of Gothic architecture, with 
 towers for astronomical apparatus, the middle 
 tower revolving for an observatory, which we 
 visited. Connected with the Academy is the chapel, 
 hospital, magazine, soldiers' barracks, and other 
 things too numerous to mention. 
 
 The instruction in the Academy is free ; but the 
 cadet, unless released by government, is required 
 to serve the country eight years after finishing his 
 course:
 
 106 MAX'S H'ROXGS; 
 
 I always thought that any one who had a taste 
 for military life, could enter there and fit himself 
 for it ; but I learned that every one who enjoyed its 
 advantages as a member of the Academy, must be 
 chosen either by Congress or the President. 
 
 How time flies ! Before we had time to visit 
 any other part of the place, Mr. Jenkins said we 
 must start for the quay, as the boat would be there 
 in about ten minutes. 
 
 Mr. Vernon escorted me to the landing, and said 
 if I should be disengaged the following evening, he 
 would do himself the honor to call ! 
 
 Of course I replied that I had no engagement 
 whatever, and that I should be very happy to see 
 him. 
 
 And here it is almost tea-time ; so I will run 
 down and dust the parlor, and add a little water to 
 my flowers, and then dress. Shall I powder just a 
 little? No! I have said that I wouldn't, and I will 
 not, let the consequence be what it will. I wish, 
 however, I had not been quite so rash in promising, 
 as I should like to look brilliant, if such a thing is 
 possible ! But it cannot be, and Sir Henry must 
 take me just as I am.
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 107 
 
 But first, let me reassure myself on the present 
 European sovereigns. 
 
 I remember well, Victoria, Napoleon, Francis 
 Joseph, William First, and Alexander Second. I 
 must know a little more of the principal ones, cer- 
 tainly, even if I go without my tea. I -will not be 
 so ignorant ! There is 
 
 Isabella Second, Queen of Spain, who has so 
 lately abdicated the throne, fled into France, and 
 taken up an elegant abode in Paris ; her first abode 
 being the chateau in which Henry the Fourth of 
 France was born, and from which there is a magni- 
 ficent view of the Pyrenees, while Spain is in a 
 state of revolution. She was the daughter of Fer- 
 dinand Seventh, King of Spain (who died in Madrid 
 in 1833, and who was the son of Charles Fourth 
 and Luisa Maria of Parma), and his fourth wife, 
 Maria Christina, daughter of King Francis of Na- 
 ples. Isabella was a child of little more than three 
 years of age when she ascended the throne, which 
 she obtained by her father's repealing the Salic law, 
 introduced into Spain by Philip Fifth, and naming 
 Isabella to succeed him, thus excluding his brother,
 
 loS MAX'S U'ROXGS; 
 
 Don Carlos, who was heir presumptive by virtue 
 of that law. In 1846 she married her cousin, Don 
 Francisco cle Assiz, Duke of Cadiz, and son of Fran- 
 cisco de Paula, brother of Ferdinand Seventh. 
 
 When the Spanish throne was overthrown, in 
 1868, those who took possession of the government 
 resolved to call a Congress, and arranged that the 
 members of this Congress should be chosen by the 
 votes of the Spaniards, from twenty-five upward. 
 
 I 'ictor Emanttcl, King of Italy, was born in 
 1820, and is the eldest son of Charles Albert and 
 Theresa, daughter of the late Grand Duke Ferdi- 
 nand of Tuscany. 
 
 He has five children, Clotilda, wife of Prince 
 Napoleon Jerome ; Humbert, Prince of Piedmont ; 
 Amadeus, Duke of Aosta ; Otho, Duke of Mont- 
 ferrat ; and Maria Pia. 
 
 Twenty years ago he was king only of Sardinia, 
 while the rest of the country was under the control 
 of the Pope, the house of Bourbon, and the Aus- 
 trians, as well as of lesser sovereigns, the Grand 
 Duke of Tuscany, the Duke of Modena, and the 
 Duke of Parma.
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. IQ<) 
 
 Now he is King of Italy ; and his kingdom in- 
 cludes the entire peninsula except a small part under 
 the Pope, and the island of Sicily. 
 
 In acquiring Italy he adopted Napoleon Third's 
 practice of referring different political questions to 
 the inhabitants of the country ; and, by this suffrage, 
 the Tuscans, Sicilians, Neapolitans, and Romagnese 
 decided to become his subjects. 
 
 The revolution which effected this, in 1861, was 
 directed by Garibaldi, accompanied by whom Victor 
 Emanuel entered Naples in triumph, and was de- 
 clared King of Italy. But the feelings of the people 
 toward the King are undergoing a great change. 
 
 The Italian Parliament is holding a stormy session. 
 
 The grist-mill tax has caused serious disturbance. 
 The mills are closed ; the peasants have ceased their 
 labors, and march in procession, uttering seditious 
 cries. They have sacked the palaces, poured out 
 the wine from the wine-shops, and resisted the troops 
 sent to disperse them. The country is quiet now ; 
 but the tax, although small, is felt to be grievous. 
 Italy is passing through another crisis in her history. 
 
 John, King of Saxony^ son of the Duke Max-
 
 110 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 imihnn and the Princess of Parma, was born in 1801, 
 and succeeded his brother Frederic Augustus in 1854. 
 His wife is a daughter of Maximilian of Bavaria. 
 
 His eldest daughter married the Duke of Genoa, 
 a brother of the King of Sardinia, who died in 1855. 
 His eldest son, Frederic Augustus Albert, married 
 a daughter of Prince Gustavus Vasa. 
 
 William Third, King of the Netherlands, succeeded 
 his father, William Second. He was born in 1817, 
 educated in England, and married in 1839 the Prin- 
 cess Sophia of Wurtemburg. In 1849 he ascended 
 the throne. He has two sons, William Prince of 
 Orange, born in 1840, and Prince Alexander, born 
 in 1851. And beside all these, there are 
 
 Charles Fifteenth, King of Norway and Sweden ; 
 Christian Ninth, King of Denmark ; Louis, King 
 of Portugal ; Louis Second, King of Bavaria ; Leo- 
 pold Second, King of Belgium ; Frederic, Grand 
 Duke of Baden ; Charles First, King of Wurtem- 
 burg; George First, King of Hellenes; Charles, 
 Prince of Roumania, and Abdul Aziz Khan, Sultan 
 of Turkey. 
 
 If I can remember the names of the kinjrs over
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. r t r 
 
 these smaller kingdoms, it will be all I can do at 
 present. 
 
 Dear me, it is six o'clock, and I have done noth- 
 ing, scarcely. How my heart beats as the time 
 draws near for Sir Henry to make his appearance !
 
 112 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 IX. 
 
 T AST evening, as soon as I had supped, I ran 
 * up stairs and read over a few times the names 
 of the kings and queens which I had selected, when 
 the thought occurred, but who are some of the 
 great men and women of the past as well as the 
 present age? 
 
 To think of any but Scott and Shakespeare I could 
 not ; and though I blush to own it, I knew but little 
 more of these than the name ! 
 
 Tell it not in Gath, for I really considered myself 
 quite a finished young lady. This will never do, 
 thought I. I must turn over a new leaf at once, rise 
 up early in the morning, and see if I cannot acquire 
 such information as will enable me to be something 
 more than an ignoramus, in my own estimation at 
 least ! If I can only remember some of our own 
 great men, it will be better than nothing; but so
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. r 13 
 
 many of them are Northerners that I never felt much 
 interest in them, to tell the truth, though I must own 
 to admiring the writings, if not the men ! 
 
 There are Longfellow and Whittier ; yes ! and 
 Webster and Everett. I admire these last two ; for 
 Webster ! isn't he the greatest statesman that Amer- 
 ica ever produced? and Everett didn't ma and 
 I tease pa to vote for him and our own loved Bell? 
 Yes ! and he would not do it, even to please us ! 
 
 Now if the women could have voted then, there 
 would have been no war, and I should not be living 
 in Harlem ! 
 
 But then I should never have seen Sir Henry, 
 so I suppose it is all for the best that the women can't 
 vote ; for they would surely be putting themselves 
 in office. 
 
 Then there is Mrs. Stowe I suppose they call 
 her a great woman ! I do not see why ! It was not 
 the story itself of poor uncle Tom that was so supe- 
 rior, but the writing it just at that time, when all 
 the Northerners were so anxious to cast out their 
 Southern brothers' mote, that they did not see their 
 own beam ! They were almost insane upon the 
 theme of Slavery; and when this book appeared to 
 8
 
 H4 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 fan the flame already kindled into a fire, and to make 
 men believe that every one of us Southerners were 
 abusing our poor blacks, when there is hardly one 
 among us who would begin to treat our slaves as 
 they treat the poor among them, they fall upon the 
 book with such enthusiasm as to enroll its writer 
 among the names of the greatest writers of the 
 age! 
 
 I will admit, however, that she must have a stronger 
 head than most women, or it would be turned by such 
 adulation ! As everybody says she is great^ I sup- 
 pose what everybody says must be true ! 
 
 Then there is Beecher ! I must say, after all, if 
 I am a Southerner, I like Beecher ! I wish we 
 could afford to sit under his preaching. 
 
 But it is with this, as with everything else : those 
 who are blessed with money, have a host of other 
 blessings. They can hear the best preachers, hold 
 the best pews, ride when they are tired, eat when 
 they are hungry, marry whom they choose, while 
 I poor wight ! 
 
 " Miss Manton." A gentle tap on my door. On 
 opening it, Rose handed me a card, bearing the 
 name of Sir Henry Stuart Vernon !
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. u^ 
 
 I shall not tell you where I hid it, dear Diary ; 
 but I assure you it was in the safest imaginable 
 place, and one which it would puzzle a lawyer to 
 find. 
 
 By the time I reached the foot of the staircase, 
 kings, queens, great men and women, had all van- 
 ished into thin air. 
 
 As I entered our wee .parlor, Sir Henry rose to 
 meet me. 
 
 After exchanging the usual salutations, he informed 
 me that his friend Arthur had gone to call on Miss 
 Maverick, and invited him to accompany Jiim ; but 
 he plead a previous engagement. 
 
 We talked over our trip of the previous day, 
 the beautiful scenery on the Hudson, Judge Francis 
 and his family. 
 
 " I am greatly surprised to learn that Judge Blake 
 is your grandfather ; and, now that I have been 
 made acquainted with the fact, I see how much 
 you resemble him. Does he remain long in Eng- 
 land?" Sir Henry inquired. 
 
 "A few months only," I replied. "I hope to 
 have the pleasure of visiting Europe before his 
 return."
 
 Il6 MAWS WRONGS; 
 
 " If I should be in England during your visit, 
 Miss Manton, it would give me great pleasure to 
 welcome you to Helm Lodge," said Sir Henry. 
 
 I thanked him, but it was all I could say. To 
 tell the truth, I may as well confess my miserable 
 secret at once, my whole heart is his ! Yes, if you 
 can credit it, given without asking ! Is not my state 
 truly deplorable? And he plighted to another! 
 
 I wish I could fly away from myself and every 
 other body, for I blush at my own weakness. It 
 is of no use ; help it I cannot. I have tried my 
 utmost to. conquer my love, by calling my pride, my 
 principle, to my aid ; but I may as well call upon 
 the waters. I have fully proved that nothing will 
 quench my deep, pure love for Sir Henry ! 
 
 What a record against myself! Poor, unworthy 
 me ! What would grandpa say, should he divine 
 my secret? 
 
 I fear it would be a long day before he would 
 invite me to visit him ! 
 
 Sir Henry asked me to favor him with a song. 
 Of course I replied, " Certainly, if you wisli ; " and, 
 rising, he accompanied me to the piano. 
 
 After singing several plaintive songs, and oue or
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. "7 
 
 two duets, pa and ma entered. After the usual 
 form of introduction, I cannot tell how, the 
 subject of " Woman's Rights," the* principal topic 
 of the day, was introduced. 
 
 I kept myself a little in the background, as much 
 so as modesty would suggest, leaving pa and ma 
 to engross the conversation, save when Sir Henry 
 turned upon me an inquiring look. 
 
 Pa asked Sir Henry's opinion. 
 
 "To tell you the plain truth, sir," Mr. Vernon 
 replied, " I think the great question of the present 
 day should be men's rights or wrongs, whichever 
 you may be pleased to call them. These are lost 
 sight of. You hear of nothing, at the present time, 
 but the clamor of women for their rights, social and 
 political ; but if woman wishes to be woman, if she 
 wishes to fill the place for which God has designed 
 her, that cf a loving wife and mother, let her 
 forever flee the polls ! 
 
 4i If there is any one revolting thought, anything 
 that would make man turn from woman with loath- 
 ing, it is when he shall see her standing around the 
 corners of the streets, surrounded by a group of 
 men, anxious to buy her vote ; bantering, ridiculing 
 
 Ufl^U) till
 
 n8 AfAX'S WRONGS; 
 
 her, offering every species of indignity. And who 
 has she to thank but herself ? Spanish and Irish, 
 German and French, Yankees and Creoles, black 
 and white, all in one grand conglomeration ! 
 They gave proof of their ability to govern by their 
 dignified behavior at their convention yesterday ! 
 Ah, don't mention it, sir ; don't mention it." 
 
 " How is it, then," said my father, pleasantly, 
 " that you allow a woman at the head of your 
 great nation?" 
 
 "Wrong, altogether wrong!" said Sir Henry; 
 " a remnant of the dark ages. Not that I would 
 say aught against our beloved Queen, for she is a 
 true woman, in every sense of the word. I don't 
 know that she has an enemy in the world ; but still 
 it is my honest conviction that woman is out of the 
 place for which God designed her, when she has, 
 not only a voice, but the reins of government in 
 her hand. 
 
 " And what would queens achieve were not man 
 her prime minister, and the controlling agent of her 
 government? 
 
 " Throughout the Bible man is spoken of, nay, 
 constituted, the head of woman.
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. IIO , 
 
 " This is one of the most bitter truths that the poor 
 human nature in woman is willing to admit; for I 
 really believe that nine women out of ten think them- 
 selves a little superior to the men in everything!" 
 
 "Oh, Mr. Vernon, how can you?" said I. 
 
 Ah ! Miss Manton, you and your honored mother 
 belong to the class that remain over the nine ! " said 
 Sir Henry ; at which remark we all joined in a hearty 
 laugh. 
 
 " What do you think, Mr. Vernon," said pa, " of the 
 remark made by one of our famous lady writers " (we 
 had learned that Gail was the nom de plume of a 
 lady!), "' Wherever man pays reverence to woman, 
 wherever any man feels the influence of woman 
 purifying, chastening, abashing, strengthening him 
 against temptation, shielding him from evil, minister- 
 ing to his self-respect, medicining his weariness, 
 peopling his solitude, winning him from sordid 
 prizes, enlivening his monotonous days with mirth, 
 or fancy, or wit, flashing heaven upon his earth, and 
 mellowing it all for spiritual fertility, there is the 
 element of marriage.'" 
 
 Well sir! first let me ask if the writer of this 
 
 
 
 sentence was ever married? and, secondly, taking it
 
 120 A/l-l.VS U'KONGS; 
 
 for granted that she has been, whether her husband 
 can endorse these sentiments from his own experi- 
 ence?" 
 
 "This I cannot answer, sir," pa replied, "but I 
 should like to ask you if you can point me to a single 
 passage in Holy Writ where man is commanded, or 
 even permitted, to reverence woman?" 
 
 " Xo sir," said Mr. Vernon. 
 
 " If I read my Bible correctly, it makes it incum- 
 bent on the wife to see that she reverence her hus- 
 band! She must learn in silence, with all subjection. 
 She is not suffered to teach or usurp authority over 
 the man, but to be in silence ! She is to submit her- 
 self unto her husband as unto the Lord ! For the 
 husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the 
 head of the Church. 
 
 " Now sir, I am free to confess that it is a hard 
 truth for poor weak woman to consider her husband, 
 if she loves him ever so well, as her liege lord, and 
 I doubt not her whole being revolts at it ; but my own 
 private opinion is, that it is a part of the punish- 
 ment entailed on all the children of E~cc! 
 
 " But it is written in unmistakable characters, and 
 it cannot be blotted out, ' Man is a superior being to
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. I2 i 
 
 woman ; ' and whoso reads his Bible, and receives it 
 as God's Word, must not only receive the unwelcome 
 truth, but must live according to it ! " 
 
 " But, sir," said ma, who had been silent till this 
 moment, " but, sir, you must remember that hus- 
 bands have their duties ! " 
 
 " Very true, very true, my love," said pa ; " we 
 will discuss the duties of husbands at some other 
 time. 
 
 ' \Ve men make no pretensions. 
 
 "We know and feel that we are poor, weak, 
 conceited mortals, as much so, every whit, as 
 woman ; but the point we are now discussing is 
 ' Woman's Rights? We have yet to learn whether 
 it belongs to her to take up politics as a study ! 
 In my own judgment, no one should be allowed 
 the privilege of the polls unless they are educated 
 enough to understand the principles of each party 
 represented. 
 
 " Simply being able to read and write is no evi- 
 dence at all of fitness. 
 
 " Scarcely a child of twelve years of age but can 
 read and write as well as most persons at twenty, 
 but this would not prove a child was fit to vote !
 
 122 MAX'S WRONGS; 
 
 " If I am to be governed, I desire a ruler who is 
 worthy of my respect, one who will show that he 
 has the good of the nation at heart. He must be a 
 man of sound sense and discrimination. 
 
 " I low many of those who vote at the present 
 day know of, or care for, such fitness?" 
 
 " Ninety-nine out of one hundred," said pa, " vote 
 because it is their ticket, or their friends' ticket ; or, 
 again, they expect to receive a good office, this 
 latter I think the ruling motive. Some sell their 
 vote for a large price ; but when woman comes to 
 the rescue, where, oh where, will our country be?" 
 
 "Why is it, then," said Sir Henry, "that the 
 feeling seems to be widening and deepening in favor 
 of this subject?" 
 
 " I cannot answer, sir ; save that if woman un- 
 dertakes a thing, such is her indomitable perse- 
 verance, she generally carries the clay ! 
 
 "There may be another reason, also," said pa. 
 " Take the large majority of women, and while their 
 husbands are absent in the evening, attending lec- 
 tures, sitting in some reading-room, or bar-room, 
 perchance, or snugly ensconced at the theatre, 
 the poor wife, who never knows when her work is
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. r 33 
 
 done, is at home, tending the baby, mending the 
 clothes ; in fact, doing anything but enjoying a 
 leisure hour in reading. .. 
 
 " If she finds time to read a few verses in her 
 Bible before she retires, it is all that she can do." 
 
 " Ah ! " replied ma, " you have hit the true rea- 
 son, dear. I think myself this is the why and 
 wherefore so many in our land are rising to assert 
 what they consider their rights. I have heard some 
 of these women defending their position on the plea 
 that they knew no variety in life, no change of 
 any kind, but the same humdrum existence the 
 year in and the year out ! 
 
 " The large majority not only have the care of 
 their house, cooking, washing, ironing, making 
 and mending, but the care of their infant children 
 beside, which latter care the poor husbands would 
 think enough in itself to kill any man of moderate 
 strength ! 
 
 " In many cases these husbands will come home 
 at night without a word of sympathy or kindness ; 
 and, instead of bringing some interesting book from 
 the library, and reading to the poor wife as she 
 plies the needle with her weary fingers for him and
 
 124 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 his, he will leave his tea-table as soon as he has sat- 
 isfied his demands, having taken every choice bit that 
 was before him, utterly regardless of her whom he has 
 promised to love as his own body, whether she has 
 much or little herself to eat ; and, instead of amusing 
 his little ones, which it is as much his duty to do 
 as her own, and relieving her weary frame for 
 an hour, perhaps, he takes his hat, often with the 
 only remark, ' I must be out of this I ' and leaves 
 her solitary and alone." 
 
 " But," said Mr. Vcrnon, " must not women blame 
 themselves, to some extent, for the indifferent treat- 
 ment which they often receive from their husbands? 
 During the first few months of married life they 
 are very careful to be dressed in the most becoming 
 style, to arrange their hair with the greatest care, 
 to be decked with collars and cuffs of snowy 
 whiteness. They are not only punctual at break- 
 fast, but are very careful that their husband's taste 
 shall be gratified in every article of diet; in a 
 word, they treat him as if they loved him better 
 than themselves. 
 
 "Now, in my opinion, if women continued to show 
 this lovingkindness, they would seldom find occa-
 
 OR, U'O.lfAN'S FOIBLES. 125 
 
 sion to complain of indifference on the part of men ; 
 for any man with a soul would appreciate such a 
 wife. 
 
 "After the first six months of married life, the 
 majority of women will go down to breakfast with 
 thc-ir hair in papers or braids, a soiled collar, 
 slatternly in their whole appearance. 
 
 " In a short time they find it impossible to rise so 
 early ; and, if their husband must go to his business 
 at such an unseasonable hour, they think it quite 
 as well for him to breakfast alone ; and so on, from 
 step to step, till the poor husband finds that his fond 
 anticipations of happiness were but an idle dream ; 
 consequently he determines to become indifferent, 
 and evince no pleasure in one so utterly unworthy 
 to bear the name of wife. This is a sad but true 
 picture of many a wedded pair. And poor man 
 must bear the blame. The world cannot look be- 
 hind the curtain, and see the why and wherefore, 
 so, of course, the husband is denounced as an un- 
 feeling, horrid creature ! Woman carries on the 
 deception by shaking her head in a knowing man- 
 ner, and saying to every young lady who is thinking 
 of matrimony, ' If you only knew when you were
 
 126 Af.-l.V'S U'fiOXGS; 
 
 well off, you would trust no man ! ' And thus man 
 is driven from the little spot which would be the 
 dearest spot on earth to him, if his wife would 
 make it ' Howe, sicccf Jfomc.' " 
 
 "I agree with you, sir," replied ma, "that there 
 are many such cases to be deplored ; still, I think 
 that woman's nature, as a whole, is to be kind to 
 those who show love and sympathy to her. I speak 
 of the middle and lower walks of life ; for, I am 
 sorry to say, there is but little of love, or even true 
 friendship, among the higher classes. 
 
