Poins and Falstaff. He makes himself at home and welcome. Indeed,

I may say, this waiter behaved himself to me throughout that supper

much as, with us, a young, free, and not very self-respecting

master might behave to a good-looking chambermaid. I had come

prepared to pity the poor negro, to put him at his ease, to prove

in a thousand condescensions that I was no sharer in the prejudice

of race; but I assure you I put my patronage away for another

occasion, and had the grace to be pleased with that result.

Seeing he was a very honest fellow, I consulted him upon a point of

etiquette: if one should offer to tip the American waiter?

Certainly not, he told me. Never. It would not do. They

considered themselves too highly to accept. They would even resent

the offer. As for him and me, we had enjoyed a very pleasant

conversation; he, in particular, had found much pleasure in my

society; I was a stranger; this was exactly one of those rare

conjunctures.... Without being very clear seeing, I can still

perceive the sun at noonday; and the coloured gentleman deftly

pocketed a quarter.

WEDNESDAY. - A little after midnight I convoyed my widow and

orphans on board the train; and morning found us far into Ohio.

This had early been a favourite home of my imagination; I have

played at being in Ohio by the week, and enjoyed some capital sport

there with a dummy gun, my person being still unbreeched. My

preference was founded on a work which appeared in CASSELL'S FAMILY

PAPER, and was read aloud to me by my nurse. It narrated the

<<BackPagesTo menuNext>>
 
 

peking2008