Our English wheat is never
called corn, but simply wheat; and the other varieties oats, rye, &c.,
are called by their different names, but the generic term _corn_, in
America, always means Indian corn. It is necessary to know this in order
to prevent confusion in conversation. This woman's name was Margaret
M.; she was twenty-seven years of age, but looked younger; her husband,
James M., was thirty-six.
I asked her whether he was tall or short. "Oh tall, of course. I
wouldn't have had a poor short man." So we looked at papa, and laughed,
and said our tastes were the same. She was a most agreeable companion.
She noticed that I was reading a novel by the author of "John Halifax,"
which I had bought, the whole three volumes, for 1_s._ 6_d._, and said,
"Ah! that's the sort of reading I like. That's a novel; but my priest
tells me not to read that kind, that it fills me with silly thoughts;
but to read something to make me more intelligent." I thought there
seemed no deficiency in this respect, but agreed that the advice was
good, and said that I had bought this for cheapness, and for being
portable, it being in the pamphlet form; and that I was so interrupted
with looking at the lovely scenery when travelling, that I could not
take in anything deeper.
We wished each other good bye, and she wished me a happy meeting again
with our children.
Pages:
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164