 " As I before said, sir, nine out of ten who favor 
 ' "Woman's Rights,' do it to make a change in their 
 daily course. They feel that they shall then be 
 treated with more deference and respect, even though 
 it may be feigned ! Their husbands will be obliged 
 to dress them handsomely, to save themselves from 
 sarcastic remark ! 
 
 " The poor women know also that they must 
 attend the political meetings ; and if their spouse 
 pretend to question the necessity, they will, no doubt, 
 assure him that they are now his equal, and he 
 may take his turn in staying at home to mind the 
 children, for it is very important that she should
 
 WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 
 
 12 j 
 
 be enlightened on politics, that she may know how 
 to vote. She must judge for herself! For you 
 know, Mr. Vernon, that all women do not agree 
 with their husbands in politics." 
 
 " True, madam, but I trust they are few ! for a 
 difference on this point often engenders bitter feelings 
 which not even time will eradicate. My opinion 
 is, from what I have seen since my sojourn in 
 America, that when the women go to the polls they 
 will rule, and you will have seen the last Repub- 
 lican President. There is not a doubt that the 
 Democrats will carry all before them. 
 
 " Of course I am not prepared to say that their 
 rule would not be as salutary for. the country as that 
 of the Republicans ! 
 
 " I must say, however, that, next to religion, I 
 should desire my wife to be with me in politics ! " 
 
 How I wanted to ask him if the Lady Alice 
 Irving was a woman who would be willing to yield 
 her own cherished opinions to those of her husband ; 
 but I dare not trust myself to speak her name. I 
 could see that ma was a little uneasy ; for, though 
 a more devoted pair never lived than pa and ma, 
 yet they were far apart in politics. Ma, however,
 
 128 .V.I.V.V 
 
 adroitly changed the theme, by speaking of the 
 sentiment already advanced, man's referencing 
 woman ! 
 
 " I believe," said Sir Henry, " that man not only 
 does, but always will entertain the highest respect for 
 woman, whether he admit it or not, as long as she is 
 worthy of it ; but reverence is altogether different 
 from respect. 
 
 " We apply the term reverence to beings of a su- 
 perior nature. God says that man is such." 
 
 I thought, though I dare not utter my thought, 
 that I wish I could receive this truth with the ready 
 acquiescence with which all God's commands should 
 be received ; but I must confess I am a trifle rebel- 
 lious on this point. 
 
 The very idea of some of the miserable fops of 
 the present age having a superior nature to ours! 
 
 But Sir Henry was talking of men, not fops! 
 their nature is fallen and degraded ! 
 
 I must own that I am willing to concede that Sir 
 Henry is my superior, as also a few others of my 
 acquaintance ; but these men are very few. 
 
 If man really came up to the Gospel standard, I 
 don't think mv heart would rebel as it does.
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 129 
 
 "But," said Sir Henry, "I am free to admit that 
 the men of to-day are not the men of Bible days. 
 
 " The present race of men have fallen, as the 
 angels did, from their first estate. Much of their 
 nature's degradation is owing to accufsed pride. 
 And has not woman presented him with this apple 
 also? A proud man is an anomaly! Such of 
 them as are really deserving the appellation, are 
 ever found to have a weak spot in their brain. By 
 nature, man is too noble to be proud ! 
 
 " It is his association with woman that has made 
 him what he is in this respect. 
 
 " You ladies," said Sir Henry, " will excuse my 
 plainness; for I am speaking now of men and 
 women as a class. 
 
 " Since the deterioration of the race, woman, the 
 moment she becomes acquired of an increase in 
 this world's goods, begins to feel her importance, 
 and the weaker her intellect the more glaring her 
 folly. 
 
 " Does she become the possessor of ten thousand, 
 
 she feels, from that moment, that she is superior to 
 
 her friend who has only five thousand ; when she 
 
 arrives at twenty^ she looks down upon her who 
 
 9
 
 1 30 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 has arrived only to ten thousand, and soon: unless 
 the one with five or ten, perchance, belong to some 
 old aristocratic family, or have some near relative 
 who is a professional gentleman, and to whom, could 
 they but share his title, they would be willing to 
 yield the whole of their patrimony ! preferring 
 vastly to be Mrs., the lawyer or the doctor's wife, 
 than poor Miss, with no one to whom they can 
 bequeath their twenty thousand. 
 
 "/These poor deluded women rear families, bring- 
 ing them up with false notions of what constitutes 
 true greatness. 
 
 " These boys and girls become men and women, 
 again instilling their feelings into the minds of their 
 children ; and though men, as they grow older, and 
 go out into the world, if they have an otherwise 
 well-balanced mind, rise above these foolish notions, 
 yet with women they are inherent, and seem to be 
 a part of their being. 
 
 " Take, for instance, the members of one family, 
 which, in England, is frequently seen, and I doubt 
 not may be found as often on America's shore. 
 
 "A father, with a moderate fortune, procures a 
 fine business situation for his sons. They go on for
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 131 
 
 a while, prospering in their business ; marry, have 
 a family around them, and are on the most intimate 
 terms with one another. 
 
 " Suddenly one of the brothers die, leaving a 
 moderate fortune for his wife and little ones. They 
 must retrench their expenses ; move into a smaller 
 house, and commence the trying life of economy. 
 The other brothers go on amassing wealth. 
 
 " They soon remove into larger and more expen- 
 sive quarters. 
 
 " Their children must now make their entree into 
 society. Everything must be in style to correspond 
 with their father's position in the mercantile com- 
 munity. 
 
 " Now comes up the dreaded question, ' Shall 
 we invite our nieces to the party?' 
 
 " ' Certainly,' replied the father. ' Why do you 
 ask such a question ? ' 
 
 " ' Because,' replies the wife, ' I think they would 
 be out of place.' 
 
 " ' They are known to be in depressed circum- 
 stances, and have no garments in which it would 
 be suitable to appear.' 
 
 " ' I don't know about this,' answered the husband.
 
 132 MAA"S WRONGS; 
 
 ' They are as highly educated in every respect as 
 our own children, and would appear quite as well. 
 
 " ' They need not be over-dressed, but modestly, 
 and yet well enough not to attract attention. Per- 
 haps, by our notice, they will continue to receive 
 attention on our account, and may thus secure some 
 desirable partner for life.' 
 
 " ' It is no use for you to talk thus,' replied the 
 loving wife. ' Anything but being obliged to have 
 one's poor relations ever hanging around ; it will 
 only instil envy into their hearts, and numerous 
 other sins beside. Then, Mr. S. and Mr. L. will 
 be here, and what will they think, to meet persons 
 so humbly situated in life?' Could she have looked 
 for a moment into the heart of Mr. S., whom she 
 was endeavoring to secure for her own daughter, 
 she would have found herself greatly mistaken in 
 the motives that would actuate him in the choice 
 of a wife ! 
 
 " And thus this wife and mother gains the ascend- 
 ancy over her husband, quiets his conscience, and 
 he goes away to his counting-room. 
 
 " A month or two after the papers herald a dona- 
 tion from Mr. , of fifty thousand, to Oxford,
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 133 
 
 the world read in astonishment, and bitter are 
 the remarks made at his expense ! 
 
 " ' Better have given it to his brother's widow ! 
 Would you believe it? He gave a large party a 
 few weeks since, and slighted his own relations 
 because they were not wealthy ! ' 
 
 And yet this poor man," said Sir Henry, " was 
 more sinned against than sinning! 
 
 " If the woman whom God gave him to be a 
 helpmeet had encouraged rather than tempted him ; 
 using her influence, 'strengthening him against 
 temptation,' if he had have been weak enough to be 
 thus tempted, had she, with the instinct of a true 
 woman, as God made her to be, plead the cause 
 of those poor afflicted ones, and have said to her 
 husband, ' Instead of giving fifty thousand to Oxford, 
 settle the amount on your brother's widow and or- 
 phans, and let it be known that when the girls are 
 married you will give them a dowry, for they are 
 fitted to grace any circle ! 
 
 " ' Remember, my dear husband, the old adage, 
 
 " Charity begins at home ! " and though your name 
 
 
 may not be enrolled among the munificent donors 
 
 to our seminaries, yet, when your last hour shall
 
 I34 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 ' come, it will be found entered on that great book 
 where the angel records the good as well as the evil 
 deeds,' how different the result ! 
 
 " Any woman who would act thus, I should think 
 worthy to receive the highest place in the esteem 
 of man. 
 
 " I am sorry to say," continued Sir Henry, " that 
 w r omen do not often show such phases of char- 
 acter. In this respect she merits anything but the 
 reverence of her husband ! 
 
 " Christian women, too, have reason to mourn 
 day after day for indulging in pride. Many of them, 
 though, have so benumbed their conscience as to 
 consider it a virtue rather than a vice ! 
 
 " Until woman is divested of this weak, crying 
 sin of the age, she is not worthy the reverence of 
 man. 
 
 " Once let man take an independent stand, and 
 say he despises any woman who is puflcd up with 
 her own importance, and there would very soon be 
 a new era among us ! 
 
 " The idea of -woman's shielding man from 
 evil!
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 
 
 *35 
 
 " I have no patience with such sentiments," said 
 Sir Henry. 
 
 " This writer, whoever she may be, is laboring 
 against the mighty truths of Scripture, and reversing 
 the order of things. She is not content with holding 
 up woman as she is, hut she will not rest until she 
 makes her the head of man ! 
 
 " I always considered it the privilege of the 
 greater to shield the weaker. 
 
 " I am willing to admit, however, that woman, 
 under some circumstances, has it in her power, at 
 times, to shield men from evil ! 
 
 " The husband, if he is worthy the name of hus- 
 band, shoidd shield his wife from every evil ; and, 
 if she is like the woman that King Lemuel de- 
 scribes, he will delight to do it ! 
 
 " My theory is," said Sir Henry, " that when two 
 arc united in that perfect love of which the Bible 
 speaks, each filling their own sphere, as desig- 
 nated by the words of Holy Writ, then you have 
 the true element of marriage. If we are permitted 
 to live in the Millennium, we shall then see men 
 and women in their true characters ! 
 
 " They will then be just as God made and de-
 
 136 .l/J.VS IVKONGS; 
 
 signed them to be, ' / honor' preferring one 
 another!'" 
 
 \Ve all agreed with Sir Henry, that we hoped we 
 may live to see that happy- time. 
 
 The evening was now far advanced, and Sir Henry 
 rose to leave, not without receiving a cordial invi- 
 tation to visit us as often as his many engagements 
 would allow. 
 
 lie said he should pass the remainder of the month 
 only in New York, as he must then leave for the 
 far West. 
 
 How my heart sank with these words !
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 
 
 '37 
 
 X. 
 
 MARCH i2th. 
 
 UXCLE FRANCIS came in this morning, and 
 handed me a letter from grandpa. 
 
 It was the looke'd-for invitation to visit him in 
 Europe. I had no idea of receiving it before the 
 fall ; but there were reasons why grandpa thought 
 it best for me to go earlier. And so I am going 
 abroad ! 
 
 What an amount of knowledge you will glean, 
 you dear little Diary, for I am determined to place 
 everything worthy of note in your keeping! 
 
 My kind grandpa enclosed in the letter a check 
 for five hundred, with which to purchase my ticket 
 and an outfit. 
 
 I suppose the poor white muslin will have to 
 figure, if I receive any attention. But stay, per-
 
 138 MAX'S 
 
 haps pa may not object to my carrying the fine 
 clothes that I \vorc in Milledgevillc, and then I 
 may be able to save money enough to buy a new 
 suit for Frank, who enters college this fall. 
 
 Pa is anxious Frank should enter Yale, as he pur- 
 sued his studies there ; but I think he will be obliged 
 
 O 
 
 to yield his preference to uncle Francis, as he is to 
 defray his expenses, and permit him to enter Har- 
 vard, uncle Francis's Alma Mater ! 
 
 And now I must recall my wandering thoughts, 
 and try to learn something of the great country which 
 I am so soon to visit. I have learned a little about 
 its present Sovereigns, and I remember some of its 
 prominent characters, who live only in history ; but 
 I fear, if I should be questioned as to my actual 
 knowledge, I should do but little credit to myself 
 or my teachers. And whom shall I select as my 
 first study? 
 
 There are Pope and Dryden, Shakespeare and 
 Bacon, Byron and Thompson, Cowpcr and Milton, 
 beside Wordsworth, Goldsmith, Young, Gray. Camp- 
 bell, Beattie, Watts, Johnson, Sheridan and Burke ; 
 not forgetting my loved Bunyan, Hcmans, Howitt, 
 Tennyson, and Crowlcy, Dickens and Hogarth,
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. i^ 
 
 his father-in-law, Thackeray and Bronte, Scott, 
 and my much-admired Burns! 
 
 Next in order, as of course I give the preference 
 to English and .Scottish characters first, come Fene- 
 lon, Le Sage, Rousseau, Buffbn, Chateaubriand, 
 Hugo, De Vign}', Thicrs, De Tocqueville, and 
 Dudevant, of France. Luther, Zwinglii, Melancthon, 
 Albrecht Durcr, Von Humboldt, Grimm, Goethe, 
 Schiller, Voss, and Schelling, of Germany. Homer, 
 Ilesiod, Sophocles, Plutarch, Strabo, and Valaorites, 
 of Greece, who are but the very beginning of the 
 list. 
 
 Then come the musical celebrities, painters, curi- 
 osities. Dear me ! I may as well give up in despair, 
 for if I once commence there will be no end ! 
 
 And before I begin studying about other lands, I 
 think I should know more of my own. There are 
 Webster and Choate, Clay and Everett. I suppose 
 ma would say Bell and Johnson, and pa would add 
 Chase and Lincoln, and Frank would add Sumncr, 
 for Frank is about as great a radical as well can be ! 
 Uncle Francis has instilled his ideas into him ; and 
 this is the way with these Northerners, they have 
 such narrow, contracted views !
 
 140 MAN'S WKOXGS; 
 
 \\~crc I called upon, I should add to the list 
 
 ts. lie is my beau ideal of true greatness. 
 
 Any mail who has the moral courage to stand up 
 
 for the right among us, in these days, is a great 
 
 man ! 
 
 Ma insists upon it that it is mob rule, when the 
 majority carry a point which they know is actually 
 forbidden by law, under the plea of reconstruction, 
 and such like ! But I've no time for discussing the 
 right or wrong of the matter ; suffice it to say, that 
 if President Grant restores our country to its former 
 prosperitv, and if in four years women are allowed 
 to vote, I will promise him my vote for his re- 
 election ! 
 
 Among the musical celebrities with whose history 
 I must become acquainted are Handel, Haydn, 
 Mnxart, Bach, Beethoven, Lizt, Mendelssohn, Schu- 
 bert, Moschclles and Wagner : Chopin and Bennett 
 I am familiar with ; and also the famous songstresses, 
 Lind, Piccolomini, Alboni, Sontag, Malibran, Paton, 
 Catalan!, Parepa, with Phillips and Kellogg of our 
 own land. 
 
 It is a true remark that the more a man knows, the 
 more he feels he has to learn. If I study hard for two
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 1^1 
 
 years, I shall but have just begun. But I w/7/ not be 
 discouraged ! I will devote an hour, at least, a day 
 to improving my mind, even if I take it from my 
 sleeping hours ; for I should never survive the mor- 
 tification of being classed by the eminent literary 
 characters among whom I shall be thrown as a 
 young lady of uncultivated mind. 
 
 And it is my own fault that I am thus ignorant ! 
 I confess with shame that I am too fond of that class 
 of reading which requires no thought, rather than that 
 of a more solid nature. 
 
 Pa says that if one is determined to indulge only in 
 a high class of literature, the more will he thirst for 
 it, and turn with contempt from the idle trash which 
 finds such multidudes of readers. 
 
 As the mind is cultivated, it will expand and grow 
 in the desire for that which tends only to edification. 
 I believe I see myself in a new light ! 
 
 From this moment I resolve I will no longer in- 
 dulge in sentimental reading, or allow my mind to be 
 overrun with weeds and brambles, but will strive to 
 grow daily in the knowledge of God and man. 
 
 And now let me see with whom I shall commence, 
 I think I will take Shakespeare :
 
 142 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon- 
 Avon, Warwickshire, in 156.4. 
 
 His father was John Shakespeare, a well-to-do 
 farmer of Snitterficld, about three miles from Strat- 
 ford. 
 
 His mother was Mary Arden, the youngest daugh- 
 ter of Robert Arden of Wilmccotc, who were of the 
 acknowledged gentry of Warwickshire their family 
 being ancient, and of some note in the county. Wil- 
 liam was the first son of a family of eight. Nothing 
 certain is known of his life and education in his 
 younger days, save that he attended a free grammar- 
 school at Stratford. 
 
 He knew enough of Latin to understand such pas- 
 sages as he met in the course of his reading, as also a 
 little Italian and French. lie married Anne Hath- 
 away, a daughter of Richard Hathaway, a yeoman 
 of Shottcry. 
 
 This young woman was eight years older than 
 Shakespeare. At the time he was married he was 
 eighteen, and she twenty-six. His wife was said to 
 be beautiful. 
 
 He was the father of three children, one of whom 
 married a physician, Dr. John Hall. It is uncertain
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 
 
 '43 
 
 which was the first production of Shakespeare, but he 
 is said to have written thirty-seven plays. With the 
 nobles, wits, and poets of the dav, he was in friendly 
 intercourse. He had some knowledge of law, of 
 which his plays afford good evidence. 
 
 In 1586 he visited London, where he performed in 
 some of his own plays ; for he was not only a cele- 
 brated author, but actor. 
 
 His first published poem, Venus and Adonis, he 
 dedicated to the Earl of Southampton, an accom- 
 plished nobleman, who loved literature and encour- 
 aged men of letters. 
 
 The second, part of Henry Fourth portrays the 
 supremacy of his powers as poet, dramatist, philos- 
 opher, wit and humorist combined. Falstaff, Merry 
 Wives of Windsor, Hamlet, Taming the Shrew, and 
 Midsummer Night's Dream, were received with much 
 favor. 
 
 It is probable that Titus Adronicus is the earliest 
 dramatic effort of his pen. He was a little more than 
 twenty-three years of age when it was composed. 
 
 He appears very early in his career to have attained 
 a share in the direction and emoluments of the theatre 
 to which he was attached. Besides the composition
 
 144 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 of his own plays, he often revised and remodelled the 
 works of others. 
 
 Pecuniary emolument and literary reputation were 
 not the only reward that our hero received. Queen 
 Elizabeth gave him many marks of her favor ; and so 
 delighted was she with Fal staff, that she desired him 
 to continue him in another play, and exhibit him in 
 love ; when followed the Merry Wives of Windsor. 
 James the First also wrote him a letter, with his own 
 hand. 
 
 Dr. Ben Jonson, a literary character of high repute, 
 was a great friend of Shakespeare. 
 
 Shakespeare was godfather to one o his children ; 
 and, after the christening, being in deep study, Jon- 
 son came to cheer him up, and asked him why he 
 was so melancholy? 
 
 " I have been considering a great while," said 
 Shakespeare, " what should be the fittest gift for me 
 to bestow upon my godchild, and I have resolved 
 at last!" 
 
 "Prithee, what?" said he. 
 
 " ITuith, Ben, I'll e'en give her a dozen good 
 Latin (lattcen-brass) spoons, and thou shall translate 
 them."
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. ^5 
 
 " The above," says Archdeacon Nares, " is a 
 pleasant raillery on Jonson's love for translating." 
 
 The cause of Shakespeare's death is unknown. 
 He died in 1616, in his fifty-second year, and was 
 buried on the north side of the chancel of the great 
 church of Stratford. 
 
 Here a monument, containing a bust of the poet, 
 was erected to his memory. A cenotaph has since 
 been erected to his memory in Westminster Abbey. 
 
 He was contemporaneous with Cervantes, who, 
 a little singularly, died on the same day. And who 
 was Cervantes? All I know is, that he was a Span- 
 iard. I have found, on examination, that 
 
 Cervantes, the author of " Don Quixote," was 
 the son of Rodrigo, descended from an ancient Gal- 
 lician family, and his mother, Leonara de Cortinas, 
 was a lady of refinement. He was born in Spain, 
 in 1547. 
 
 He was of fair complexion, his eyes blue, his hair 
 auburn. lie was of handsome, spirited countenance, 
 cheerful in his manners, and beloved in every rela- 
 tion of life. 
 
 10
 
 146 MAN'S H'XONGS; 
 
 In 1584, he married an accomplished lady of 
 Esquirias. 
 
 The death of Philip Second, in 1598, brought an 
 end to the despotic rule in Spain, which was felt in 
 the world of letters. 
 
 Cervantes could not give free vent to his opinions. 
 Mankind began to grow tired of the hypocrisy, sen- 
 timentality, and folly of the books of chivalry. Old 
 Spain longed for some free-spoken word which 
 would end the weary spectacle of an effete litera- 
 ture, and Cervantes uttered that word. 
 
 It was " Don Quixote ! " As for his miscellaneous 
 literary productions, they are almost forgotten in the 
 triumph achieved by Don Quixote. Yet this great 
 man was buried, without any kind of distinction, 
 in the convent of the nuns of Trinity, Catle del Hu- 
 milladero, and nothing but a common tombstone 
 marks the place where his ashes were removed at a 
 subsequent period. In 1835 a bronze statue of him, 
 larger than life, was placed in the Plaza del Esta- 
 mento, at Madrid, and a small bust was placed, 
 in 1834, by one of his admirers, over the door of 
 the house in which he died. 
 
 Next in order I think I will select some one of
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 147 
 
 the musical celebrities of the day, and learn some- 
 thing of his history ; and as Mendelssohn is one of 
 my favorites, he shall be my choice. 
 
 Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy was born in Ham- 
 burg, in 1809. His father was connected with one 
 of the first banking-houses in Europe. Goethe was 
 foremost among the distinguished persons who be- 
 came interested in his precocious genius. 
 
