goes the bell; every one jumps up, and away they go
to the dining-room pell-mell, as men crush in for the best seats in
the pit of a theatre. Seated, they devour their food as if eating
against time, and the stranger who cares not to be left a course or
two behind, has to look sharp too. Dinner is naturally soon over, and
then they lounge out in striking contrast to their mode of entrance.
Half an hour at the outside, and the table is clear. I asked my
American friend, a travelled man, to account for it all, striking as
it is in its contrast to the European mode.

"I can't do so," he replied, "for of course here on board ship they
have nothing to do afterwards, and at hotels most of them lounge
about for an hour or two after dinner. It can only be habit; but it
does not hold in good society anywhere in the States, and down south,
whatever the society, meals are taken in a leisurely way."

It is a great mistake to suppose the antagonism between north and
south has died out. Of course I know not what it _was_, but it exists
very plainly now. They are really separate races in thoughts and
habits, and will not easily amalgamate. Courtesy is the rule in the
south, the exception in the north, and the southerners naturally
resent this, both for their own sakes and the national credit.

Will the United States continue for all time as one united republic?
I doubt it, if for no other reason, because of its size. Were all
Europe one united kingdom, should we expect it so to remain? And yet
the cases are nearly alike. Leave out one-third of Russia, and the
two areas are about the same. Nevertheless all works well now.

What to do after my return to San Francisco became a question. My
sons, from all they had seen in America, liked the idea of breeding
cattle best, and thought to possess a good ranche was the best way to
make money. I was inclined to the same opinion, and discussing the
matter after my return, we decided that a ranche should carry the
day. But California is not the country for ranches, and we determined
to go elsewhere. They had both been a long time in Colorado, and seen
many ranches in that state. There, they said, was any amount of
grass, making Colorado one of the best, if not _the_ best, ranch
country. I had heard much the same from others, and Colorado was
eventually decided on. Between decision and departure not many days
elapsed. Our stay at San Francisco had still further limited my
means, there was a r