were all in readiness, and I was introduced to their
uncle--a plain, civil-spoken man with a strong nasal twang. The repast
was very good; and, as I had a great deal of work before me, I made hay
while the sun shone. When the rage of hunger had been a little
appeased, I made use of the first belle to inquire if a lady whom I once
had the honour of knowing, was any relation of theirs, as she bore the
same name, and came, like them, from Philadelphia.

"Oh, dear, yes, indeed, she is a relation," said all the ladies
together; "we have not seen her this seven years, when did you see her
last!"

I replied that we had not met for some time; but that the last time I
had heard of her, she was seen by a friend of mine at Turin on the Po.
The last syllable was no sooner out of my mouth than tea, coffee, and
chocolate was out of theirs, all spirting different ways just like so
many young grampuses. They jumped up from the table, and ran away to
their rooms, convulsed with laughter, leaving me alone with their uncle.
I was all amazement, and I own I felt a little annoyed.

I asked if I had made any serious _lapsus_, or said anything very
ridiculous or indelicate; if I had, I said I should never forgive
myself.

"Sir," said Mr McFlinn, "I am very sure you meant nothing indelicate;
but the refined society of Philadelphia, in which these young ladies
have been educated, attaches very different meanings to certain words,
to what you do in the old-country. The back settlements, for instance,
so called by our ancestors, we call the western settlements, and we
apply the same term, by analogy, to the human figure and dress. This is
a mere little explanation, which you will take as it is meant. It
cannot be expected that _foreigners_, should understand the niceties of
our language."

I begged pardon for my ignorance; and assured him I would be more
cautious in future. "But pray tell me," said I, "what there was in my
last observation which could have caused so much mirth at my expense?"

"Why, sir," said Mr McFlinn, "you run me hard there; but since you
force me to explain myself, I must say that you used a word exclusively
confined to bed-chambers."

"But surely, sir," said I, "you will allow that the name of a celebrated
river, renowned in the most ancient of our histories, is not to be
changed from such a refined notion of false delicacy?"

"There you are wrong," said Mr McFlinn. "The French, who are our
instructors, in