 He was not six years old when he performed, 
 with skill, upon the piano ; in fact, he could sing 
 almost before he could speak. Being advised by 
 competent judges, his father determined that he 
 should make music a profession. Zelter, the friend 
 of Goethe, was his instructor in composition, and 
 Bcrger his teacher on the piano. 
 
 When only nine years old he gave his first public 
 concert in Berlin, and a year later he appeared 
 before the public in Paris. From this time he com- 
 menced to write compositions for the piano, violin, 
 and violincello. He seemed to be raised to fill the 
 g:ip caused by the death of Beethoven. 
 
 His Midsummer Night's Dream, his music for 
 Goethe's Wulpurgis night, the Dcdiphus of Sophocles,,
 
 148 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 besides a number of admirable sonatas, concerts, etc., 
 are among his works. 
 
 But his "Songs without Words" are filled with new 
 beauty, and will ever be regarded as gc7ns by every 
 one who is possessed of a soul attuned to such harmo- 
 nics. His fame, however, rests upon his Oratorios. 
 St. Paul and Elijah arc regarded among his crowning 
 works. 
 
 Mendelssohn was much beloved for the beauty of 
 his character. As he was permitted to indulge his 
 tastes without hindrance, he was spared the trials 
 which arc the lot of all who are aspirants for public 
 fame. 
 
 His health was impaired by grief on account of his 
 sister's death ; and although he laid by his work and 
 took a tour through Switzerland, it brought only tem- 
 porary relief, and he died, in the 'prime of his man- 
 hood, from affection of the brain, at Lcipsic, in 1847. 
 
 Now I must take the time to study a little about 
 Goethe ; for if he was Mendelssohn's friend, he must 
 be worth knowing something about. 
 
 Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe was the most lit- 
 erary man of the nineteenth century. lie was born in
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. I49 
 
 Frankfort-on-the-Main in 1749, and died in Weimar 
 in 1832. 
 
 He was very precocious, lively and sensitive. Be- 
 fore he was ten years old he wrote, in several lan- 
 guages, invented stories, and meditated poems. 
 
 His youth and beauty, his frank manner, and, above 
 all, his genius, made him the delight of every circle. 
 He was constantly falling in love, and as often did he 
 break away from the object of his attachment. 
 
 At the age of sixteen he was sent to Leipsic to 
 commence his collegiate studies. Soon after entering 
 upon them he wrote two dramas, not much in them- 
 selves, but indicating his dawning powers. 
 
 When in Wetzlar, he fell in love with a young lady 
 who was already engaged, and who *vvas soon after 
 married. A young and melancholy student with 
 whom he was intimate, having committed suicide 
 because of a similar passion for the wife of one of his 
 friends, Goethe wove the incidents of the two cases 
 into a novel, which he called the " Sufferings of 
 Young Werthcr," which was received throughout 
 Europe with the most prodigious sensation. Its chief 
 success, however, arose from the fact that it expressed
 
 1 50 
 
 .1/.I.V.S 
 
 a sad longing and discontent, which was a striking 
 characteristic of the age. 
 
 This was followed by other dramas, when Goethe 
 acquired such fame that he was invited by the 
 Grand Duke of Saxe Weimar to pass a few weeks 
 at his court, where such a friendship sprang up be- 
 tween the prince and the poet, that Goethe from 
 that time made Weimar his permanent residence. 
 
 After so many affaires de la cceur he picked a 
 broken twig at last, by marrying Christine Vulpius, 
 who was uneducated, and served in some domestic 
 capacity in his house. 
 
 One year after the completion of his celebrated 
 drama of " Faust," he was taken ill of a cold, which 
 terminated in "a fever, and which resulted fatally, 
 in the eighty-third year of his age. 
 
 MARCH i3th. 
 
 Just as I had finished, yesterday, learning some- 
 thing about Goethe, Belle Schuyler called, and told 
 me a piece of news which I can scarcely credit I 
 
 She said that she had just left Harry Hamilton, 
 and that he confided to her the engagement between 
 Arthur Jenkins and my own dear Minnie.
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 151 
 
 Now I cannot believe that I, who am Minnie's 
 bosom friend, should have to learn this, if a fact, 
 from another ; and therefore I shall not credit one 
 word until I learn it from Minnie herself. 
 
 I think I could not forgive her, if true, for allowing 
 me to hear it first from strangers, and yet not a 
 stranger exactly, for Belle is one of our intimates, 
 but I feel a little sore about the matter. Report 
 says that Belle and Harry Hamilton are on the 
 verge of being betrothed, and perhaps this accounts 
 for Harry's confiding in Belle ! 
 
 Now that I think of it, she did say that Harry 
 conjided it to her. 
 
 Dear me ! What geniuses women are ! They 
 can neither keep their own secrets nor any one's 
 else ; but then, there are exceptions. I would not 
 trust my secret, no, not even to Minnie, my bosom 
 friend, for I scarcely dare whisper it to myself; 
 so it will not do to condemn all for the foible of 
 the many ! 
 
 While Belle was sitting with me, Chloe handed 
 me a note, which, as I glanced at, I knew to be 
 from Minnie ; but I put it in my pocket to read after 
 Belle had taken her departure.
 
 I5 2 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 I joked Belle a little about Harry, when she laugh- 
 ingly replied, "People that live in glass houses 
 should not throw stones ! " When I asked her to 
 explain herself, she replied that " people are not 
 blind in these days ! " 
 
 " Don't you think, Kate, that people see not only 
 the deference, but the preference with which Sir 
 Henry ever treats you?" 
 
 At these words, I blushed the deepest scarlet ; 
 but, trying to assume a careless demeanor, I replied, 
 " People do not always look through the right glass. 
 Sir Henry Vernon is already betrothed to the Lady 
 Alice Irving!" 
 
 " Kate Manton ! tell me : do you believe that 
 idle tale? Harry says it is a report which Arthur 
 Jenkins, knowing how very exalted Sir Henry's 
 ideas were of what a woman should be, circulated, 
 to prevent the girls from making fools of themselves ; 
 and you may depend upon it, that, if Minnie and 
 Arthur are engaged, you will find the truth of my 
 assertion before many days." 
 
 I could scarcely compose my voice enough to 
 answer, "Belle, you know that Sir Henry Vernon 
 would never, for a moment, think seriously of me,
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 153 
 
 even were his heart in his own keeping ; for you 
 know I am a -poor girl ! 
 
 " Wealth is nothing with him! Harry says that 
 Arthur told him Sir Henry had money enough, and 
 all that he asked for in a wife were character and 
 heart; some one to love and respect him, love 
 him for himself alone ! If you think, Kate, that 
 people do not see the admiring glances that he 
 casts on you, you are greatly mistaken. I have 
 caught him myself looking at you, and thca have 
 seen him start as if he were a culprit. The day we 
 visited West Point, when on board the boat, I saw 
 him, as you were walking away, after having intro- 
 duced him to Judge Francis, turn and look at you, 
 and then turn to the Judge and make a remark, 
 and for five minutes they were in earnest conver- 
 sation ; and I am perfectly sure, Kate, it was about 
 you. So cheer up, Katie dear. Though one thing 
 more : if you are so fortunate as to win him, I trust 
 you will set the example to the world not to discard 
 your friends who have been less fortunate than your- 
 self; though, if I must tell the truth, I wouldn't ex- 
 change Harry for twenty of Sir Henry ! " 
 
 " Ah, Belle," said I, " now you must own to the
 
 154 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 fair impeachment, that you arc really engaged to 
 Harry : " 
 
 " Yes, Kate," she replied, " I am only too happy 
 to reply in the affirmative, and will tell you that it 
 is just a week to-day since I promised to be his 
 wife. Harry says it may be five years before he 
 is able to wed, it costs so much to support a wife 
 at the present day. I told him that, notwithstanding 
 he was such a horrid creature as to make such an 
 assertion, I should rather wait ten years for him 
 than wed another ; and that, though it did cost a 
 fortune to live even decently in this age, yet I did 
 not doubt his own expenses would be lessened by 
 one-half, when he had me to take care of him ! " 
 
 " Were young ladies what they should be," re- 
 plied I, " the young men would not be so timid 
 about marrying. 
 
 " In the good old days of yore, if a couple were 
 married, and had but part of a house to occupy, 
 they thought themselves well off! They made no 
 pretensions to greatness ; they were willing to begin 
 life as their fathers did before them, and live pru- 
 dently and quietly, fur themselves, their families, and
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES." 155 
 
 their God; and their basket and store was blessed, 
 and they rose to eminence, slowly but surely. 
 
 " But in these days our young men and women 
 are not willing to plod along step by step ; they wish 
 to begin where their fathers left off! 
 
 " If there is to be any plodding, it must be before 
 marriage ; for it would be very difficult in these 
 days to find a young lady who would be willing to 
 accommodate herself to a small income ; and here 
 is one of ' men's 'wrong's' 
 
 " The young man, instead of rinding the one who 
 has promised to love and live for him alone, willing 
 to wear a single rather than a double skirt, could 
 she but be rewarded for her self-denial by sharing 
 his home, his cares, his labors, instead of being 
 cheered and encouraged by her loving words and 
 presence, as he returns to his home night after night, 
 finds that he must work alone, day after day, year 
 after year, till, when the time shall arrive that he 
 is able to wed his betrothed, she will have verged 
 toward that unhappy period when she will be obliged 
 to wear double skirts, Grecian bend, chignons, and 
 all other kinds of nonsensical superfluities, to save 
 herself from the appellation of ' old maid.'
 
 156 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 " It is all wrong, all wrong ! And who is to be 
 blamed ? 
 
 " The women place the grave charge upon the 
 shoulders of the men, and say that a young gentleman 
 will take no notice of a young lady unless she is 
 dressed in these fashionable appendages, and that 
 any young girl, though she may not be upward of 
 twenty, should she dare dress plainer than the ac- 
 knowledged style, would be denounced as a ' regular 
 old maid' ; consequently every nerve is strained, and 
 all kinds of self-denial practised by the parents, to 
 dress the female portion of their family in an at- 
 tractive manner ! 
 
 "And thus dress is about the only subject that 
 fills the minds of our young ladies. ' How do I 
 look? Will he think my dress becoming? Am I 
 stylish-looking? ' 
 
 "Vain butterflies! how well fitted to take the care 
 of a man's household, to train up his children, if 
 he is blessed (?) with any! Oh no! they could not 
 think of taking care of their own babe ! it is 
 exceedingly vulgar to take charge of your own 
 infant. ' My dear,' says the young wife, 'you must 
 hire a nursery-girl at once ! ' There are two him-
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. ^7 
 
 dred dollars more a year, to say nothing of light 
 fingers and board ; and while the poor father bends 
 
 before this blast, he says, ' I suppose it must be all 
 
 
 right ! ' Who blames the young men for shrinking 
 
 from marriage ? I do not, for one ! " 
 
 " Nor I either," replied Belle, " and I really 
 believe it is one reason why so many young men are 
 fast I for those among them who have a salary from 
 which they can put by anything for the future, are 
 the exception. 
 
 " The large majority have salaries that will sup- 
 port themselves handsomely but with a wife only 
 respectably ; and there are few young ladies to be 
 found that love a man well enough to marry him, 
 unless they can appear as well as their neighbors." 
 
 " The truth is, Belle," said I, " our young people 
 lack real, genuine independence! 
 
 " They want the power to say, ' I cannot afford 
 
 this; I prcfet the world to the contrary to take 
 
 the charge of my own little one, whom God has 
 intrusted to my care, rather than delegate it to 
 another ! ' 
 
 " We need entire reformation ! 
 
 " If women would onlv think more of their souls
 
 158 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 than their frail bodies, if they would study how to 
 accomplish the most good during the few years of 
 
 their sojourn in this world of sin and sorrow, if 
 
 
 some among them would introduce reform, and set 
 
 an example by dressing plainly, by frowning on the 
 many unnecessary appendages to the toilet, even if 
 they do cost but a quarter here and a half there, and 
 which in a short time run away with a sum, though 
 the leak is so small as to be invisible, that would 
 save them from want in the future. 
 
 " What beauty is there in yards of velvet ribbon 
 hanging over their shoulders? in making dresses in 
 such a style as to require yards of fringe to decorate 
 it? 
 
 " This aping our superiors in wealth is small busi- 
 ness. It is one of Satan's devices to steal women's 
 souls. It not only fosters pride, but leads to dishon- 
 esty, selfishness, and hypocrisy. 
 
 " If there is any woman worthy of being the wife 
 of the most honored man in the community, e'en 
 though she may be poor in purse, yet if she is rich in 
 accomplishments, in a well-balanced and cultivated 
 mind, it is she who is not afraid to say, ' I cannot 
 afford many things which I should like, if practicable,
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 159 
 
 but I strive to be content with such as God has been 
 pleased to give me.' Any woman who in this age is 
 not afraid to say she has no expectations, is a 
 prize ! " 
 
 " Well," said Belle, who had been listening with 
 an interested but amused expression during this 
 harangue, " well, Kate, I suppose, then, you must 
 be that prize ! " 
 
 " Ah, Belle," said I, " you surely cannot be so 
 cruel as to say, or even think, I for a moment thought 
 of myself! 
 
 " I am a poor, weak, erring mortal, constantly 
 * doing the things I ought not to do, and leaving un- 
 done the things I ought to do, and there is no good in 
 me ! ' still I confess to you, dear Belle, that our re- 
 verses have opened my eyes to a more just view of 
 things than would have been possible had I never 
 have been afflicted. 
 
 " The fact is, though I admit man is of a superior 
 nature, yet I feel, to a certain extent, that he is sus- 
 ceptible to the influence of woman. 
 
 " If finery is the order of the day, he would blush, 
 should he chance meet one of his gay acquaintances, 
 as he was escorting a young lady like myself, clad
 
 160 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 in plain clothes, lest they should think she couldn't 
 be much ! 
 
 " I feel impressed, more and more, that much of 
 the sin and folly of the present age is to be laid at 
 woman's door ! 
 
 ' And who will immortalize herself by commenc- 
 ing the work of reform? 
 
 " If woman, no matter how unbounded her 
 wealth, how enviable and exalted her position, 
 if woman only knew the laurels that would crown 
 her brow, the respect and admiration which she 
 would elicit from every man whose opinion was any- 
 thing worth, not many days would elapse before the 
 dawning of a brighter, holier day ; then will the 
 teachings of the apostle bring forth fruit, and ' women 
 will adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shainc- 
 facedness and sobriety, not with broidered hair, or 
 gold, or pearls, or costly array, but which becometh 
 women professing godliness and good works." 
 
 " True," said Belle, " but this latter clause is advice 
 to women professing godliness, or to Christians!" 
 
 'Yes, Belle," said I, " but all women should be 
 Christians ! 
 
 "I don't believe you would find a man living who
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 161 
 
 would not think higher of woman if she thought 
 more of her mind and less of her body." 
 
 " Then they should practise themselves what they 
 preach," said Belle ; " I don't think they need say 
 anything, for they are just as proud of their imperials 
 and mustaches as the ladies of their chignons ! The 
 bare idea of their taking time to wax the ends of 
 their mustaches ! I'm sure I wouldn't kiss one of 
 these deluded mortals if I never kissed a gentle- 
 man ! " 
 
 " I agree with you, Belle," said I, " that the 
 men are weak, in adorning their persons to such 
 an extent ; still, I think if the ladies would lead by 
 example, and not bestow a smile on a fop or a 
 dandy, you would soon perceive a change in man 
 also." 
 
 " Well, I for one, Kate," said Belle, " will advo- 
 cate no such doctrine. If man is the superior, noble 
 being that he proves by Scripture he is, then let 
 him set the example to poor, 'weak, dependent 
 woman ! 
 
 " If he should inaugurate the change, we should 
 commence a new era before the close of 1869." 
 You may err in some measure, dear Belle, as 
 ii
 
 1 62 MAX'S WXONGS; 
 
 may I. I do not pretend to infallibility ; but there 
 is a grievous wrong somewhere, and we see its effects 
 on the rising generation. The last generation, as 
 a whole, were fast, the present faster, and I fear 
 the next will be fastest ! " 
 
 f 
 
 After Belle left I opened Minnie's note, and found 
 it to contain the pleasing information that she and 
 Arthur were engaged, and that I was the first one 
 to whom she had confided the secret ; so Arthur 
 must have told Harry Hamilton ! 
 
 Minnie is a darling girl ; and if Arthur is as true 
 in performing his duties as a husband, as she will 
 be as a wife, it will be a happy union indeed !
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 163 
 
 L 
 
 XL 
 
 MARCH i7th. 
 
 AST evening Minnie and Arthur came over 
 to call. Minnie handed me a small envelope, 
 containing an invitation, which she wished me to 
 answer verbally before her return. 
 
 Judge of my astonishment, and of my indescrib- 
 able sensations of pleasure, when I learned that 
 the next day Mr. Maverick and Minnie were going 
 on to Niagara to engage their rooms for the summer ; 
 and, as Mrs. Maverick did not care particularly 
 about leaving home, and Minnie didn't wish to go 
 alone, Mrs. Maverick, in her delicate way, sent me 
 her ticket, asking me to fill her place to Minnie as 
 well as I could ! 
 
 It is just like her. I knew she did it to give me 
 pleasure, and in such a delicate way, too, as if I 
 was conferring the favor rather than herself.
 
 164 -V.LV.S- WRONGS; 
 
 Of course my toilette was appropriate, as we 
 should pass but one night at the Falls, and it was 
 too early for company at the hotels. Mv suit is 
 very pretty. It is of Empress cloth ; and, though it 
 cost but a trifle when compared with the dresses 
 worn by many young ladies, it is very quiet and 
 genteel. It is of a light shade of ashes of roses, 
 trimmed with a fold of silk a shade darker, about 
 an eighth of a yard wide around the bottom of the 
 under-skirt, and the over-skirt trimmed with two 
 folds of half the width. My sack has a head to it, 
 trimmed in the same style. My hat was of felt, the 
 same shade, trimmed with velvet, without feather or 
 flower. Minnie said " she had ample room in her 
 valise to take what few articles I should need." 
 
 I first obtained the consent of pa and ma ; and, 
 with Chloe's assistance, soon had my necessary ar- 
 ticles packed, and put into the carriage which was 
 at the door. 
 
 When I went back to the parlor, there sat pa 
 and ma talking as cosily as possible with Minnie 
 and Arthur. I had to smile, when I thought how 
 soon old married people forget about their lover 
 days ! I really think it did not once enter the head
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 165 
 
 of mv good ma how vastly preferable it would have 
 been to Minnie and Arthur could they have enjoyed 
 each other's society alone, for the few minutes of 
 my absence ! But I will do ma the justice to say 
 that she evinces a great deal of thought, generally, 
 on such matters. 
 
 I presume if the true state of the case were 
 known, she thought she must come in and thank 
 Minnie for her kindness to her darling child. 
 
 And now, in about two hours, I am to start for 
 the world-renowned Niagara ! So I must say good- 
 by, at least for one week, to all the famous char- 
 acters with whom I was to become more intimately 
 acquainted. 
 
 Yes, you dear old Diary, I really believe I should 
 rather have left one of my gloves at home than you, 
 you afford me such delight. 
 
 Sometimes, by looking in your bright face for a 
 moment, when the clouds look dark around me, I 
 find some spot that chases the sadness away, and 
 bids me hope on, hope ever ! And yet, I must own 
 it, " Hope deferred maketh my heart sick."
 
 1 66 MA X'S U'RONGS; 
 
 I cannot claim to have ever known the meaning 
 of perfect love, for I have never found any love, as 
 yet, without much fear being connected with it. 
 
 At nine o'clock this morning the carriage, with 
 Minnie's sweet face peeping out, stopped at the 
 door. After I had kissed ma again and again, 
 for I had bidden pa and brother Frank good-by in 
 the morning, I entered the carriage, and we drove 
 to the station. Minnie said her father would await 
 us there, and she should not be surprised to meet 
 Arthur, also, for a parting word ! 
 
 How I envied her ! Not that I cared for a beau 
 or a husband by no means; but I did want some 
 one to love me, and whom I could love, though I 
 cannot be content with a little. I must be another's 
 a//, or nothing. And I ! what is there in me to 
 attract any one? Just nothing at all. 
 
 Tolerably good-looking, decently dressed, and but 
 passably educated ! Now I do not think there would 
 have been any necessity for the poet to have breathed 
 his words in my ear, 
 
 " Oh ! if some mighty power were gie us, 
 To see ourselves as others see us."
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 167 
 
 For if any one thinks less of me than I do of myself, 
 I had best retire from social life at once ! 
 
 As we entered the station, I descried Mr. Maverick 
 and could my eyes deceive me? No! it -was 
 Sir Henry ! 
 
 Why had he come? 
 
 Even you, my little Diary, can never tell a tithe 
 of my feelings, when he informed me he had joined 
 our party ! 
 
 He had never visited Niagara, and thought he 
 could not embrace a more favorable opportunity ; 
 and as Mr. Maverick was there with his watchful 
 eye, there was no impropriety in it. 
 
 I do believe that Minnie told ma about it, and that 
 they intended to surprise me. 
 
 Such a delightful ride as I had! Of course Mr. 
 Maverick had to take a forward seat, to talk about 
 politics and business with some of his friends whom 
 he met on the train ; and, as Arthur sat with Min- 
 nie, there was no other alternative for poor Kate 
 Manton but to submit to her fate, and ride to Syra- 
 cuse in the same seat, and close to the side of Sir 
 Henry. 
 
 But I ara more than cruel to myself to harbor such
 
 1 68 MAX'S H'XOXGS; 
 
 feelings; for it only strengthens them, and makes it 
 more impossible to banish them. Oh ! if some kind 
 being, who has suffered in a like predicament, \vill 
 tell me what I can do, I shall be filled with grat- 
 itude all my life. I have no strength in myself, for 
 his image is ever present with me ! 
 
 We pass to-night in Syracuse. Minnie is already 
 in bed, and now I must lay by my pen and prepare 
 to retire, and indulge in dreams of Sir Henry ! 
 
