rl, whose natural disposition must have been
gentle and kind; but her good feelings were soured, and her gentleness
turned into morbid sensitiveness, by having heard a thousand and a
thousand times that she was as good as any other lady, that all men were
equal, and women too, and that it was a sin and a shame for a free-born
American to be treated like a servant. When she found she was to dine in
the kitchen, she turned up her pretty lip, and said, 'I guess that's
'cause you don't think I'm good enough to eat with you. You'll find that
won't do here.' I found afterwards that she rarely ate any dinner at all,
and generally passed the time in tears. I did everything in my power to
conciliate and make her happy, but I am sure she hated me. I gave her very
high wages, and she stayed till she had obtained several expensive
articles of dress, and then, _un beau matin_, she came to me full dressed,
and said, 'I must go.' 'When shall you return, Charlotte?' 'I expect you
will see no more of me.' And so we parted. Her sister was also living with
me, but her wardrobe was not yet completed, and she remained some weeks
longer till it was."

"Such being the difficulties respecting domestic arrangements," adds our
author, "it is obvious, that the ladies who are brought up amongst them
cannot have leisure for any developement of the mind: it is, in fact, out
of the question; and, remembering this, it is more surprising that some
among them should be very pleasing, than that none should be highly
instructed. But, whatever may be the talents of the persons who meet
together in society, the very shape, form, and arrangement of the meeting
is sufficient to paralyze conversation. The women invariably herd together
at one part of the room, and the men at the other; but, in justice to
Cincinnati, I must acknowledge that this arrangement is by no means
peculiar to that city, or to the western side of the Alleghanies.
Sometimes a small attempt at music produces a partial reunion; a few of
the most daring youths animated by the consciousness of curled hair and
smart waistcoats, approach the piano-forte, and begin to mutter a little
to the half-grown pretty things, who are comparing with one another 'how
many quarters' music they have had.' Where the mansion is of sufficient
dignity to have two drawing-rooms, the piano, the little ladies, and the
slender gentlemen are left to themselves; and on such occasions the sound
of laughter is often heard