like those of murdered creatures; while here and there
some charred and blackened giant rears two bare arms aloft, and seems to
curse his enemies. The prettiest sight I have seen was yesterday, when
we--on the heights of the mountain, and in a keen wind--looked down into
a valley full of light and softness; catching glimpses of scattered
cabins; children running to the doors; dogs bursting out to bark; pigs
scampering home, like so many prodigal sons; families sitting out in
their gardens; cows gazing upward, with a stupid indifference; men in
their shirt-sleeves, looking on at their unfinished houses, and planning
work for to-morrow;--and the train riding on, high above them, like a
storm. But I know this is beautiful--very--very beautiful!

"I wonder whether you and Mac mean to go to Greenwich Fair! Perhaps you
dine at the Crown and Sceptre to-day, for it's Easter-Monday--who knows!
I wish you drank punch, dear Forster. It's a shabby thing, not to be
able to picture you with that cool green glass. . . .

"I told you of the many uses of the word 'fix.' I ask Mr. Q. on board a
steamboat if breakfast be nearly ready, and he tells me yes he should
think so, for when he was last below the steward was 'fixing the
tables'--in other words, laying the cloth. When we have been writing,
and I beg him (do you remember anything of my love of order, at this
distance of time?) to collect our papers, he answers that he'll 'fix 'em
presently.' So when a man's dressing he's 'fixing' himself, and when you
put yourself under a doctor he 'fixes' you in no time. T'other night,
before we came on board here, when I had ordered a bottle of mulled
claret and waited some time for it, it was put on table with an apology
from the landlord (a lieutenant-colonel) that 'he feared it wasn't fixed
properly.' And here, on Saturday morning, a Western man, handing the
potatoes to Mr. Q. at breakfast, inquired if he wouldn't take some of
'these fixings' with his meat. I remained as grave as a judge. I catch
them looking at me sometimes, and feel that they think I don't take any
notice. Politics are very high here; dreadfully strong; handbills,
denunciations, invectives, threats, and quarrels. The question is, who
shall be the next President. The election comes off in _three years and
a half_ from this time."

He resumed his letter, "on board the steamboat from Pittsburgh to
Cincinnati, April the 1st, 1842. A very tremulous steamboat, which makes
my hand