 Will they ever be realized? 
 
 If not, I shall have had a passing pleasure while 
 dreaming. Xo ! no! I will not listen to the voice 
 of the syren charming never so wisely ; but I will 
 try and say from my heart, 
 
 "Vain world, with all thy cares, begone 
 Let my religious hours alone ; " 
 
 for if there is ever a time when persons should 
 throw aside all worldliness, it is when they lie 
 down to rest! Our times are not our own, and 
 we may wake in very different circumstances from 
 those in which we compose ourselves to sleep ; 
 therefore I will take my Bible, read it, and commit 
 myself unto the Lord.
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES, j6 9 
 
 MARCH igth, half-past 10, p. M. 
 
 \Ve rose this morning quite refreshed, and started 
 at seven o'clock for Niagara. We had time only 
 for a bird's-eye view of Syracuse, as we wished 
 to devote all our spare moments in viewing the 
 Falls, and therefore took the early morning train. 
 
 Sir Henry again shared my seat. I was a little 
 embarrassed, as I feared every moment he would 
 introduce some subject on which I was profoundly 
 ignorant. 
 
 Can you blame me if I did wish to appear well in 
 his eyes? 
 
 Is there a young gentleman or lady living who 
 does not wish to appear well in the eyes of the one 
 he or she esteems and loves? 
 
 Then receive my advice, and no matter what your 
 situation, your trials, your disadvantages, select an 
 hour or a half hour nay, even a quarter of an 
 hour, and study on some given subject. 
 
 You will be surprised to find how much you can 
 educate your mind in three hundred and sixty-five 
 quarters ! 
 
 The knowledge thus acquired, will be of great 
 profit to you.
 
 I/O .U.LV'S WRONGS; 
 
 Fortunately for me, I may say providentially^ 
 in the course of our conversation, Sir Henry, alluding 
 to my proposed trip, asked me if I had ever read 
 Shakespeare. 
 
 I told him that I read it when quite young, 
 but I was familiar with his life, and the names 
 of most of his plays, and was intending to read 
 them again very soon. ' 
 
 " How remarkable," said I, " that Shakespeare 
 and Cervantes should have died on the same day ; " 
 and then I felt like a culprit ! I thought I was de- 
 ceiving him, by conveying the impression that I 
 knew more than I really did ; so I added, " I was 
 reading about him yesterday!" 
 
 We discussed Irving's merits, and our noble Web- 
 ster. Then he touched on Mary Queen of Scots, 
 whose history I was fortunate enough to have read 
 a year since, Scott, Dickens, who, he informed 
 me, married a daughter of Hogarth ; and when I 
 avowed my ignorance of this latter gentleman, he 
 informed me that he was a British author and musi- 
 cian, who resided in London, as musical critic and 
 author, and that his writings were received as stand- 
 ard authority on whatever subject they treated.
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 171 
 
 He also informed me that Hogarth's daughter, 
 who married Charles Dickens, had been separated 
 from her husband a number of years, and that the 
 sole cause of their separation was uncongeniality of 
 temper. 
 
 " How," said Sir Henry, " a man enjoying such 
 world-wide renown could humble himself to allow 
 a separation from his wife and family on so insig- 
 nificant a plea, is utterly surprising to me. While 
 his place in English literature will be as secure as 
 that of Sterne, Fielding, or Scott, yet his place in 
 the hearts of his countrymen can never be that 
 which he would otherwise have held." 
 
 I replied " that I was wholly unacquainted with 
 the matter in question ; still my own impressions 
 were, that as women promised when they were wed 
 to take their husband for -worse as well as for better, 
 for poorer as well as for richer, she voluntarily 
 placed herself in a position from which nothing 
 could release her. If woman would learn to control 
 her own proud heart, and this she cannot do, save 
 by the grace of God. instead of the bitter retort, 
 the look of injured innocence, which will sometimes 
 increase rather than assuage the tempest, if she
 
 172 MAN'S Jl'JtOXGS; 
 
 will only strive to be a humble, forbearing, loving 
 woman, may she not be the means, in God's hands, 
 of saving her husband ? " 
 
 " True, Miss Manton, but I fear such women in 
 this age, where folly and vanity reign supreme, are 
 few ; and, though I grieve to say it, the men who 
 could appreciate them, still fewer ! " 
 
 \Yc arrived at the International about one o'clock, 
 and after arranging our toilette, and refreshing our- 
 selves with a lunch, we started for the Falls. 
 
 Arthur and Minnie led the way, while Sir Henry 
 and I followed, Mr. Maverick walking some of the 
 time with one, and then with another, expressing his 
 curiosity to witness the effect which the first view of 
 the mighty cataract would produce upon Sir Henry 
 and me, as with the others it was no new sight. 
 
 How great was our astonishment, surprise, admira- 
 tion, and, I may add, veneration, as the magnificent 
 spectacle burst upon our gaze. One must see for 
 himself to conceive any idea of this wonderful work 
 of God. 
 
 Never before did I ever feel my littleness to such 
 an extent!
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. ij$ 
 
 Xcvcr before did I have such conceptions of the 
 mighty power of God. 
 
 We stood speechless, till it seemed as if the majes- 
 tic grandeur of the great cascade would overpower 
 us, when Sir Henry broke the silence by saying, in 
 the words of Tennyson, 
 
 ' I would that my tongue could utter 
 The thoughts that arise in me ! " 
 
 And turning to Mr. Maverick, he asked " if the 
 cause of this mighty waterfall had ever been 
 discovered ? " 
 
 Mr. Maverick replied " that the Niagara river, which 
 connects Erie and Ontario, flows from the north- 
 eastern extremity of Erie, with a swift current, in 
 a northerly direction, for about two miles ; then 
 more gently, with the current growing wider, till 
 it divides itself, passing on each side of Grand Island. 
 About fifteen or sixteen miles from Erie it begins 
 to grow narrow again, and descend with great 
 velocity. This is the commencement of the rapids, 
 which continue for about a mile, the waters rolling 
 in great swells as they rush swiftly among the rocks, 
 and terminate below in the mighty cataract."
 
 !^4 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 "Wonderful, most wonderful!" said Sir Henry ; 
 and then inquired " how great the descent was sup- 
 posed to be ? " 
 
 " It is said to measure one hundred and sixty-four 
 feet on the American, and one hundred and fifty on 
 the Canada side." 
 
 The noise of this great waterfall varies with the 
 condition of the atmosphere and wind. Sometimes 
 it is heard at a short distance only, and then again 
 for a distance of from forty to fifty miles. 
 
 I think the particular wind must have been blow- 
 ing, causing its loudest echoes, during our visit to- 
 day. Even now it seems as if I must stop my cars 
 to shut out, if possible, the deafening sound. And 
 then again I like to listen to it, and imagine it as I 
 first looked upon it in all its majesty ! To-morrow 
 morn we are to be up with the dawn, and drive 
 over to the Canada side, from which the view is 
 said to be much finer than that from our own shore. 
 
 MARCH 22d, 10 P. M. 
 
 Here we are comfortably lodged in Schenectady. 
 It was dark when we arrived, so I cannot say much
 
 OH, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. ^5 
 
 about the place. To-morrow we arc to go as far 
 as Saratoga, thence by car to Troy, passing the 
 night there, and home by way of the Hudson. 
 
 We visited the Canadian side of the Fall this 
 morning. There seems to be more breadth, and a 
 greater volume of water on this side, rather than 
 on the American. We noticed on one rock, that 
 projected into the stream, a short distance above 
 the great Fall, a round tower entirely surrounded 
 by steps ; but, as our guide informed us, there was 
 scarcely anything to repay one for ascending them, 
 and as our time was precious, we did not at- 
 tempt it. 
 
 We crossed, however, on to Goat's Island. This 
 extends to the brink of the cataract, leaving the 
 river, on the American side, about eleven hundred 
 feet wide, and on the Canadian side twice that 
 width. I am surprised at the large amount of 
 fresh-water shells lying around in the beds of gravel 
 and sand. 
 
 It seems as though I had enjoyed a life of happi- 
 ness in these few hours ! 
 
 I ought to be miserable ! Before another month
 
 176 .i/.i.v.s WRONGS; 
 
 has passed away. Sir Henry and I will be separated, 
 probably forever ! 
 
 And I love him so ! 
 
 His voice, his words, are full of sympathy and 
 interest; but he hasn't given me a glance, in fact, 
 I believe he has not raised his eyes to mine since 
 we started, and I have done expecting it. 
 
 And it is best. 
 
 A continuation of interchange of feeling would 
 be productive only of misery to both. Miserv ! be- 
 cause we can never be more to each other than we 
 now are. In a few months more he will be settled 
 in his own home, with the Lady Alice ; and I ? 
 
 Alone I 
 
 APRIL 4th. 
 
 Here I am at last, safely at home, in my own 
 room, with my dear little Diary ! If one has never 
 kept a diary, permit me to say, Begin from this time, 
 and keep one. It will more than repay you for the 
 time you may expend upon it. It not only refreshes 
 the memory, by bringing back pleasant scenes that 
 would otherwise pass into oblivion, but it helps us
 
 OR, WOMAX'S FOIBLES. i*j*j 
 
 to remember the many weaknesses and temptations 
 from which we have been delivered. 
 
 How much has transpired since my last entry, 
 which was made in Schenectady ! We started for 
 Saratoga at six o'clock the next morning. 
 
 It was a bright, glorious morning ! 
 
 Sir Henry declared he was reminded more of Old 
 England than at any time during his visit in America. 
 
 "\Ve visited the famous Saratoga Springs, where 
 we partook of as much of the water as we could 
 prevail upon ourselves to drink. 
 
 As we were looking around, an old man, who 
 appeared to be an Indian, came up to us, and said 
 " he would recommend us to try some of the water 
 from the High Rock Spring, as it contained a 
 larger proportion of iron than the Congress or 
 Iodine." 
 
 We thought we had drank as much of the water 
 as would suffice for that day, so Mr. Maverick told 
 him " we should certainly take his advice, and try 
 the High Rock at our next visit there." 
 
 The gentlemen each gave the poor man a shil- 
 ling, for which he seemed truly grateful. 
 
 12
 
 1 78 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 I learned here that large quantities of the Congress 
 and Empire Springs were bottled and exported. 
 
 We had not time to visit the lake, as it was about 
 three miles distant, and we had only an hour before 
 we started for Troy. 
 
 We therefore returned to the hotel, lunched, and 
 then proceeded to the depot, where we took the 
 cars for Troy. 
 
 All this time I was the companion of Sir Henry, 
 as Arthur and Minnie were completely engrossed 
 with each other. 
 
 Was I glad ? Indeed I was. I was enjoying the 
 only real happiness of my life. 
 
 And what a trifle to find happiness in, of such 
 moment! Simply being the companion of a gen- 
 tleman, who, after a week or two more has passed, 
 will leave me to my own desolate heart. 
 
 Well ! I can't help it, and I don't want to, 
 either ! 
 
 I think it much the best way to adopt ma's plan, 
 and live by the day, taking the blessings of 
 Heaven as they fall in our path ! 
 
 I feel that I possess vastly more than such an
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 
 
 '79 
 
 irritable, uncharitable, censorious spirit should have, 
 but I hope for better things. 
 
 I am going to begin a new life. I am determined 
 to live in single blessedness, and devote myself to 
 doing good in every possible way ; in a word, I'll 
 forget myself and live for God ! 
 
 When we arrived in Troy, my attention was 
 drawn by Sir Henry to a fine building built in the 
 Byzantine style, situated on a commanding eminence 
 of Mount Ida, and which Mr. Maverick informed' 
 us was the Troy University. 
 
 I had thought of Troy as a place of ordinary im- 
 portance only, and was completely taken by surprise 
 when I beheld its size, heard the noise, and wit- 
 nessed the appearance of business that everywhere 
 appeared on the streets. 
 
 It is laid out with great regularity, though the 
 principal street follows the river, and is somewhat 
 curved. 
 
 The streets are mostly about sixty feet wide, well 
 paved, with good sidewalks, and ornamented by 
 trees. 
 
 The houses are neat and tasty, and some of the 
 buildings are elegant.
 
 I So MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 The court-house is built of marble, with a Grecian 
 front of the Doric order. 
 
 There was an old house which I had heard of, 
 built in 1752, by Vanderheyden, which we wished 
 to visit, but time forbade. 
 
 We took the boat, at three o'clock, for home. 
 Never was there anything more romantic, more en- 
 chanting, than that sail down the Hudson. 
 
 We were more struck by the quiet grandeur and 
 imposing appearance of the Catskill Mountains than 
 that of any other scenery along the route. Mr. Ma- 
 verick remarked, that if we could be so fortunate 
 as to view them from the Highlands at the time the 
 sun descended behind their summits and gilded them 
 with his parting rays, we should witness a most 
 beautiful display of colors, which, if depicted upon 
 canvas, would be regained as an exaggeration of 
 the painter. 
 
 Upon one of the terraces of the mountain stands 
 the " Mountain House," at an elevation of two 
 thousand five hundred feet above the river, which 
 is said to be a cool and quiet retreat from the heat 
 and bustle of the city.
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. iSi 
 
 As the day closed, the moon arose in all her 
 splendor. 
 
 A charming band on board, which I learned 
 from Mr. Maverick was " Dod worth's " celebrated 
 band, was discoursing the sweetest music. 
 
 Sir Henry and I promenaded the deck, stopping 
 occasionally to look over the vessel's side and watch 
 her as she glided so peacefully along. 
 
 We said but little, though one, I'm sure, was 
 thinking much. 
 
 "Next week I leave for the far West, Miss Kate, 
 and shortly after you will start for my loved Eng- 
 land's shore. I fondly trust that we may have the 
 happiness of meeting again at some future day; 
 still I would fain possess some little memento of 
 these pleasant, and, to me, happiest hours of my 
 life. 
 
 " Have you a photograh, or any likeness of your- 
 self that you will give me as this memento?" 
 
 For a moment my poor heart stood still ! Con- 
 flicting emotions rushed through my brain. \\"as 
 he trying to feign an interest in me simply because 
 he thought it to be his duty, while he felt it not? 
 "What did lie want of my poor little phiz? For
 
 l83 MAN'S WKONGS; 
 
 aught I knew he was then wearing the Lady Alice 
 Irving's, encased in gold, and perchance surmounted 
 by pearls. 
 
 My pride was roused! lie should know that he 
 could not deceive me, and that any feigned interest 
 in me would be treated as it deserved. I replied, 
 therefore, quite scornfully, "Do I hear Sir Henry 
 Vernon aright? What does he wish of my photo- 
 graph, and why does he wish a reminder of me in 
 his absence? 
 
 "I know it is a very common thing, in these 
 days, for the young ladies to have their photographs 
 taken by dozens, and bestowed upon any one, from 
 a beardless youth to a gray-whiskered man, for the 
 asking! lie must excuse me if I said that I never 
 yet had bestowed my likeness on any man, and I 
 never would, unless he was a near relative or per- 
 sonal friend ! " 
 
 " Am / not a personal friend," asked Sir Henry, 
 in a grieved tone of voice. 
 
 " Yes ! but you are engaged to the Lady Alice 
 Irving ; and if I were engaged to a gentleman I 
 should not wish him to have a host of other ladies 
 in his possession, to be gazing at continually ; so
 
 OH, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 183 
 
 you see I do as I would be done by ! " with a 
 ghastly attempt at a smile. 
 
 Sir Henry looked at me a moment as though he 
 would read my soul, and then replied, in a soft tone, 
 "Miss Kate, do you really believe me to be engaged 
 to the Lady Alice?" 
 
 " Certainly," replied I ; "I learned it before I 
 had the pleasure of an introduction." 
 
 " Then, Miss Kate, you will allow me to say that 
 I was never engaged to her or any other lady ! 
 
 " I trust you will excuse me, Miss Manton, if I 
 have been guilty of impropriety in my request, for I 
 felt and intended anything rather than disrespect!" 
 
 If such a thing could be in these days as a gentle- 
 man in tears, I should most certainly have believed 
 that Sir Henry was going to weep. His lip quiv- 
 ered, and he turned away his head to conceal his 
 emotion. 
 
 Never did I so hate myself as at this moment ; and 
 }-et my heart leaped for joy that I had heard from 
 his own lips that he was not engaged ! 
 
 After a moment, I said, with some little hesitancy, 
 Mi. Vernon, I am truly sorry if I have wounded 
 ,-our feelings, I intended nothing of the kind.
 
 184 AfAN'S WXONGS; 
 
 "The fact is, the price of photographs has placed it 
 so completely in the power of every one to have them 
 taken in any number, to say nothing of the tintypes, 
 which may be obtained for about a cent and a half 
 apiece, that you find even children will have their 
 pockets filled with the faces of all their uncles, aunts, 
 cousins, and friends, of eveiy size and age, which 
 they carry around as though they were marbles. 
 
 " I was always sensitive on this point. The like- 
 ness of my friends are too sacred to me to be treated 
 in this careless way. 
 
 " There are instances where young men, whose 
 friendship would not be desirable, will have in their 
 possession the likeness of some estimable girl, who 
 would blush to be seen in his company, who will 
 hand around this likeness as though she were an inti- 
 mate friend, when he received it from some other 
 person, who did not care for its possession ! 
 
 " I trust you will not misunderstand me ! 
 
 " I consider photographs one of the most desirable 
 inventions of the age ; but I am very careful that 
 none of mine, or my dearest friends, shall ever be 
 in the possession of any one who will not value 
 them."
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 185 
 
 "Am I not one of your true friends, Miss Kate?" 
 said Sir Henry. 
 
 " Indeed you are," I replied ; " I esteem you as 
 one of my most valued personal friends ; and, had I 
 have taken a few moments for reflection, I should 
 not have wounded you, nor myself through you. 
 
 
 
 "If you would really like my picture as a re- 
 minder of the pleasant days that we have passed 
 together, I shall be only too happy to present one 
 to you before you leave, but I shall certainly expect 
 one of your own in return." 
 
 " Which you shall have, most certainly ! " replied 
 Sir Henry. 
 
 APRIL i4th. 
 
 Sir Henry has gone this morning, and I feel so 
 homesick I 
 
 I cannot understand it. 
 
 Why is it I should have such strange feelings 
 stealing over my senses as I had when I first went 
 to boarding-school, and which the scholars call 
 homesickness? Here I am in my own dear home, 
 with pa, ma, and Frank ; the sun is shining bright, 
 and Arty, my pet canary, Minnie named him,
 
 1 86 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 singing till he almost deafens me. Minnie is coming 
 in to pass the afternoon, and next week I am to 
 start for England ; and yet, and yet, I don't care 
 one straw for England, or any other place save the 
 West ! 
 
 If I could choose, I would give up the realizing 
 of all the fond anticipations which have filled my 
 heart for so long a time, of wandering about in the 
 haunts of Burns and Scott, to say nothing of Bunhill 
 Fields, where the loved and gifted Bunyan lies ; 
 and, the fondest of all, to gaze upon the grave of 
 the " Dairyman's Daughter," could I only start off 
 in the train that leaves for Chicago at eight o'clock 
 this morning, and be with that precious lamb 
 again ! 
 
 What a fool you are making of yourself, Kate 
 Munton ! 
 
 I should be ashamed to avow such weakness ! A 
 lamb, indeed ! I think Sir Henry would thank you 
 for the compliment! 
 
 Sir Henry came last evening to bid me good-by. 
 lie stayed until the hand pointed to eleven. It 
 seemed as if he could not leave ! 
 
 He handed me his photograph, which I minutely
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 187 
 
 examined, and declared it needed only speech to 
 make it real ! 
 
 " You are the only lady who has ever received 
 a likeness of me, Miss Kate ; therefore I presume it 
 will not be taking too great a liberty to ask the ful- 
 filment of your part of the agreement ! " 
 
 Of course I had to give him one of my, to say 
 the least, uninteresting-looking faces, so I handed 
 him three from which to select; and, if you can 
 credit it, dear Diary, he said, " If I would not con- 
 sider it too grasping, he would take the three, as 
 each one had some merit in itself which the others 
 did not possess ! " 
 
 I replied, " I could not think of such a thing ! " 
 but he very gravely took out his pocket-book, and 
 placing them in, said, "By your- permission I will 
 select one during my trip out West, and, should you 
 insist, on my return I will hand you two of the 
 three." Of course I could not refuse him, he uttered 
 it so gracefully ! 
 
 And he has gone ! 
 
 And I am alone. Never so much so as now. 
 
 But I have one sweet solace. The darling, pre- 
 cious little photograph which is never away from
 
 i88 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 me. No one knows my secret but you, my Diary, 
 and I know that you will never betray my tender 
 soliloquies over it to the cold world ! 
 
 I fear I shall not intrust much else to your 
 keeping before I arrive in Europe. Still, there are 
 one or two items of information which I have ac- 
 quired this last week, and which, unless I give 
 them to you now, I fear may slip from my 
 memory. 
 
 The first is Schiller, the German poet, dramatist 
 and historian. He was born in Wurtcmburg, a 
 hundred years ago and more, and was the author 
 of the celebrated drama, " William Tell." 
 
 Rossini, also, a celebrated Italian musician, born 
 eighty years ago, lately deceased, who composed 
 the famous opera of " William Tell," " Gazza 
 Ladra," " Semiramide," and a host of others, not 
 forgetting the thrilling " Stabat Mater ! " 
 
 Sir Henry also mentioned Lady Afary IVortlcy 
 Montague one evening, at Mr. Maverick's, and I 
 must remember something about her. 
 
 She was born in England a little more than a 
 hundred years ago ; and, as a lady of wit and 
 fashion, was very prominent in her time, and her
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 189 
 
 letters hold an eminent place in that species of lit- 
 erature. 
 
 She was the eldest daughter of the Duke of 
 Kingston. When only eight years old, she passed 
 what she termed the happiest day of her life, in 
 the " Kit-Cat Club," consisting of some of the most 
 eminent men in England, into which she had been 
 elected in a frolic. 
 
