d
cranberries, and shall improve an early opportunity to pay my respects
to you," he said, as he bade her good-evening.

"By Jove, Dapper, she's as fine a piece of chintz as can be picked up
at St. James's or anywhere else," he said, as they returned to the
Admiral Vernon.

XI.

SOCIETY LIFE IN LONDON.

On a pleasant afternoon Lord Upperton was once more ushered into the
Newville mansion. Mrs. Newville being absent, he was graciously
received by Ruth.

"I had such a delightful time in your hospitable home, Miss Newville,
the other evening, that I could no longer refrain from paying my
respects."

"It is certainly very kind of you, my lord."

"I cannot tell you how delighted I was when you told me about your
recreations. How charming it must be to go riding in a pung, with a
lot of ladies and gentlemen. I was wondering if I could not get up a
pung-ride."

"We only do that in winter, when snow is on the ground, my lord," Ruth
replied, hardly able to repress a smile.

"Oh, dear me! how stupid I am! Of course not," and his lordship
laughed heartily at his blunder.

"Do you not have snow in London, my lord?"

"Yes, sometimes; but then we haven't any pungs. I don't know what they
are. Maybe they are a sort of hackney or chariot?"

"We have no hackney coaches here, as yet, my lord, but Mr. Hancock and
the governor and a few of our citizens have coaches. A pung is not at
all like a coach. It is, instead, a sort of box on runners."

"Oh, indeed, how interesting!"

"May I ask, my lord, what recreations you have in London?"

"We have quite a variety, I assure you, Miss Newville. We have card
parties, where we play high or low, just as we feel. We have
assemblies, where we tittle-tattle and gossip. We gentlemen lay bets
on the winning horse at the next Derby. We go to Drury Lane or Covent
Garden, and clap our hands at the acting of Davy Garrick or Jimmy
Quin. At the opera we go wild when Mademoiselle Truffi soars like a
nightingale up to high C. We dance at balls, array ourselves as
harlequins and imps at masquerades, and see who can carry off the most
bottles of port or sherry at dinner," said his lordship, again
laughing.

"Are you not jesting, my lord?"

"Oh no, Miss Newville; I am telling you sober truth. It is not
exaggeration at all. For instance, the masquerade which the Duke and
Duchess of Richmond gave on the king's last birthday was so gay that I
can hardly hope to picture it. The duke's v