any other savage, never stared or wondered more than I did. Of
most things I knew not the use, of many not even the names. I was
literally a savage, but still a kind and docile one. The day after my
new clothes had been put on, I was summoned into the parlour. Mr
Drummond and his wife surveyed me in my altered habiliments, and amused
themselves at my awkwardness, at the same time that they admired my
well-knit, compact, and straight figure, set off by a fit, in my opinion
much too straight. Their little daughter Sarah, who often spoke to me,
went up and whispered to her mother. "You must ask papa," was the
reply. Another whisper, and a kiss, and Mr Drummond told me I should
dine with them. In a few minutes I followed them into the dining-room
and for the first time I was seated to a repast which could boast of
some of the supernumerary comforts of civilised life. There I sat,
perched on a chair with my feet swinging close to the carpet, glowing
with heat from the compression of my clothes and the novelty of my
situation, and all that was around me. Mr Drummond helped me to some
scalding soup, a silver spoon was put into my hand, which I twisted
round and round, looking at my face reflected in miniature on its
polish.

"Now, Jacob, you must eat the soup with the spoon," said little Sarah,
laughing; "we shall all be done. Be quick."

"Take it coolly," replied I, digging my spoon into the burning
preparation, and tossing it into my mouth. It burst forth from my
tortured throat in a diverging shower, accompanied with a howl of pain.

"The poor boy has scalded his mouth," cried the lady, pouring out a
tumbler of water.

"It's no use crying," replied I, blubbering with all my might; "what's
done can't be helped."

"Better that you had not been helped," observed Mr Drummond, wiping off
his share of my liberal spargification from his coat and waistcoat.

"The poor boy has been shamefully neglected," observed the good-natured
Mrs Drummond. "Come, Jacob, sit down and try it again; it will not
burn you now."

"Better luck next time," said I, shoving in a portion of it, with a
great deal of tremulous hesitation, and spilling one-half of it in its
transit. It was now cool, but I did not get on very fast; I held my
spoon awry, and soiled my clothes.

Mrs Drummond interfered, and kindly showed me how to proceed; when Mr
Drummond said, "Let the boy eat it after his own fashion, my dear--only
be quick, Jacob, for