erely an onlooker, Donald all at
once capered into the middle of the floor, snapping his fingers and
thumbs, and calling out to the musicians to strike up "Caber Feigh;"
and, without waiting to hear whether his call was obeyed, he commenced a
vigorous exhibition of the highland fling, to the great amazement of the
bystanders, who, instantly abandoning their own pursuits, crowded around
him to witness this to them most extraordinary performance. Thus
occupied, and thus situated--the centre of a "glittering ring"--Donald
continued to execute with unabated energy the various strongly-marked
movements of his national dance, amidst the loud applauses of the
surrounding spectators. On concluding--

"Oich, oich!" exclaimed Donald, out of breath with his exertion, and
looking laughingly round on the circle of bystanders. "Did ever I think
to dance ta heelan fling in Madrid! Och, no, no! Never, by Shoseph! But,
I dare say, it'll pe the first time that it was ever danced here."

From this moment Donald became a universal favourite in the room, and
the established lion of the night. Where-ever he went he was surrounded
with an admiring group, and was overloaded with civilities of all kinds,
including frequent offers of refreshment; so that he speedily found
himself in most excellent quarters. There was, however, one drawback in
his happiness. He could get no share in the dancing excepting what he
chose to perform solus, as there was nothing in that way to be seen in
the room in the shape of a reel, nor was there a single tune played of
which he could make either head or tail--nothing but "your foreign
trash, with neither spunk nor music in them." Determined, however,
since his highland fling had been so much approved of, to give a
specimen of the highland reel, if he could possibly make it out, Donald,
as a first step, looked around him for a partner; and seeing a very
handsome girl seated in one of the corners of the apartment, and
apparently disengaged, he made up to her, and, making one of his best bows,
solicited the honour of her joining him in a reel. Without understanding
the language in which she was addressed, but guessing that it conveyed
an invitation to the floor, the young lady at once arose and curtsied an
acquiescence, when Donald, taking her gallantly by the hand, led her up
to the front of the orchestra, in order that he might bespeak the
appropriate music for the particular species of dance he contemplated.
On a