 At twelve she wrote a poetical epistle from Julia 
 to Ovid. 
 
 Ovid was a celebrated Roman poet, who was 
 much in love with Julia, daughter of the Emperor 
 Augustus, and who lived in the time of Christ. 
 
 At fifteen, Lady Mary meditated the establishment 
 of a nunnery. 
 
 She was a great friend of Pope, who was the 
 greatest English poet of his time, but who afterward 
 became her greatest enemy, because she could not 
 refrain from a fit of laughter, when, at an ill-chosen 
 moment, he was making love to her. 
 
 There is the dinner-bell, so I must now find food 
 for the body instead of the mind. 
 
 I thought, two hours since, I should taste no food 
 to-day, I was so sick, so homesick ! How true
 
 I9 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 it is, if we can only divert our mind instead of 
 brooding on our sorrow, \ve shall very soon regain 
 our former equanimity. It is certainly true in my 
 case, for I feel as though I had been fasting for a 
 week ! 
 
 Half-past 10, P. M. 
 
 Minnie passed the afternoon with me, and in- 
 trusted me with a most joyful piece of news. She 
 is going abroad with me ! 
 
 Now the secret mystery hanging around ma and 
 Minnie, their whisperings, their many signs, is 
 disclosed. 
 
 Mr. Maverick had business in Liverpool which 
 could be attended to by no one save himself. He 
 would take charge of me to Liverpool, if grandpa 
 would take cjiarge of Minnie on his arrival there. 
 Ma wrote grandpa, and the answer returned that 
 " he should be very happy to be her protector, not 
 only on his own account, but because it would so 
 greatly enhance my happiness." 
 
 Mr. Maverick insisted on procuring my ticket, 
 and presenting it to me. Ma was candid enough 
 to inform him that grandpa had sent me a check 
 for that purpose.
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 191 
 
 " Very good," he replied ; " then she can retain 
 that for spending-money ! " 
 
 Noble, disinterested man ! How he loves to glad- 
 den the hearts of those who are less favored with 
 this world's substance. 
 
 If I am not greatly mistaken, I shall spend two- 
 thirds of it, at least, oa ray own loved ones at 
 home. 
 
 Frank shall surely have a new suit for his exam- 
 ination at Harvard. 
 
 To-night is Thursday ; and Tuesday next, Provi- 
 dence permitting, I shall start for my loved Sir 
 Henry's native land. I blush to confide even to you, 
 my Diary, what I wish ; but if it is ever gratified, 
 you shall know it !
 
 192 MAX'S WRONGS; 
 
 XII. 
 
 APRIL 26th. 
 
 WE arrived in Liverpool a week since, where 
 we took the cars immediately for London. 
 Mr. Maverick found a friend who was going down 
 on that train, and intrusted us to his care. 
 
 On arriving at the depot in London, we met 
 grandpa, who was overjoyed to see us. His car- 
 riage was in waiting, and we were taken to his 
 mansion in Belgravc Square, which is in the part 
 of the city called West End. 
 
 I had no idea of the size of London. I always 
 conceived of it as a large place, but much after the 
 similitude of New York! Anyone who has visited 
 it under the samo impression, can judge of my 
 complete surprise.
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 193 
 
 Grandpa informed us that London was from six 
 miles and upwards in extent, and was properly 
 divided into the Old City and the West End. 
 
 The city was mainly the business part of the 
 place ; at West End were the royal residences, 
 mansions, gardens, and the like. 
 
 The day after our arrival, grandpa ordered the 
 carriage for a drive. 
 
 We drove through Kensington Gardens, St. James' 
 Park, and then through Regent's Park. 
 
 When I compared them with those of our own 
 land, I could but be amused. 
 
 The bare idea of calling our few acres, with an 
 iron fence around, a few gravel walks, with a 
 fountain here and there, and an occasional iron 
 chair or seat, some trees and spots of grass, a 
 park ! 
 
 And yet I own to a little chagrin ; for there is no 
 good reason why we should not have parks, not only 
 to vie with, but to surpass even, old England ! 
 
 Here in England, the parks are composed of 
 hill and valley, river and pond, gigantic trees of 
 ancient date, long stretches of grass-plats, rare plants,
 
 I 9 4 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 good roads instead of walks, affording ample room 
 for the many elegant equipages which are constantly 
 passing through them. 
 
 H\de Park is one of the famous drives of the 
 Queen. Grandpa said that we should drive through 
 there the next day, and that we should probably see 
 the Queen, at least, we should meet the Prince 
 and Princess of Wales ; but the next day proving 
 rainy, our ride was deferred another day. 
 
 Grandpa was to attend the Queen's drawing-room 
 on Friday, and insisted, at first, that Minnie and I 
 should accompany him ; but as we had neither 
 of us provided ourselves with dresses suitable to 
 appear in the presence of royalty, we thought best 
 to decline. 
 
 As it was no new thing for grandpa to be present 
 at these receptions, he also gave up going, and or- 
 dered the carriage, to take us a drive around the 
 city in the evening, that we may see it by gas- 
 light. 
 
 The old city is under the care of the Mayor, and 
 contains but little more than a hundred thousand 
 inhabitants.
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. i^ 
 
 We drove by Charing Cross, which grandpa says 
 took its name from the old village of Charing, where 
 Edward First erected a cross. 
 
 Charing Cross and Trafalgar Square are the great 
 turning-points from the West End to the city. The 
 cabs start from Charing Cross in so many different 
 directions, that grandpa says it is often called " the 
 centre of cabs." 
 
 In- Trafalgar Square is a column erected to the 
 memory of Lord Nelson, the great English admiral. 
 There are statues, also, of George Fourth, Ilavclock, 
 and Napier. 
 
 There is also a rider seated upon a horse, which 
 is said to represent George the Third. At the gates 
 of the Square are immense bronze lions ! The 
 square was illuminated with large globe-like lamps. 
 
 We drove through Pall Mall, and Regent Street. 
 The streets were brilliant with gas-light. There 
 were reflectors furnished with burners on the out- 
 side of many of the windows, to throw light on the 
 goods displayed within. 
 
 Grandpa informed us that London numbered 
 nearly, if not quite, eight thousand streets. He 
 drew our attention to one spot, called the Seven
 
 I 9 6 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 Dials, where seven streets branched in different 
 directions, and which he reminded us was spoken 
 of in Dickcns's works. I did enjoy the evening 
 drive ! 
 
 The next day we drove out to see some of the 
 lions of London. 
 
 Our first visit was to Westminster Ahhcy. This 
 is the place where the British Sovereigns receive 
 their crown. It is the great church of the \Ycst 
 End. Its existence is traced back to the early part 
 of the seventh century. It is in the form of an 
 irregular cross. All of the British Sovereigns, from 
 Edward the Confessor to Victoria, were crowned 
 there, ami many of them are buried beneath its 
 sacred walls. 
 
 Surrounding the east end, in a semicircle, are 
 nine chapels, the most interesting of which are those 
 of Edward the Confessor, beyond the altar, and of 
 Henry the Seventh, which forms the eastern ex- 
 tremity of the Abbey. The centre of the former 
 chapel is occupied by the shrine of Edward the 
 Confessor. 
 
 I asked grandpa why he was called the Confessor? 
 
 He said that he was canonized and styled Confessor
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 
 
 197 
 
 about a hundred years after his decease ; and that he 
 was also called "Good King Edward" by the people, 
 \vho remembered him with affection, on account of 
 his strict justice in the administration of his govern- 
 ment. But he had many faults, one of which was 
 that he imprisoned his mother for life in a monas- 
 tery, because she tried to prevent him from obtaining 
 the throne. Still he was noted for his sanctity, and 
 his laws and customs were long remembered with 
 popular affection. 
 
 The monuments of Queen Elizabeth and Mary 
 Queen of Scots are in the north and south aisles of 
 the chapel, respectively. 
 
 In another part of the church is a space called 
 " The Poets' Corner," where are monuments to 
 Dryden, Thompson, Shakespeare, Goldsmith; also 
 to Macaulay, the historian, and Stephenson. 
 
 Religious service is performed daily in the Abbey, 
 as also services on Sunday. We are to attend ser- 
 vice held on Sunday forenoon, and at St. Paul's 
 in the afternoon. 
 
 To me the famous Westminster seems more like 
 one vast tomb, than a place of worship for the 
 living.
 
 198 AfA.V'S WRONGS; 
 
 Here was the dust of royalty; kings and queens, 
 who in years gone by had been the great ones of 
 earth ; and now where are they ? 
 
 What more vain than human greatness, for which 
 peace, love, yea, even life itself, is sometimes 
 sacrificed ! 
 
 Well may the preacher say, " Vanity of vanities, 
 all is vanity ! " 
 
 After passing an hour or more in this sacred place, 
 \vc visited the British Museum. 
 
 My attention was directed chiefly to the examina- 
 tion of the wonderful curiosities which had been 
 deposited there from Babylon and Xincvch. To 
 think that these identical sculptures and bas-reliefs 
 had been gazed upon, in ages long gone by, by 
 Nebuchadnezzar and his subjects, by Eser-haddon 
 and Sennacherib ! I would sooner gaze on these 
 mighty monuments of the truth of God's Word, than 
 on all the palaces and works of art that London 
 contains. 
 
 After gratifying our curiosity for another hour, 
 we drove to St. Paul's. 
 
 This is the cathedral church of the See of London. 
 It stands at the head of Ludgate Hill, on the site
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 
 
 199 
 
 of the old St. Paul's, which was destroyed in the 
 great fire of 1666. It is surrounded by a street 
 which bears the name of St. Paul's Churchyard. 
 This street has buildings on one side of it, and on 
 the other is the iron palisade which forms the 
 enclosure for the open yard or space on which St. 
 Paul's stands. In the interior of the dome is the 
 famous whispering-gallery, which connects with the 
 stone gallery on the outside of the dome. The as- 
 cent is between six and seven hundred steps ; but 
 we were too much exhausted to attempt climbing 
 them, although we learned that the dome was divided 
 into compartments, which were covered with paint- 
 ings that had the appearance of being very ancient, 
 though they have been lately retouched by artists 
 and painters employed for the purpose. I saw here 
 monuments, also, to departed greatness, one to 
 Dr. Ben Jonson, and another to Nelson. 
 
 The great bell of the church is said to be ten feet 
 in diameter. Grandpa says we will visit it again, 
 when we are less fatigued, and devote more time 
 to its examination. 
 
 On Friday we drove out in time to see the elegant 
 procession of carriages, with their heraldic devices,
 
 200 MAN'S WROXGS; 
 
 filled with the lords and ladies who were to attend 
 the Queen's drawing-room at St. James. Grandpa 
 insisted that on our return from our proposed tour 
 in France, and some of the other noted places in 
 Europe, that we should be provided wifli suitable 
 apparel, and attend the drawing-room with him. 
 
 He thought the expense would be as nothing, when 
 compared with the honor of an introduction to the 
 Queen. 
 
 I told Minnie, after we were alone, that I should 
 rather by far appropriate the money for a different 
 purpose. 
 
 She was very anxious to know what could afford 
 me more pleasure than to visit the palace, and to see 
 and speak with the Queen. 
 
 I told her that I wanted to visit the old kitchen, 
 look upon the heraldic sculptures, and sit down in 
 the wide old fireplace, in the Mansion-house at 
 Stoke-Pogis ! Then, too, I wanted to see the small 
 room in the Manor-house, where are the rude paint- 
 ings on the plastered walls, and the quaint inscrip- 
 tions, " Feare the Lorde," " Beware of Mallis," 
 " Beware of Pride," and others. 
 
 I should like to visit the old churchyard, and find,
 
 OR, jravi-LVS FOIBLES. 2 oi 
 
 if I can, the very spot where the touching Elegy was 
 written, 
 
 " The curfew tolls the knell of parting day." 
 
 Could I but choose my own friends and associates, 
 I should select such as Gray, Cowper, and Scott ; 
 but the trouble is they would not select me ! Poor, 
 insignificant mortal that I am, never feeling my 
 utter insignificance more deeply than when dwelling 
 on the lives and gazing on all that remains of such 
 gifted ones! 
 
 TUESDAY, 10 p. M. 
 
 My desire has been gratified. We have visited 
 Stoke-Pogis, and seen the venerable church. It is 
 from two to three miles from Windsor, far removed 
 from the public highway, and within a fine old park, 
 which grandpa says formerly belonged to the family 
 of William Penn. 
 
 On a tablet under the east window of the church 
 is the following inscription : 
 
 " Opposite this stone, in the same tomb upon 
 which he so feelingly recorded his grief at the loss 
 of a beloved parent, are deposited the remains of
 
 203 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 Thomas Gray, the author of the 'Elegy written in 
 a Country Churchyard.' Buried August, 1771." 
 
 A plain, unpretending tomb covers the poet and his 
 mother. 
 
 West End Cottage, his residence, has been much 
 enlarged and beautified ; but it was the same charm- 
 ing spot to me. 
 
 I cared not to see the spot where the Henrys, or 
 the Williams, or the Georges rest, but the country 
 churchyard of Gray is precious and sacred to 
 me. 
 
 We have visited, also, Bunhill Fields, and looked 
 upon the spot where the immortal Bunyan sleeps ; 
 and then dear grandpa, who is beginning to discover 
 what will afford me the greatest satisfaction, ordered 
 the coachman to drive us to Bedford, where we 
 visited the jail, and I sat down in the room where 
 our loved Bunyan was kept a prisoner for twelve 
 years. There I thought, as I sat alone, for I per- 
 suaded grandpa and Minnie to leave me for awhile, 
 and explore the rest of the jail, of the wonderful 
 book that he there penned, " Pilgrim's Progress," 
 and how many souls had been led to heaven by it, 
 how many had been cheered by its quaint illustrations,
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 203 
 
 and saved from falling into the power of Giant De- 
 spair! and then I wished that I could see the house 
 where he was born ; but it would really be imposing 
 on good nature to ask grandpa to drive us there. As 
 I meditated, the kind man made his appearance, and 
 said, " Well, Kate, if you pass the day in the jail, 
 we shall not have time to visit the old homestead." 
 
 How my heart leaped for joy ! I could only sav, 
 "Grandpa, how could you know my heart so well?" 
 
 " Ah, Kate ! " he replied, " who should know 
 your heart if not your old fond grandpa P"^ 
 
 We rode about a mile, when we passed a large 
 sign-post with Elstow on it, in unmistakable char- 
 acters. 
 
 Elstow, the birthplace of Bunyan. A dear little 
 village, just such an one as I should imagine the 
 birthplace of such a man ; and in a few moments 
 we stopped at the gate and gazed upon the revered 
 walls of the old homestead. There was a rustic 
 rudeness and simplicity about it ; and, although 
 grandpa said it had been standing for upwards of 
 two hundred years, yet it looked as if it may stand 
 a century longer. A pleasant, mild-looking old 
 lady opened the door, and asked us if we would
 
 204 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 like to come in ; but as the house had undergone 
 repairs and alterations, we thanked her, but thought 
 we had better postpone our visit inside till some 
 future time. 
 
 THURSDAY. 
 
 To-day we have visited the famous " Tower of 
 London." I was particularly interested in it as 
 being the prison of Sir Walter Raleigh for thirteen 
 years, six years of his imprisonment being shared 
 by his wife, and who, although he was released, was 
 never forgiven his supposed crimes, but was after- 
 ward beheaded. 
 
 We entered the room in which are kept the 
 crowns and sceptres of the Kings and Queens, as 
 also their diamonds and state jewels. These treas- 
 ures are placed in a large iron cage, where one 
 can see, but not touch them. 
 
 Nothing, however, has touched my feelings so 
 much as the sight of the block and axe that were 
 used at the execution of Anne Boleyn and Lady 
 Jane Gray. 
 
 We saw the marks in the block that were made 
 by the blows from the axe. 
 
 Poor Lady Jane ! Although the great-grand-
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 205 
 
 daughter of Henry the Seventh, and granddaughter 
 
 of Mary, the young widow of Louis the Twelfth of 
 France, she suffered, even in her earliest childhood, 
 from the rigorous treatment of her parents. 
 
 She accepted the throne of England with great 
 reluctance, yielding only to the wishes of her father, 
 and husband, Lord Dudley. She reigned only for 
 a few days, and then was confined in this Tower 
 with her husband, and in a few short months, by 
 the order of Queen Mary, they were both beheaded, 
 she in the Tower, on account of her royal blood, 
 her husband on Tower Hill. 
 
 To-morrow we start for Paris ; so I must lay by 
 my pen, and repack my trunk. 
 
 MAY 6th. 
 
 \Vc arrived in Boulogne yesterday morning, having 
 time only for a glimpse of the town. It is sur- 
 rounded by ramparts which have been transformed 
 into beautiful promenades planted with trees, and 
 afTbrding a magnificent view that extends to the 
 coast of England, which is distinctly visible in 
 clear weather. 
 
 After a slight lunch, we took the cars from there
 
 206 MAN'S M'JtOXGS; 
 
 to Amiens, where we stayed and passed the night, 
 as we wished to visit the Cathedral. 
 
 This Cathedral, which was built just before 1300, 
 is 415 feet long, 182 broad, and the spire is 420 
 feet high. 
 
 Grandpa says the interior woodwork is considered 
 a miracle of carpentry ; the two pilasters, or piers, 
 being the only support of the great expanse of 
 arches, so that nothing interferes with the view 
 below. 
 
 The exterior is sculptured to a great extent. 
 
 Amiens was the birthplace of Peter the Hermit. 
 
 Minnie whispered to me that I should ask grandpa 
 who he was. ? 
 
 In answer to my inquiry, he replied that Peter 
 led the first company of Crusaders against Pales- 
 tine. Now I remembered all about the Crusade, 
 but had not the faintest recollection of the poor 
 hermit, so I asked to be a little more enlightened ! 
 . udpa replied that he knew but little regarding 
 this man, save that when the Crusade was first 
 started a number of men formed themselves into a 
 large company, and chose Peter as their leader, on 
 account of his great enthusiasm and xeal in the
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 207 
 
 enterprise ; but that after they had started, some 
 of the company separated from the others, and 
 placed themselves under the command of "Walter 
 the Penniless," when they were dispersed in a quarrel 
 with the Hungarians. 
 
 On the conquest of Jerusalem, Peter preached a 
 sermon to the Crusaders from the Mount of Olives. 
 
 After this, he returned to Europe, and founded 
 an abbey, where he passed the rest of his life. 
 
 It was at Amiens where the treaty of peace was 
 signed between Great Britain and the French Re- 
 public, known as the " Treaty of Amiens." 
 
 And now we are safely lodged in Paris, the 
 gayest city in the world. 
 
 Minnie and I had always prided ourselves on 
 being fine French scholars, but we were just 
 nowhere ! For a time we felt that we might as 
 
 O 
 
 well be among the Chinese ; but grandpa, with his 
 usual thought, engaged us a first-class dress-maker 
 for a week, explained to her our trying position, 
 which interested her in us very much, and as we 
 were wanting only in the Parisian accent, and the 
 volubility of expression so peculiar to the French, 
 and which, until one becomes familiar with their
 
 208 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 style, renders it so bewildering, we were very soon 
 in a fair way of passing ourselves for Parisians ! 
 
 TUESDAY EVE. 
 
 We have made some very pleasant acquaintances 
 to-day, one gentleman, in particular, who re- 
 minded me so strongly of Sir Henry. 
 
 We had some most delightful music in the eve. 
 One of Chickering's superb grand pianos was in 
 constant requisition. How Minnie and I were be- 
 sieged ! If we only would gratify Mr. B, or Miss C. 
 At length Minnie complied, and performed, to the 
 great admiration of the company, Chopin's Grand 
 Polonaise, in E Flat. " Something from Liszt ! some- 
 thing of Liszt's, Miss Maverick ! " and, with a deal 
 of animation, she played one of his favorite Caprices, 
 which was received with unbounded applause. 
 
 Liszt is one of, if not the great favorite of the 
 Parisians. They always speak of him with the 
 greatest enthusiasm. 
 
 Hungary may well be proud of being the birth- 
 place of Franz Liszt, for probably no musician 
 has been more honored, flattered, or caressed by all 
 ranks of society, than during his triumphal career
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 209 
 
 from 1837 to 1847. After that time, he recei%-ed an 
 offer, from the Duke of Weimar, to assume the post 
 of Conductor of the Court Concerts and Opera at 
 Weimar, which he accepted. 
 
 It is to his exertions that Wagner is indebted, in 
 a great measure, for the publicity which his operas 
 now enjoy. Liszt stands at the head of what has 
 been called the "prodigious" school, excelling in 
 the production of difficult and novel effects. His 
 fingering is firm, vigorous, and wonderfully flexible. 
 
 , THURSDAY EVE. 
 
 Yesterday we visited the Hotel de Ville. The 
 high buildings, toppling over crooked lanes that sur- 
 rounded it when grandpa last visited Paris, were 
 swept away, leaving it in a spacious, open place, 
 on one side of which palatial military barracks 
 have been erected, while miles of broad avenues 
 communicate with other parts of the town ; the 
 elegant parks of Bois de Boulogne, and the Bois de 
 Vincennes, the gardens, squares, and fountains, bear 
 witness to the improvements urged on by the Em- 
 peror. The Hotel de Ville is the finest municipal 
 edifice in Paris. It is the residence of the Prefect 
 14
 
 2io ATJ.V'.S WROXGS; 
 
 of the Seine. Its public offices occupy nearly two 
 hundred rooms, besides containing several halls in 
 which the meetings of different societies are held, 
 and a magnificent suite of state apartments. 
 
 The original front, displaying the architecture 
 which prevailed in Italy during the sixteenth cen- 
 tury, has been increased by two main bodies, flanked 
 with pavilions in keeping with the old portion, the 
 
 whole being adorned with Corinthian columns, and 
 
 
 niches filled by statues. 
 
 But I cared very little for the architecture or 
 splendor of the mighty building, my eyes*vvere 
 riveted on that historical room, with which all 
 the revolutions in France had been in some way 
 connected. 
 
 I saw, with my mind's eye, Louis XVI. , when he 
 spoke to the populace with the " cap of liberty " on 
 his head ; and also the noble Lafayette, a name 
 ever to be placed at the side of Washington in the 
 hearts of all true Americans, when he embraced 
 Louis Philippe, and presented him to the people, in 
 1830. Not many years ago, thousands and thousands 
 surrounded this building, within which the Provis- 
 ional Government were holding their first session,
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 211 
 
 that astounding session of sixty hours ! Grandpa was 
 in Paris at the time ; and he says that while the flags 
 were waving, drums beating, and shouts rending 
 the air, the doors of the hotel flew open, and Louis 
 Blanc stepped forth and announced " A Republic ! " 
 
 We next turned our steps to the united palaces 
 of the Louvre and the Tuilleries. Grandpa informed 
 us that its width measured 1,008 feet, and that 
 the distance from the eastern colonnade to the 
 western front is half a mile ; that its roofs 
 cover, beside the Museum of Arts, a library of 
 80,000 volumes, and quarters for several regiments 
 of troops ; the offices and private apartments of the 
 Minister of State, the private and state apartments 
 of the Emperor and his household, the Imperial 
 chapel and theatre, and palatial stables for Imperial 
 horses ! 
 
 Next we visited the museums of the Louvre, which 
 are twelve in number. 
 
 They occupy the magnificent palace, completed 
 by the labors of successive French monarchs, from 
 Francis First to the great Napoleon. 
 
 We passed an hour or more examining the old 
 paintings, also the Assyrian and Egyptian antiquities.
 
 212 MAN'S If'XONGS; 
 
 I have a great passion for the ancient and the 
 marvellous ! 
 
 I well remember, when a child, visiting a mu- 
 seum ; and while the rest of the party were examining 
 the diilerent objects of interest, I stood, almost 
 entranced, gazing in speechless woyder at two 
 mummies, and it was with difficulty I could be 
 persuaded to leave them. 
 
 This morning we visited the Place du Carrousel. 
 This is an immense palace court, whose principal 
 ornament is a triumphal arch, designed after the 
 arch of Septimius Severus of Rome. 
 
 It is adorned by eight Corinthian columns of red 
 marble, with bronze bases and capitals, and sur- 
 mounted by a triumphal car, with four bronze 
 horses. 
 
 The west side of this court is enclosed by the main 
 body of the palace of the Tuilleries, whose western 
 front looks on the gardens of the same name, with 
 their flowers, fountains, and orange-trees. 
 
 "We next visited the Place de la Concorde. In 
 the midst of this square, between two magnificent 
 fountains, rises the obelisk of Luxor, a monolith 
 seventy-two feet high, first set up in front of the
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 21$ 
 
 great temple of Thebes, thirty-four centuries ago, 
 by the great Sesostris, who was one of the early 
 kings of Egypt. Grandpa informed us that he 
 killed himself, so it is said, after a reign of sixty- 
 six years, because he feared he was growing blind. 
 
 The waiter has just handed us each a letter, 
 Minnie's, of course, from Arthur. Who is the 
 author of mine I cannot divine, for it is an un- 
 familiar hand. 
 
 I opened it, what kept me from screaming or 
 showing some symptoms of great trepidation, I 
 cannot say ; but as I turned over and looked at 
 the signature, Henry Stuart Vernon, my head 
 grew dizzy, and I thought I should faint ; but, for- 
 tunately, I rallied before Minnie noticed me, and 
 perused the epistle. 
 
 I think as the 'constant opening and closing a 
 letter is sure to wear it out in time, and as I shall 
 most certainly read this at least three times a day, 
 I >hall copy it into my Diary, and then, with the 
 original in my hand, I can read the loved words, 
 e'en though they are in my own handwriting, con- 
 stantly reassuring myself, by gazing on the blessed 
 envelope, directed by that darling hand.
 
 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 Poor Minnie was so completely engrossed by her 
 own letter from Arthur, she entirely forgot to ask 
 about my letter, taking it for granted it was from 
 pa, or ma ! I was a little alarmed, at tea-time, when 
 grandpa remarked, "All well at home, Kate?" I 
 replied, " Yes, sir ! " But my fears were groundless, 
 as Minnie was engrossed in conversation with Mons. 
 Guigon, and heard neither the question nor the 
 response ! 
 
 MY DEAR Miss MANTON : 
 
 I trust you will excuse the liberty I have taken 
 in addressing you without permission ; but the knowl- 
 edge that, when one is far away from loved ones at 
 home, how welcome a letter, e'en though it may be 
 penned by one almost a stranger, has led me to 
 cast aside my scruples, and follow the teaching of 
 the "golden rule" in the matter! 
 
 Arthur and I arrived safely in Lexington on 
 Tuesday last, and, after passing a day in examining 
 the place and its localities, we resolved, on our way 
 to Nashville, to stop and visit the "Mammoth Cave" 
 of Kentucky. 
 
 \Ve started on Wednesday afternoon, and arrived
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 215 
 
 late the same night at Grcensburg, where we stopped 
 and passed the remainder of the night ; and the next 
 morn started, with our guides, and some other trav- 
 ellers, who were on the same expedition, and who 
 proved very pleasant companions, for the Great 
 Cave. 
 
 It is said to be the largest of the kind ever yet 
 discovered in the known world. We approached 
 it through a natural bower of trees, growing on 
 either side of a romantic and beautiful dell ; at its 
 termination is the great portal to this nether world, 
 and you descend into it down some winding stone 
 steps; then, if you choose, you can penetrate fourteen 
 miles into the heart of the earth. 
 
 No impure air exists in any part of the cave ; on 
 the contrary, the air is delightful and exhilarating, 
 and highly recommended for diseases of the lungs. 
 
 There are a number of small houses built within, 
 to accommodate consumptive persons, and numbers 
 reside there continually, rinding great benefit. 
 
 vStalactites, of gigantic size and fantastic form, are 
 found here, though none so brilliant and beautiful 
 as adorn many other caves. 
 
 This remarkable cave contains two hundred or
 
 2i6 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 more avenues, nearly fifty domes, twenty-two pits 
 and three rivers. There are the Gothic Avenue, 
 and Gothic Chapel, Fairy Grotto, and many others. 
 Some of the avenues contain large and magnificent 
 stalagmite columns, extending from the floor to the 
 ceiling. 
 
 A river, navigable by boats, affords a novel means 
 for exploring these subterranean recesses. Few forms 
 of life are found within this cave ; but bats and rats 
 are abundant, and there are several species of insects. 
 Two varieties of fish only have been discovered, and, 
 what is a little singular, one is the eyeless fish, and 
 the other, though with eyes, is entirely blind ! 
 
 This visit, my dear Miss Manton, has been a con- 
 stant reminder of our visit to the Falls ! Arthur is 
 constantly mourning the absence of his Minnie. 
 
 I have locked my feelings in my own heart, and 
 have not yet committed myself as to whether I am 
 lonely or not! I will leave you to be the judge. 
 
 I have alleviated my bitter loneliness, by exam- 
 ining three photographs, and trying to discover if 
 they bear a good desirable remembrance of a certain 
 absent friend of mine, as I am allowed by that
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 217 
 
 friend to retain only one of the three, and I desire 
 to possess the one which claims the highest merit. 
 
 Arthur is intending to embark in the next steamer, 
 and to meet Minnie in Venice. 
 
 If I thought it would enhance your happiness as 
 greatly as it would my own, I should most assuredly 
 make one of your party. At times I flatter myself that 
 it would, and then I confess that I am again in doubt. 
 
 Need I say that I wish a better understanding in 
 regard to our mutual position? 
 
 I love you, my dear Miss Manton, as I never 
 thought it would be possible to love, but I prefer 
 to plead my cause in person. Now, if you will send 
 me a telegram on the immediate reception of this, 
 of one single word only, I will be governed entirely 
 by that little word. 
 
 I shall see your loved parents before I leave New 
 York, and inform them of my action in the case. 
 
 I need not assure you I shall tremblingly await 
 the arrival of the telegram, to see whether the an- 
 swer is charged with two or three letters I 
 
 With renewed assurance of the tenderest sympathy 
 and affection, receive this from him, who would be 
 evermore Your own HEXRY.
 
 2lS MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 And it has gone ! That dear little word with 
 three letters ! for why should I trifle with such a 
 noble, generous heart as his? He will not think me 
 in too great haste, or as glad to jump at the chance 
 as some of the wise would say! 
 
 I am not a flirt, and never was one! If Sir 
 Henry tells me his preference is for me, and asks 
 for an expression of my feeling toward him, why 
 should I keep him in suspense that I may deceive 
 him, if possible, into the belief that I am not thus 
 easily won? 
 
 I don't believe in such nonsense. 
 
 If he is partial to me, and I know it, why should 
 I try to hide from him that his attentions are 
 agreeable ? 
 
 I believe the foolish practice of keeping a lover 
 in suspense, and trying his finest feelings in every 
 possible manner, is the cause of there being so 
 many male flirts among us ! There are times when 
 man loves to retaliate, and who can blame him? 
 
 In nine cases out of ten, a well-principled, honest, 
 upright, whole-souled man, will be drawn tenfold 
 closer to the object of his affection, if he finds that
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 219 
 
 she confides in him, and believes him incapable of 
 trifling ! 
 
 And thus I have trusted Sir Henry. 
 
 Should he wrong me, the wrong will sooner or 
 later return into his own bosom. If he proves 
 worthy of my confidence, I shall be well repaid for 
 my faith in him ! 
 
 How fortunate for me that the telegraph office 
 was in the hotel, so that I could send my message 
 myself, and no one be the wiser ! 
 
 No one has any suspicion as to whom is the 
 author of my letter. 
 
 There is real pleasure in keeping my secret locked 
 up in my own heart. 
 
 It is laughable to think how the " lords of crea- 
 tion" insist upon it that women cannot keep a 
 secret ! 
 
 I confess, however, to a strong predilection for 
 arraying myself on their side of the question ; yet 
 there are exceptions to every rule, and I consider 
 myself an exception ! 
 
 There are a class of women who delight in run- 
 ning from one to the other, telling not only the
 
 220 MAN'S 
 
 news that they glean concerning others, but also 
 all that relates to themsclvo. 
 
 I am happy to say that this class, either from self- 
 esteem, or love of approbation, are on the wane. 
 It really seems to be the ambition of woman, at the 
 present day, to keep her own counsel, and to de- 
 light in refusing to gratify the vain curiosity of the 
 multitude. 
 
 Women can keep secrets! 
 
 Women can be Masons, e'en though they may 
 not recognize the grip, and have never seen the 
 skeleton ! 
 
 Women can keep secrets, as many a wandering 
 brother, aye, and husband even, can testify. 
 
 To-morrow we start for Aix-la-Chapelle, and from 
 thence to Cologne. 
 
 Minnie has teased me, for the first time, as to 
 the author of my letter, and really went so far as 
 to ask grandpa if he had heard my letter from 
 home. 
 
 Whether he surmises or not I cannot say, but the 
 only answer he made was " he never asked to hear 
 anything which I did not freely communicate";
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 2 2i 
 
 so I anticipate no further trouble. I am sure that 
 Minnie does not dream that it is from Sir Henry. 
 
 MAY 1 2th. 
 
 We arrived in Aix-la-Chapelle last evening, and 
 to-day we have viewed the city, visiting the Cathe- 
 dral as the place of highest interest. 
 
 This is remarkable not only for its beauty, but 
 for containing the tomb of Charlemagne, which is 
 in the centre of the building, and bearing upon it 
 the inscription, " CAROLO MAGNO." On the west 
 end of the building is a tower where relics are 
 kept, which are so sacred that they are exposed 
 only to the public gaze once in seven years, and 
 then from the gallery of the tower. 
 
 For four francs each, we were allowed a mo- 
 mentary gaze into the chest which contained these 
 relics. 
 
 The bone of Charlemagne's arm is encased in a 
 crystal framework, the plates of which are joined 
 together by bands of gold ; his skull, which vulgar 
 hands have polished brown and glistening, is en- 
 i in a huge head of silver; his hunting-horn, 
 made of an elephant's tooth, lies by the side of the
 
 222 MAX'S 
 
 head ; the cross which he wore suspended from 
 his neck ; two admirable silver shrines, incrustcd 
 with gold and jewels, and the bas-relief in gold 
 which adorned the marble arm-chair of the great 
 Emperor. 
 
 This city was the birthplace and favorite resi- 
 dence of Charlemagne. 
 
 For a long time the German Emperors were 
 crowned here, and many of their portraits, together 
 with the marble chair of Charlemagne,, are yet to 
 be seen. The Cupola once adorned with the cele- 
 brated granite pillars of the Empress Helena, which 
 Leo Third consecrated, was surrounded by three 
 hundred and sixty-five bishops, among whom were 
 two, who, according to the legend, rose from their 
 tombs to replace their absent brethren ! 
 
 To-morrow we visit Cologne, and from there we 
 shall proceed to Berlin. 
 
 IIow I wish that time would permit us to visit 
 Manhcim, the place of Schiller's youth ; Worms, 
 where Martin Luther, the hero of the Reformation, 
 was consecrated ; Bonn, the birthplace of the emi- 
 nent Beethoven ; Frankfort, where Goethe was born !
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 223 
 
 THURSDAY, 10 P. M. 
 
 We arrived in Cologne this morning. This lovely 
 place is situated on the left bank of the famous 
 Rhine, and is connected with the opposite shore by 
 a bridge of boats, nearly fourteen hundred feet in 
 length. 
 
 Grandpa informed us that it received its name 
 from Agrippina, wife of the Emperor Claudius, and 
 mother of Xero. 
 
 This is where the celebrated Cologne water is 
 made ; and I am told that they have thirty manu- 
 factories employed in this work. 
 
 Cologne is famous mostly for its monuments, the 
 most remarkable of which are its churches. 
 
 St. Peter's, with its famous altar-piece, repre- 
 senting the crucifixion of St. Peter, by Rubens, who 
 presented it to the church in which he was bap- 
 tized ; St. Ursula's, with the ashes of the eleven 
 thousand virgins in its golden chamber ; St. Pan- 
 thalcons, witli the tomb of Theophania, the Empress 
 of Otlio the Second ; and the great Cathedral, which 
 is considered one of the finest Gothic works in 
 existence. 
 
 The heart of Maria de Medici is buried under a
 
 224 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 slab in the pavement. She was the wife of Henry 
 Fourth of France, and died in Cologne, in the 
 same house where Rubens was born. 
 
 FRIDAY, 9 p. M. 
 
 We are passing the night in Hanover, and shall 
 dine to-morrow at Magdeburg, the town in which 
 was the celebrated Franciscan school, where Luther 
 supported himself for a year by singing in the 
 streets. 
 
 Hanover was the birthplace of Herschel ! 
 
 MAY' 1 6th. 
 
 We arrived in Berlin about six o'clock last even- 
 ing. This place is surrounded by a nearly circular 
 wall, of more than ten miles, with seventeen large 
 gates, and two small ones. 
 
 The Brandeburg Gate is remarkablejbr its archi- 
 tectural beauty, and the statue of Victory, driving 
 four horses, the whole of copper. Among the 
 statues in the public squares and places, I was" the 
 most delighted with an equestrian statue of Fred- 
 erick the Great.
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 225 
 
 The palaces are remarkable, ->- the royal palace 
 containing over six hundred rooms and saloons. 
 
 The old museum is a gallery of pictures and 
 antique vases ; the new one, opposite the King's 
 Palace, is one of the finest in the world, comprising 
 the Egyptian museum, arrayed and enriched by the 
 celebrated Lepsius ; a gallery of pictures and stat- 
 uary, and the celebrated frescoes of Kaulbach in the 
 stairway. 
 
 The armory is undoubtedly the finest in Europe. 
 
 I received a letter from ma to-day. Among other 
 news, she writes that pa has given up the house in 
 Harlem, and taken one on West i39th Street, New 
 York. 
 
 It appears that Mr. Vernon wrote pa the day after 
 I sailed, informing him that he desired the services 
 of a good lawyer, to substantiate some claims that 
 he had found in Kentucky ; and as he wished to 
 place it in the hands of some one in whom he could 
 place implicit confidence, he was anxious that pa 
 should undertake the job ! 
 
 As pa found it would be much more convenient 
 for him to be in the city, he took a house there, 
 15
 
 226 A/AX'S WRONGS; 
 
 as soon as he had apprised Sir Henry of his wil- 
 lingness to attend to the business. 
 
 On Sir Henry's receiving pa's letter accepting his 
 offer, he enclosed, in return, a check for a thousand 
 dollars, as retaining fee ! 
 
 With what a delicate, generous soul Sir Henry 
 is possessed ! As if pa would need, or ask a 
 retaining' fee, with his poor, scanty income ! 
 
 If he is successful, it may be the means of placing 
 him in the position to which he is entitled, the 
 head of the bar. 
 
 Pa may be a Judge yet, Secretary of State, 
 perhaps! Who knows? 
 
 Minnie continues to studiously avoid mentioning 
 , Sir Henry, whether from the fact that Arthur has 
 confided his own secret belief to her, and she wishes 
 to prove worthy his confidence, or that she feels 
 him to be so entirely out of my reach that she will 
 not waste words in badinage, I know not! 
 
 MAY 2 1 st. 
 
 We arrived in Vienna this evening, en route for 
 Venice. \Ve passed a few hours in Dresden, the
 
 OK, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 227 
 
 Florence of Germany, and a .day and night in 
 Prague. 
 
 We met, at the latter place, Edward Hamilton, an 
 elder brother of Harry's, who was travelling for his 
 health. 
 
 lie is tall, well formed and stylish-looking, and, 
 what is best, he is very highly cultivated ! 
 
 He appeared very much pleased at the meeting, 
 and exerted himself to be agreeable. He gallanted 
 us around to see the lions of the place, and seemed 
 never to weary of pointing out any object that was 
 worthy of notice. 
 
 He tendered Minnie his warmest congratulations 
 on her engagement with -Arthur. The time had not 
 arrived for me to receive congratulations. 
 
 I thought how great would be their astonishment, 
 could they know even a tithe of my cherished 
 secret. 
 
 Never did I find it harder to hold a tight rein 
 on my unruly member ; but I shall receive the 
 reward of my patience yet ! 
 
 In the evening Mr. Hamilton and grandpa had 
 a short discussion on the " Woman's Rights " ques- 
 tion ! I think Mr. Hamilton inclines to the belief
 
 2-S MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 that women should have the right of ballot, but 
 grandpa, who is bitterly opposed to it, cornered 
 him completely ; and I really think, if they could 
 be in company for a week or two, he would finally 
 r.gree with grandpa. 
 
 For the first time I ventured to engage in the 
 argument! I found that Mr. Hamilton agreed with 
 me in maintaining that woman's sphere was emphat- 
 ically, from her physical organization, designed to 
 be unobtrusive and quiet. 
 
 "Yes!" said Mr. Hamilton, "this is very true.; 
 still, if woman was intellectually educated for public 
 life, she would be intellectually fitted for it. You 
 know, Miss Manton, that even Bonaparte feared the 
 political influence of a Madame de Stael, as much as 
 of any man in his realm." 
 
 " Certainly," I replied ; " I do not argue the 
 question of woman's superiority or inferiority of 
 intellect, but simply my belief that woman has her 
 sphere. The moment that she leaves the place 
 which God designed and fitted her for, and places 
 herself amid the confusion and distracting elements 
 of political life, she sacrifices those gentle qualities 
 that have ever been her charm and loveliness. Her
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 229 
 
 destiny has, by a holy law, been fixed ; when rightly 
 educated, she is fitted for her sphere, and ivhen she 
 keeps in it, she is happy in the fulfilment of her 
 
 duty." 
 
 
 " Oh ! " said grandpa, " if the women of our land, 
 
 instead of wasting their time in arguing as to the 
 right of ballot, which they never can obtain, if 
 these very women would institute a different kind 
 of reform, they would immortalize themselves. 
 
 " Could they prevail on the mothers of the present 
 age, who, with few exceptions, provided their means 
 allow, delegate the early influencing and educating 
 of their children to the daughters of the Erin Isle, 
 if they could prevail upon them to undertake the 
 care and education of their children themselves, it 
 would be the next step, at least, to depositing their 
 own vote in the ballot-box. 
 
 "The mother's influence is felt by the lawgivers 
 and legislators of our land. It is she that moulds 
 them, that instils into them her own views and pref- 
 erences. The mother's influence over her children 
 is universally admitted. What a responsibility is 
 resting on our women ! How much of the dissipa- 
 tion of the present age is laid at her door, for the
 
 230 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 non-fulfilment of her duties ! Will not some of the 
 more noble-minded come to the rescue, and institute 
 reform in this particular? 
 
 " I recollect," continued grandpa, " reading a short 
 paragraph from one of our Southern writers on this 
 subject, which I think worth remembering. After 
 comparing 'women's rights' to a ' mental ignis 
 fatiiusj the writer says: 'Let woman keep her 
 head and heart clear from all that may cause her 
 to lose sight of her true destiny, and be content to 
 be the keystone in that beautiful temple of liberty, 
 designed and executed by those noble spirits who 
 risked all in its erection ; for to her is intrusted 
 the training of the heart and head of those -who 
 are to guard this model fabric ! ' ' 
 
 Oh, that women would check that restless, fever- 
 ish excitement to be what they are not, and to 
 change what is, for an uncertain future that may 
 break up and destroy the whole fabric of our social 
 life! 
 
 Vienna is divided into the old and new city; but, 
 contrary to the general rule in modern cities, the 
 old city is the more fashionable of the two. 
 
 Its streets are compared to a spider's web, nidi-
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 
 
 231 
 
 ating from a central point, near the cathedral of St. 
 Stephen. 
 
 The streets are narrow, but the houses are lofty. 
 The Emperor's palace is an ancient, vast, irregular 
 structure. 
 
 We visited the imperial library, which contains 
 nearly four hundred thousand volumes, and nearly 
 three hundred thousand engravings, being one of 
 the largest and finest collections in the world. 
 
 We visited the cabinet of minerals, where we saw 
 an aerolite weighing seventy-one pounds, which fell 
 to the earth in Croatia, in 1751. 
 
 The great cathedral is the finest specimen of Gothic 
 architecture in the world. 
 
 Its bell, cast from cannons taken from the besieg- 
 ing Turks, weighs nineteen tons ! 
 
 JUNE ist. 
 
 We arrived safely in Venice last evening. On 
 our way from Vienna we passed through Marburg. 
 We had only time, while there, to refresh ourselves 
 with a lunch. 
 
 How much I desired to visit the ancient castle of 
 the landgrave of Hesse, where the famous religious 
 conference took place between Luther and Zwinglii !
 
 2 3 2 MAN'S WROXGS; 
 
 Minnie and I are feeling as free from fatigue as 
 when \ve first started upon our tour. 
 
 Can it be the thought of happiness in store that 
 buoys our spirits up? 
 
 " Here is a new arrival," said Minnie, who was 
 just then looking out of the window ; " and, as I 
 live, here is Arthur 1 " 
 
 How my heart leaped to my throat ! And then, 
 as she made no farther comment, and I thought he 
 was alone, I was seized with sudden faintness. 
 
 "Why, Kate, what has come over you?" asked 
 Minnie. 
 
 " Nothing," I replied ; " it may be fatigue." But 
 at this moment the waiter tapped on the door, and 
 informed Miss Manton that there was a gentleman 
 wishing to see her in number fifteen. I glanced at 
 Minnie ; but her face was stolid, so far as evincing 
 any suspicion as to whom it could be was concerned. 
 
 As I entered the room, Sir Henry, for it was 
 he, came forth to meet me, and, before I could 
 recover from my surprise, he clasped me to his 
 heart ! 
 
 "You must not, Sir Henry," said I, trembling so 
 I could scarcely stand.
 
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 233 
 
 "And why not, my darling? Are you not my 
 own sweet love? 
 
 " Did not the blessed little word Yes, that flashed 
 across the mighty cable, place the rivet in that chain 
 between our hearts that needed but that little word 
 to render it indissoluble forever? 
 
 " Away with your cold, formal engagements. 
 True love knows no form ! If a form must be 
 used, it is only to the exacting papa or to the 
 punctilious mamma. 
 
 "No, my darling Kate, I knew your heart was 
 mine, the first eve I met you at Mr. Maverick's. I 
 read it the moment I asked you if I had seen you 
 in the horse-car, and mine was yours in return. 
 
 " The first cause that drew you to me was your 
 kindness to the poor woman ; for, thought I, any 
 lady, who in this age of selfishness and incivility is 
 willing to rise in so kind and modest a manner to 
 give her seat to another lady, and a poor one also, 
 must have some innate goodness ; and when you 
 accepted my proffered seat, I read in your dear eyes 
 that I was not mistaken ; you had a soul, and in 
 that glance our souls had interchanged feelings which 
 must ripen into closer intimacy.
 
 234 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 "I was persuaded firmly, darling Kate, from that 
 moment, that I had found my second self; and I was 
 not mistaken ! You were constantly in my mind. 
 The face of each lady that I passed was scanned, 
 with the hope of meeting you again. Judge of my 
 complete surprise when I saw you in the barouche 
 with the beautiful Miss Maverick ! 
 
 " Yes ! it was I, dear Kate, who urged Arthur to 
 call upon Miss Maverick on that well-remembered 
 evening, trusting that if I did not meet you, I could 
 at least discover your name and residence ; and you 
 may imagine my joy, dearest one, when I found the 
 same sweet face there, that had so impressed me. 
 
 " Before I lead you to the altar, precious one, I 
 want you should interchange views with me, on the 
 duties of husbands and wives. 
 
 "This is justice to both. It will be a prevention 
 against those little misunderstandings which are so 
 much to be deplored in married life. 
 
 "If men and women would be more sensible in this 
 respect, if, instead of rushing headlong into an 
 engagement and marriage, simply because they fancy 
 a pretty face, a well-filled purse, or a stylish figure, 
 knowing nothing of the disposition, character, or
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 235 
 
 principles of each other, they would associate 
 together, with the understanding that if on closer 
 acquaintance they find it will add to their happiness 
 to be united in the bonds of matrimony, I think 
 much misery might be prevented. 
 
 " But the custom of the day, and a foolish custom 
 too, is, that when a gentleman has called upon or 
 paid any little attention to a lady for a dozen times 
 or less, every one that she meets must question her 
 as to whether she is engaged or not; and it requires 
 a deal of moral courage for any lady to treat such 
 shallow remarks with the contempt it deserves." 
 
 We remained for half an hour, enjoying this 
 happy interchange of feeling, when grandpa en- 
 tered the room. 
 
 I introduced him to Sir Henry, who informed 
 him that he was betrothed to me with my parents' 
 full and hearty consent ; and asking for his benedic- 
 tion, which grandpa, as he had known Sir Henry 
 by reputation for a long time, most cordially gave. 
 
 After a short conversation, Sir Henry took a card 
 from his pocket, and writing on it a few lines, 
 handed it to the waiter.
 
 236 .1/J.Y.S- WRONGS; 
 
 Wlmt he wrote I could not divine, but as it was 
 no concern of mine, I gave it no farther heed. 
 
 In a few moments, however, the door opened, 
 and Arthur, with Minnie, entered, and then the 
 mystery was solved. 
 
 Such an excitement as existed for a few moments ! 
 
 Minnie knew nothing whatever of Sir Henry's 
 penchant for me ! and confessed to thinking it was 
 perfectly absurd for me to allow him to enter my 
 mind, save as an every-day friend, and this was 
 why she had been so silent regarding him ! 
 
 " You shall have the medal, Kate, for keeping 
 a secret," said Arthur. 
 
 After a pleasant chat, we separated to dress for 
 dinner.
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 237 
 
 XIII. 
 
 SUCH a charming sail as we enjoyed this after- 
 noon. Grandpa thought the young people 
 would enjoy a row, and therefore he would take a 
 nap. 
 
 Dear grandpa ! I think he must have remem- 
 bered his days of lovedom ! 
 
 Minnie and Arthur engaged one gondola, while 
 Sir Henry and I occupied another. 
 
 As we rowed along, the very beauty of the scenery 
 seemed to inspire new emotions of love ! 
 
 " I don't know of any more fitting place, my dear 
 Kate, than the present, for me to give you my views 
 on marriage. The truth is, I am in haste to open 
 my heart to you, that I may be relieved from the 
 suspense which I feel, lest you should decline be- 
 coming my precious wife ! and yet I think it a duty 
 which I owe both myself and you ! "
 
 238 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 How pale my darling looked when he uttered 
 these words. I verily believe, had he have told me 
 I was ever to do his will, without a why or a 
 wherefore, I should have replied, " I know no will 
 but thine ! " 
 
 Sir Henry commenced by saying that without 
 this perfect confidence one towards the other ; with- 
 out we were willing to undeceive each other, and 
 own our peculiar habits, dispositions, tastes ; in a 
 word, as ready to confess our faults as our virtues, 
 he feared we should be obliged to adopt Lady Bles- 
 sington's opinion: "Paying for a month of honey 
 with a life of vinegar ! " 
 
 And, that there should be no deception between 
 us, I must first know that he was of a Jealous nature. 
 
 " I would not trust myself," said he, " to marry 
 a woman that was a flirt. 
 
 "My wife must be mine own; every look, every 
 thought, must be mine ; therefore I could never 
 submit to my wife's waltzing, scarcclv dancing, 
 even, with any partner but myself. Nor should 
 I wish her to desire it even. You may call me 
 weak, dear Kate, but it is my weakness! Is your
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 239 
 
 love for me strong enough to make me a promise 
 like this?" 
 
 When I answered quickly in the affirmative, he 
 replied, " Well, my dear one, I make you the same 
 promise in return, though you may not own to the 
 same demon ! " 
 
 I answered that I should be quite as miserable 
 to see him flying about with his arm around 
 another, as he would be to see me in the same 
 situation. 
 
 "Then, love, I am exacting! too much so alto- 
 gether ; but I am striving against it, and you must 
 be patient with me. 
 
 " I am uncharitable towards the world at large, 
 although my conscience is constantly reminding me 
 that the greatest virtue is charity! 
 
 "There are times when I am misanthropic, but 
 with such a darling wife to gladden my home, I 
 trust I shall rise above this foible. I am quick, 
 impulsive, often saying the things I do not mean, 
 and sowing for myself seeds of repentance. 
 
 " And then, Kate, my sweetest love, the greatest 
 weakness, if you call it so, is yet to be told ; my 
 wife must pet me, must love to sit upon my knee,
 
 240 
 
 MAX'S 
 
 and not crush down all tokens of earnest love as 
 though they were childish ! 
 
 " Say ! can you be happy, my Kate, with such 
 an one as I? " 
 
 "Happy? Oh! Mr. Vernon, you do not know 
 that your faults are as nothing when compared with 
 mine. My only wonder is, what could draw you to 
 such a poor,, weak, insignificant being as I am ! 
 Yes ! weak, vain and frivolous ! And yet, in justice 
 myself, not so much so as formerly. 
 
 " I am learning every day what it is to live, in 
 the true sense of the word. 
 
 " I feel that I am responsible to God for all the 
 talents which are intrusted to me ; in fact, my afflic- 
 tions have taught me that there is no happiness out 
 of Christ. Though I am conscious of my own 
 shortcomings, yet I feel that through Him I shall 
 be strengthened to perform my duty. 
 
 " But no one knows my ignorance as do I my- 
 self. I know but little of the history of the world, 
 either past or present, and I feel that I am not the 
 highly-cultivated, well-informed person that such a 
 man as you should call wife." 
 
 " I have no fears on that score, my darling Kate.
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 241 
 
 When we are settled in life, it will be a delight to 
 study together. If it is agreeable to you, I shall 
 pass the first year of our wedded life in travelling, 
 not only through Europe, but also in Egypt and 
 Palestine. 
 
 " I should like to pass two months in Greece 
 alone, and learn of Homer and of Hesiod, of 
 Sappho and Xicandcr, and of its mighty sons, Soc- 
 rates, Demosthenes, and Plato ! How I should de- 
 light, with you by my side, to stand on the summit 
 of Mar's Hill, where Paul stood, and gaze around 
 on the land where the mighty men of Athens lived 
 and died ! " 
 
 " It would be truly delightful," I replied ; " but 
 oh ! Mr. Vernon, I Feel myself so utterly unworthy 
 such an one as you. I am so filled with faults of 
 every kind ! " 
 
 " And I feel myself no less unworthy, my sweet 
 Kate ; but my conviction is, that no marriage can 
 be consummated with a fair prospect of happiness, 
 save between those who make it a principle to dis- 
 close to each other their true characters. New 
 scenes are sometimes unfriendly to harmony, and 
 these develop new dispositions ; but if there is no 
 16
 
 242 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 intentional deception, they may be successfully en- 
 countered. 
 
 " And now, my dearest love, we will from this 
 moment, God helping us, be each other's world, 
 striving to promote in each other all those Christian 
 graces which will alone render us worthy of the 
 esteem and love of our fellow-man ! " 
 
 "Mr. Vernon, you are the only man Irving that 
 I could love well enough to say, ' Your will is my 
 law.' " 
 
 " And Kate dear you are the only woman living, 
 to whom I am willing to intrust the keeping of my 
 future happiness. 
 
 " I feel that ours will be a happy union ; and I 
 promise here, before God, to be to you a loving, 
 forbearing, indulgent husband ! " 
 
 He then placed upon my finger the most exquisite 
 turquoise, surmounted by the richest pearls, saying 
 that he had departed from the custom of presenting 
 a diamond on the occasion, as this was his favorite 
 stone ! 
 
 I assured him that if he had have consulted me 
 previously, he could not have more perfectly suited 
 my taste.
 
 OX, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 243 
 
 Venice is built on seventy-two little islands, into 
 which piles have been driven ; so that, from any 
 point of view, the city seems to be floating on the 
 water. 
 
 It is divided into parts, by the grand canal which 
 runs through it in the form of an S, reversed. It is 
 traversed by a large number of small canals, which 
 run through the city in all directions. 
 
 They are crossed, so grandpa informed us, by 
 three hundred and sixty bridges! Over the grand 
 canal there is one only, the Rialto. 
 
 It was from Venice that issued the first book pub- 
 lished in Italy ; and, in the seventeenth century, the 
 first newspaper that was published in the world, 
 which took its name from the coin called gazzetta, 
 for which it was sold. 
 
 Our sail occupied so much of our time, that we 
 visited only St. Mark's Cathedral. Grandpa says 
 that Venice claims St. Mark as its patron and pro- 
 tector. More than a thousand years ago his bones 
 were brought from Alexandria, and they then built 
 this church in honor of him. On the top of the 
 spire is the figure of an angel with outstretched 
 wings. This is on the tower which contains the
 
 244 MAN'S WltONGS; 
 
 bell, and is called the Campanile. It stands oppo- 
 site the church, and to the top of the spire is four 
 hundred feet. The cathedral itself is built in the 
 form of a cross. There are five hundred marble 
 columns along its front, of various shapes and colors. 
 On its front entrance are four bronze horses. There 
 are also five domes to the church, the middle one 
 being the loftiest, and in each dome one elegant 
 picture done in Mosaic. The interior of the church 
 is marvellous. The pavement is of Mosaic marble, 
 and, as Sir Henry informed me, was designed to 
 represent the sea. 
 
 It certainly is one of the most magnificent edifices 
 that we have visited ; but in so short a time I could 
 not see half its beauties. I may visit it again, with 
 Sir Henry. 
 
 JUNE 6th. 
 
 We arrived last evening in Florence, which city 
 lies in a beautiful, well-wooded, well-cultivated val- 
 ley, surrounded by the Apennines. We learned here 
 of the birth of a young Italian prince, who was 
 born at Genoa, and that there were great rejoicings 
 among the people. He is the son of the Duke
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 245 
 
 d'Acosta, the second son of Victor Emanuel, and 
 has received the name of Emanuel Filibert, Duke 
 of Apulia. 
 
 This afternoon we visited the beautiful villa, about 
 two miles from Florence, which has been lately put 
 at the disposal of the Grand Duchess Marie, sister 
 of the Emperor of Russia, mother of Prince Eugene 
 de Leuchtenberg, on account of his nuptials with 
 Mademoiselle Apatchinine. 
 
 On the wedding-day the pilasters, doors, windows, 
 and arches were festooned with the richest flowers. 
 The chapel which we visited was gotten up in the 
 Russian style. Byzantine pictures, rich crosses, 
 painted glass, ritualistic candles, in a word, every- 
 thing that could set forth the peculiar rites of the 
 Greek Church were there. Our attendant informed 
 us that the bride, who in private received her 
 mother's blessing, given with a sacred picture, had 
 the picture borne before her as she entered the 
 church and passed to the altar. The bride and 
 bridegroom then partook of bread and wine, as 
 emblematical of their united life. 
 
 Three times they were led around the pulpit by 
 the priest, who covered their hands with the skirt
 
 246 MA.V'S WRONGS; 
 
 of his garment, and chanted a prayer as he slowly 
 performed this part of the ceremony. 
 
 Just in front of the pulpit was a small square of 
 rose-colored satin. 
 
 I asked Sir Henry the meaning of this, when he 
 informed me that it was a custom with the Greeks, 
 and that it was considered emblematical of the lot 
 of the newly-married couple ; and also that the first 
 foot that trod upon it accidentally ( ?) was the head 
 of the newly-formed household ! 
 
 A series of dinners and other entertainments are 
 being given in honor of the nuptials. Sir Henry 
 said that if we had the least inclination to be present, 
 he had only to make himself known, and we should 
 receive an invitation at once. But Minnie and I 
 were so happy in the society of our loved ones, that 
 we cared not for the pomp or vanity of this earthly 
 grandeur. 
 
 Sir Henry whispered me that when I was his 
 own I should be obliged to be present at all sorts 
 of receptions, balls, parties, and such like, and 
 therefore we would dispense with them as long as 
 we could with propriety. 
 
 I suppose some of the young ladies would con-
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 2 tf 
 
 siilcr me -eery weak, and evince much surprise at 
 my taste ; but I had far rather know that I should 
 be settled in some lovely spot, with a few true friends 
 about me, than to feel that there will be compar- 
 atively few hours that I can call mine own. 
 
 But I will not dwell on those features of my antici- 
 pated married life which I contemplate only with 
 weariness and disgust. I have been satiated with 
 high life and its attendants in by-gone days ; whether 
 I shall enjoy it more when on familiar terms with 
 nobility, remains to be proved. 
 
 I cannot, however, think them very unlike. 
 
 To-morrow we visit Pisa and Naples ; but my 
 most intense desire is to explore Herculaneum. I 
 confided this desire to Sir Henry a week since, 
 it may be that he will remember it ; if so, my desire 
 will most surely be gratified. 
 
 This evening, while Sir Henry and I were prom- 
 enading by moonlight, he said I may think him 
 rash, but he was very anxious that, on our return 
 to England, we should be wed at Helm Lodge ! 
 
 lie would telegraph to pa and ma, uncle Francis 
 and brother Frank, to come over in the next 
 steamer.
 
 248 .V.LVS M'ROXGS; 
 
 He informed me that his mother had a strange 
 idea, when she was living ; and that was, to buy 
 and present the wedding-dress to his intended 
 wife. 
 
 " Now, Kate darling, I will tell you why you 
 heard it reported that I was to marry the Lady Alice 
 Irving! I tell you, dearest, that you may feel per- 
 fectly at ease when you meet her ! It was my 
 mother's earnest wish. She is handsome, wealthy, 
 and high-bred, but such an one as I could not 
 love. My mother was so constantly and publicly 
 urging it upon me, that it really became a matter of 
 notoriety. 
 
 " I think the Lady Alice was not aware that I had 
 so deep an aversion to her. She fancies that I am 
 obstinate, self-willed, and determined to have my own 
 way, that for some reason I did not fancy her, 
 and, of course, shew her no particular attention. I 
 always treated her deferentially, and shall continue 
 thus to do. You may feel perfectly free when you 
 meet her ; and show, dearest, as little embarrassment 
 as possible, as you will doubtless be subjected to her 
 criticism and general surveillance.
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 
 
 249 
 
 " But I have no fears for you, sweetest ; you will 
 pass this or any other ordeal. 
 
 "My mother, however, trying to believe that I 
 should eventually wed the fair Alice, purchased the 
 wedding-suit, with diamond ornaments ; a suit for 
 the first reception, of an elegant rose-color of the 
 faintest hue, and pearl accompaniments ; and a pale 
 blue brocade, with Florentine mosaics for the second 
 reception ! This was to suit her own fancy. She 
 knew the Lady Alice was possessed of unbounded 
 wealth, still she must wear them, or whoever the 
 wife may be, out of regard to her. 
 
 " I will not deceive you, Kate dearest, by saying 
 she would have purchased them for any other than 
 one of the nobility, for had she have imagined for 
 a moment that I should have married an American, 
 she would have disowned me ! But she is gone, 
 the dresses are waiting for you to wear them, and 
 how happy shall I be when I see you arrayed in 
 them!" , 
 
 How strange ! how inexplicable are the ways of 
 Providence ! 
 
 It had been one of my chief causes of anxiety how 
 I should procure a wedding outfit, and here were
 
 250 
 
 JLi.VS 
 
 three of the most expensive garments already pur- 
 chased, and waiting for me. 
 
 " Another thing, my Kate," said Sir Henry ; 
 " you will have no necessity to provide anything for 
 our house, in the shape of housekeeping articles ; for 
 as I was my mother's only heir, I inherited all such 
 articles with the house, and assure you that there 
 are chests stored away that contain of such articles 
 enough to last one a lifetime." 
 
 Here was another kind Providence ! I couldn't 
 speak, my heart was full to overflowing. Such a 
 delicate way as Sir Henry had of placing my poor 
 troubled heart at rest! 
 
 " But Sir Henry," I replied, " I cannot be married 
 at present ; I must go back to my loved America, and 
 remain with my kind parents a short time ; and 
 then, please don't be offended, I could not be 
 married by any one save my own dear Mr. Beecher ! " 
 
 " Perhaps, Kate dear, Mr. Beecher might be per- 
 suaded to visit England, and perform the ceremony 
 at Helm Lodge." 
 
 " Well, my dear, kind Mr. Vernon, will you not 
 give me a little time to think of the matter before 
 I give you a decisive answer ? "
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 251 
 
 "Certainly, Kate my darling; but remember that 
 I am a lone man, and greatly in need of my 
 wife ! " 
 
 " Could you not go over to America with us, 
 and pass a month, and then bring me back?" I 
 inquired. 
 
 " Perhaps so, dear, if it will add anything to your 
 happiness." 
 
 Sir Henry then handed me a note from my pre- 
 cious ma, which he said she tld him to give me 
 whenever the time for it arrived! 
 
 I did not ask what it was, for I knew by intuition 
 that I should be required to gratify him ! 
 
 JUNE loth. 
 
 We are passing Sunday in Milan, where we ar- 
 rived late yesterday afternoon. 
 
 This is a most charming spot, " standing as it 
 were on green trees, as Venice stands on green 
 waters," according to Ratimer ! 
 
 The principal entrance to the city is through the 
 gate Tenaglia, by an esplanade called Piazza di 
 ilo, containing an ancient Gothic castle of the 
 Visconte family.
 
 253 MAX'S WROXGS; 
 
 There is a street running all around the outside 
 of the city, called Strada di Circonvallazione. The 
 streets are well paved, but many of them are narrow 
 and winding. 
 
 There are not as many sumptuous mansions as 
 in Florence ; but some of them arc fine architectural 
 monuments, executed by distinguished artists, and 
 containing many works of art. 
 
 The cathedral of Milan, next to St. Peter's, is the 
 largest in Italy. If is one of the most wonderful 
 marble structures in the world, not only for its size, 
 but for its dazzling brilliancy when illuminated by 
 the sun, which gives it the appearance of having 
 been built of Carrara marble ; but it is only the four 
 thousand statues which stand on brackets, or crown 
 the pinnacles, which are of this stone. 
 
 The building itself is of white marble, the pave- 
 ments* being mosaic, in red, blue, and white marble. 
 
 The interior is crowded with monuments of 
 princes and prelates, and relics of saints. 
 
 The Amphitheatre of Milan, which was built in 
 Napoleon's time, would contain thirty thousand spec- 
 tators, and is a favorite place for races, fireworks,
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 253 
 
 and balloon ascensions. The arena can be filled 
 with water, and used for boat-races. 
 
 I remarked to Sir Henry that I could obtain a 
 slight idea of the Coliseum in America, which was 
 being builded in Boston for the Peace Jubilee, by 
 looking at this building. I cannot understand what 
 our New Yorkers were thinking about, to allow 
 Boston to take the lead in such a matter. For my 
 own part, I should have named Washington at 
 once, as the only fitting place for such a great afiair. 
 
 Ma writes that a great deal of fun is made about 
 it, and that New Yorkers generally scoff at the idea 
 of the Bostonians being able to accomplish any- 
 thing ; but we shall see what we shall see ! 
 
 I myself am inclined to think it will be a success, 
 for the Yankees always contrive, by fair means or 
 foul, to accomplish all that they undertake ! 
 
 The Coliseum in Boston is to be a third larger 
 than this vast amphitheatre ! 
 
 Sir Henry informed me to-day that my wish was 
 to be gratified. I am to visit Herculaneum and 
 Pompeii, and to take a bird's-eye view of Rome, 
 lie says we ought to remain a month in Rome to 
 begin to see all the wonderful things there are to
 
 254 MAWS WRONGS; 
 
 be seen. Minnie and Arthur have a great desire to 
 see the Pope! but I think there arc objects of far 
 greater interest that will attract me. Still, if time 
 admits, and there is a good opportunity to see his 
 reverence, I shall not object. 
 
 JUNE i4th. 
 
 I am writing in Rome, the home of the Ciusars, 
 made glorious by the birth of Julius Cassar, whom, 
 having no equal in history as a General save Na- 
 poleon, the highest rank as statesman, as an 
 orator compared to Cicero, as a writer only less 
 than Tacitus, Shakespeare calls 
 
 "The foremost man of all this world." 
 
 We visited first the Latcran church and palace. 
 This was founded by Constantine, and is the Epis- 
 copal Cathedral of the Pope, bearing over its chief 
 portal the inscription, " OMXITM rums EX OKBIS 
 
 ECCI.ESIAIirM MATER ET CAPUT " ; which signifies, 
 
 " Mother and head of all the churches of the world ! " 
 
 At its chief altar none but the Pope can read 
 
 mass, for it covers another ancient altar at which 
 
 the apostle Peter is said to have officiated. In front
 
 OR, H-0.V.-1.VS FOIBLES. 355 
 
 of the church and palace stands a tall Egyptian 
 obelisk, more than a hundred feet high, its red gray 
 sides covered with hieroglyphics. 
 
 Grandpa informed us that it was broken, at one 
 time, into three pieces, and was buried under the 
 earth for centuries ; then it was exhumed, and placed 
 on the summit of the Coelian, where it had stood 
 for three hundred years or more. 
 
 We entered the church, and found it hung in 
 drapery of red. Sir Henry informed me that it 
 was the custom to vary the drapery with a color 
 corresponding to the churches year. Red was the 
 color of rejoicing, and decorated the church on and 
 after Easter. 
 
 The ceiling was heavily panelled, and shone with 
 gilding. The church is filled with monuments and 
 pictures, as indeed are nearly all the European 
 churches. 
 
 The Lateran palace was the home of the Pope, 
 until he exchanged it for the Vatican. 
 
 Most of the monuments of ancient Rome have 
 disappeared. 
 
 Nothing remains of the Palace of the Casars, which 
 crowned the Palatine, but crumbling, beautiful arches.
 
 256 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 The mighty Coliseum, which stands a little to 
 the right, is not more than one-third its former 
 size. 
 
 This immense amphitheatre was commenced by 
 Vespasian, and finished by Titus ; and when it was 
 dedicated, there were from five to nine thousand 
 beasts destroyed. 
 
 I had often heard of this immense building in 
 my childhood's days, but I had no conception of 
 its marvellous greatness. 
 
 Sir Henry said " that when it was first built it 
 would accommodate eighty-seven thousand specta- 
 tors, and that the arena was large enough for the 
 combat of several hundred animals at a time." 
 
 It was founded on eighty arches, and rose to 
 the height of one hundred and forty feet. 
 
 There were nets, made of wire, placed in front 
 of the seats, to protect the spectators from the wild 
 beasts. The seats were built of marble, but they 
 were cushioned. The building itself was of traver- 
 tine, faced with marble, while the arena was cov- 
 ered with sand. Every precaution was taken for 
 the protection of the spectators, as its entrances 
 were almost without number.
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 257 
 
 Subterranean pipes convey water into the arena, 
 as at the amphitheatre iu Milan. 
 
 We had a fine view, to-day, of Pope Pius the 
 Ninth. We visited the Vatican, the residence of 
 his reverence. Grandpa and Sir Henry are so well 
 known, that we have only to express a desire, and 
 we can be admitted to almost any place. The 
 Pope was just going out for a drive, and, as he 
 passed us, he gave a very condescending -bow. He 
 is a fine, open-faced, benevolent-looking old gentle- 
 man. One would hardly think him to have been 
 seventy-seven years old last May ; and yet those 
 who have known him intimately say that he has 
 grown older within the last five years, since he has 
 had so many political troubles to contend with. He 
 has much to fear, and he is aware of it, at the 
 present day. He has found, to his sorrow, that it 
 will not do to " put his trust in princes " ! He is. 
 very liberal in his sentiments ; so much so, that 
 many of the Romanists have expressed great dis- 
 satisfaction at his many concessions. 
 
 The Vatican, the present residence of the Pope, 
 is one of the most interesting and magnificent pal- 
 aces in the world. It is in the north-western part 
 '7
 
 258 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 of the city, about half a mile from the cnstle of 
 St. Angelo, with which it communicates by a cov- 
 ered gallery ! 
 
 The palace appears to be more a collection of 
 separate buildings than one large edifice. Some 
 idea of its size can be obtained by knowing that it 
 has two hundred staircases or thereabouts, over four 
 thousand rooms, and twenty courts ! We entered 
 the Sistine Chapel, and viewed " The Last Judg- 
 ment," a magnificent painting of Michael Angelo's, 
 and from thence into the Pauline Chapel, and ex- 
 amined the same mighty painter's frescoes of the 
 Conversion of St. Paul, and the Crucifixion of St. 
 Peter. 
 
 We next went into the museum connected with 
 the palace. I must own that I am more dissatis- 
 fied than before entering it! So many wonderful 
 things to see, and so short a time to see them in, 
 that everything was forgotten almost as soon as 
 passed. 
 
 There were the vast number of inscriptions, three 
 thousand or more, from ancient sepulchres and 
 monuments; the sarcophagi of Helena and Con-
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 259 
 
 stantia, the mother and sister of Constantine ; 
 the picture-gallery, containing works of Raphael, 
 Titian, Corrcggio, Guido, Veronese, and other paint- 
 ers of renown. 
 
 ^ Great preparations are making here for the CEcu- 
 menical Council, which is to meet here next De- 
 cember. 
 
 It is said to be the first Council of the kind which 
 has been holden since the time of the Reformation 
 by Luther. 
 
 One should take a year to travel in Europe, and 
 pass as much time in each place as will satisfy their 
 desires. It seems to me like sitting down to a table 
 filled with every sort of luxury, and eating your fill 
 for one hour, and then leaving it, to taste nothing 
 for a week. My only consolation is that Sir Henry 
 has expressed the desire that we travel for a year 
 after our marriage. The thought of living with the 
 darling, as my own dear husband, is more than 
 enough, though I may not see the outside of our 
 house even for one year; but when I think of the 
 additional happiness of travelling through this great 
 land, I find the thought is almost insupportable I
 
 260 MAWS WRONGS; 
 
 JCNI; 19111. 
 
 Today I have consummated my ardent desire by 
 visiting Hcrculaneum ! 
 
 We arrived yesterday at the lovely city of Naples ; 
 but my whole thoughts were centred on Ilercula- 
 neum. Herculaneum and Pompeii ! What a magic 
 spell clusters around these exhumed cities in my 
 younger days. Let pa but say, " Here is some more 
 news relating to discoveries in Herculaneum," and 
 my attention was riveted at once. And even now 
 I must confess to the same feelings of wonder and 
 awe, connected with them when a child ! 
 
 The morning was glorious ; all nature was exu- 
 berant, its whole face wreathed in smiles. The 
 bees were banqueting among the flowers, the 
 hills in the distance rising far and blue, range above 
 range, with the silvery clouds floating above them ; 
 gentle hills and valleys before us, Vesuvius rising 
 in the distance. 
 
 After a ride of about five miles, we halted at the 
 ruined city. My wonder and curiosity were suc- 
 ceeded by such an indefinable sensation of fright, 
 that had not Sir Henry been with me, with his
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 2 6l 
 
 reassuring smile, I should then have turned away, 
 and dared not explore its subterranean recesses. 
 
 But I am so glad that I conquered my fears. 
 One must visit the place himself, to form any idea 
 of it. 
 
 That theatre, with its highly-ornamented walls, 
 its floors and pillars of different-colored marbles, 
 the seats for accommodating its spectators, when 
 I sat down there and gazed, and thought how 
 many hundred years ago those very seats were occu-* 
 pied by a people as careless and thoughtless as 
 those who frequent the theatres in our own land, 
 and that they should be buried while sitting there so 
 instantaneously, so surely, with no way to escape their 
 terrible doom, it seemed too awful to dwell upon. 
 
 Then we passed, in the deep sepulchral gloom, 
 along the streets, which were paved with lava, as 
 in Naples. I found that most of the valuable relics, 
 however, had been deposited in the different mu- 
 seums. We entered into many of the houses, and 
 saw the cracked walls, which were propped to keep 
 them from falling. The colors on the frescoed walls 
 were fresh and uninjured. 
 
 Sir Henry informed me that there had been taken
 
 2 6a MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 from the ruins, statues, busts, candelabras, instru- 
 ments of various kinds, musical as well as surgical, 
 mirrors, cooking utensils, and paintings. Even the 
 eatables themselves could be recognized in their 
 charred remains. 
 
 They have also discovered some manuscripts, 
 which are of no great importance. 
 
 Time forbade our visiting Pompeii ; this pleasure, 
 I trust, I have in reserve I 
 
 JUNE 23d. 
 
 We arrived in Genoa last evening, and took rooms 
 at the Hotel Royal. 
 
 Grandpa can scarcely believe it to be the same 
 place that he visited some years ago, with Irving. 
 
 He says that then it was called " La Superla" 
 but he does not think it deserving the appellation 
 now. 
 
 The reason he assigns for the change is, that the 
 elegant palaces fronting the city, the homes of the 
 nobility, are now transformed into hotels I 
 
 These palaces were frescoed externally when first 
 built; but as that was many years ago, they look, 
 npw, anything rather than handsome,
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES: 263 
 
 This afternoon we visited the Palazza Rosso. 
 Here was a fine collection of paintings, by some 
 of the old masters. 
 
 Two of them particularly attracted our notice, 
 the full-length likeness of a young gentleman and 
 lady. Our guide informed us that they were 
 painted by Vandyke. 
 
 If I speak my honest sentiments, I must say I 
 didn't think much of the churches in Genoa, either 
 in style or architecture. One only is worthy of 
 mention, L'Annunciata, which was exquisite in its 
 inside adornings, but rough and unfinished on the 
 outside. 
 
 I felt more interested in Genoa, as it was the 
 home of Columbus ! We tried to find some memen- 
 tos of him, but could find nothing but a monument, 
 which was near the railroad station. It is really 
 handsome, presenting a statue of the great navigator, 
 with the different events in his life represented in 
 bas-relief. 
 
 Sir Henry has just received a telegram announc- 
 ing the death of his uncle, Sir Albert Fortescue 
 Vcrnon, Earl of Somerset! 
 
 Sir Henry sent for me immediately on its recep
 
 264 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 tion, and said that although the hour was late, he 
 must talk with me awhile, as news of the death of 
 his uncle had come upon him so suddenly, it had 
 disconcerted all his plans. 
 
 He informed me that he was his uncle's sole 
 heir, and that he had not only inherited his vast 
 estate, but also his name and title, he was no 
 longer Sir Henry Stuart Vernon, but was now 
 Albert Fortescue Vernon, Earl of Somerset. 
 
 " And now," to use his own dear words, " his 
 hopes of making me his precious wife in old Eng- 
 land were dashed to the ground. 
 
 " E'en though his people had have been apprised 
 of the fact, propriety would not now admit it ! 
 
 " But," he continued, " my precious Kate, although 
 my disappointment is a bitter one, still I will not 
 repine, but thank God that your precious heart 
 is mine, and that with His blessing, before many 
 weeks shall elapse, you will be my own dear 
 wife. 
 
 " It will necessarily require all my attention to 
 be concentrated on the settlement of this immense 
 estate, according to English law, and it will take 
 from three to six months before it can possibly be
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 2 6$ 
 
 settled; and now, my darling, I need not assure 
 you, that tKe moment I can leave conscientiously, 
 I shall fly across the mighty deep, to claim my 
 own love ; and tell me, sweetest, will you be pre- 
 pared to go with me at the shortest notice? 
 
 ' One thought," said Sir Albert, for he says I 
 must call him so at once, that I may become used 
 to it, " extracts the sting from this disappointment ; 
 and this is, you will be able to fulfil your own desire 
 to be for a short time in the bosom of your loved 
 family." 
 
 Sir Albert is to leave at early dawn to-morrow; 
 and at twelve o'clock, grandpa, Arthur, Minnie, and 
 I, leave for Paris, and shall return from there to 
 America immediately. 
 
 JULY 1 6th. 
 
 Once more I am sitting in my own dear home ! 
 
 Can it be that in a few short months I am to leave 
 it forever? I cannot bear to think of it; and yet I 
 have a presentiment that I shall not long leave my 
 darling pa, ma, and brother behind. 
 
 Something tells me that Frank will go to Oxford, 
 rather than Harvard. 
 
 Dear old Harvard ! I wish I could transplant 
 

 
 2 66 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 that with us. But I will not be so selfish. I seem 
 to be like some people I have heard of, "the more 
 I have, the more I want." If pa and ma would set- 
 tle in England with me, my happiness would be 
 complete. 
 
 I shall find no more time, at present, for writing. 
 Seamstresses and dressmakers, sewing-machines and 
 milliners, must now be in requisition ; and yet I feel 
 as calm as if I was to marry an ordinary gentleman, 
 rather than one of the English nobility ! 
 
 If I know my own heart, however, I would wed 
 Sir Albert, though I knew that I should have to 
 live on as scanty a salary as my father's ! 
 
 But the main question seems to be, How I shall 
 raise the funds to furnish my wardrobe? Every 
 article must be of the finest, most expensive kind. 
 
 I have about three hundred dollars, and this is 
 all ! I suppose grandpa will remember me hand- 
 somely. I will do the best I can, and make the 
 money go as far as it will. 
 
 And it is all I can do. 
 
 Minnie has just been in, quizzing me a little. 
 "As if Sir Henry Vernon would think of such a 
 thing as looking at me, a poor drawing-teacher,
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 267 
 
 with six pupils, and my father the Clerk of the 
 House"! How Minnie laughed; and I laughed 
 with her ! I could afford to ! 
 
 JULY a6th. 
 
 Father has received a letter containing a check 
 from Sir Albert for two thousand, on account of the 
 law business. I keep my own counsel, but I verily 
 believe it is his delicate way of providing me with 
 funds. My package contained a blessed letter of 
 some fourteen pages ; an exquisite miniature of him- 
 self, surmounted with gold and pearls, one that 
 formerly belonged to his mother, and also the 
 wedding-dresses his poor dear mother was so eccen- 
 tric in buying. 
 
 Do I believe in premonition? 
 
 It would be difficult to answer; but it certainly 
 was a little singular that this should have occurred 
 in my case ! 
 
 The Lady Alice Irving would probably have 
 sneered at what is to me a very great blessing. 
 
 JULY 3oth. 
 
 Oh, how the money flies! Fifty dollars is but 
 a mite in the balance.
 
 268 AfAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 How are all my wants to be supplied? 
 
 Fanny Hamilton has just called, and casually re- 
 marked that it was becoming quite fashionable to 
 write books in the form of a diary ! 
 
 I wonder if I could bring myself to part with my 
 dear Diary for such miserable pelf as money? 
 
 And yet, money I must have ! 
 
 Money I cannot do without ! 
 
 Yes, I'll try it. 
 
 But what shall be its title? Shall it be the one 
 that suggested itself when I first thought of writing 
 a book, Alan's Wrongs ? 
 
 It may not be amiss ; for the day that heralds with 
 joyous shouts the advent of " Woman's Rights" shall 
 no less surely proclaim, with heart-rending groans, 
 the commencement of 
 
 "Man's Wrongs!" 
 
 AUGUST 6th. 
 
 Minnie called this morning, and brought me an 
 elegant set of Florentine mosaics, for a bridal gift. 
 
 I confided to her my pecuniary difficulties, for 
 I can show my heart as safely to Minnie as to an 
 own sister, and my plan for overcoming them. 
 
 "Why, Kate," said Minnie, "if you send your
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 269 
 
 manuscript to a publisher, you will not learn of its 
 fate till you have been married six months ! " 
 
 " I supposed it would be examined, and I should 
 hear of its acceptance or rejection in a week, cer- 
 tainly," I replied. 
 
 "Why, no indeed," said Minnie. "I have heard 
 of manuscripts being in the hands of the publisher 
 for a month, without his acquainting himself even 
 with the title ! Sometimes they will pass from one 
 publisher to another, till they are so soiled and 
 dilapidated that the poor author is obliged to re- 
 write it, and considers himself fortunate if he dis- 
 poses of it at all. I know for a fact of one publishing 
 house who accepted a manuscript, and paid one 
 hundred dollars down on it, and at the end of six 
 years it was still a manuscript! 
 
 "An Alcott, Phelps, Stowe or Hamilton may not 
 experience such treatment ; but the great mass of 
 writers have need of a large portion of the patience 
 of Job. 
 
 " If the publisher has no place for a new book, 
 he should say so at once, and relieve the author 
 from the suspense in which he must remain until 
 he learns the fate of his writings. I should be dc-
 
 270 MAN'S WRONGS; 
 
 lighted for you to dispose of your Diary, Kate ; but, 
 even if accepted, it would not be published until it 
 was too late for you to derive any benefit from it." 
 
 Just as Minnie uttered these words, Chloe called 
 me, and said " two little girls wished to speak with 
 me at the door." On obeying the summons, I found 
 two of my drawing-scholars. 
 
 One of them, Carrie Knox, handed me a parcel, 
 and asked me to accept it, with her love ; the other, 
 Sue Morris, gave me the tiniest package, and said 
 it was a token of remembrance from her. On open- 
 ing it, I found the loveliest gold thimble I ever saw, 
 with my name engraved upon it. When I unfolded 
 the package, words could not express my delight 
 and gratitude to Carrie and her kind father. Carrie's 
 father is the proprietor of a large dry-goods store 
 on Broadway. My gift was half a dozen pieces of 
 the richest lace, and French embroidery, edging and 
 insertion. Minnie shared my pleasure, and assured 
 me " that the way would be opened for me, if I 
 could only retain my confidence and trust in God." 
 
 AUGUST loth. 
 Grandp'a came in to-day, and informed me that 
 
 it was his wish my wardrobe should be suitable for
 
 OR, WOMAN'S FOIBLES. 271 
 
 the wife of so wealthy a nobleman as Sir Albert, 
 and therefore I was to draw on him for any amount 
 that was necessary to defray the expense. And 
 now my heart is at rest ! 
 
 Yesterday I received an elegant camel's-hair shawl 
 from Mr. and Mrs. Maverick, valued at a thousand 
 dollars ; also a superb gold card-case, elaborately 
 carved, from Laura Jenkins. It is surprising how 
 generous my friends are in their gifts, when they 
 know I am a -poor girl ! 
 
 I learned to-day that my much-admired Mr. Beecher 
 had espoused the cause of " Woman's Rights." How 
 depressing the thought ! I can but hope it is a false 
 report ; for I cannot think so great and good a man 
 would unite himself with such a misguided party ! 
 
 I have also received a letter from Sir Albert, in- 
 forming me that he cannot leave England until 
 next spring, and that I must therefore make my 
 arrangements to go to him, and be married at Helm 
 Lodge, early in November. He will charter a 
 steamer to convey the wedding-guests, and not one 
 of my friends must be slighted. Grandpa, uncle 
 Francis, pa, and ma, have held a consultation on 
 the matter, and have concluded to gratify him.
 
 272 MAN'S WRONGS, ETC. 
 
 Mr. Jenkins sent me, yesterday, a dozen gold 
 spoons ; and Belle brought me an elegant pearl 
 cross. 
 
 I have been talking with brother Frank, and have 
 offered him my Diary, telling him, if he can dispose 
 of it, he may retain all he receives for it, as a parting 
 gift from me. He Ihinks there is too little regard- 
 ing the wrongs and rights of men and women, to 
 make it acceptable. But I assured him that the 
 subject was treated in homoeopathic doses, and 
 would produce a much more salutary effect ! 
 
 If women will only receive the few hints which 
 'have been given them; rise from the degenerate 
 state into which they have fallen, and try to imitate 
 the character of the woman described in the last 
 chapter of Proverbs, then shall we be, indeed, not 
 only the greatest, but the holiest and happiest^ 
 nation on the .globe.
 
 A nnn""""""" //j 
 100 11631?