we were directed to a small new _cabaret_, whose
only merit was that we, being its first occupants, found everything most
perfectly fresh and clean; but having been only opened that day, and the
town being very full, everything was in disorder, and there were but two
bedrooms for papa, myself, William, and Thrower.[2] It became an anxious
question how to appropriate them, as there was but one bed in one of the
rooms, and two in the other. However, it was finally arranged, that papa
and William should sleep in the double-bedded room, and Thrower and I
together in the single bed. We called Thrower a _lady_ of the party, and
made her dine with us, for had they known she was only a "help," she
might probably have fared badly.

After getting some dinner, at which the people are never at a loss in
America, any more than in France, we sallied forth to see the town, and
were exceedingly pleased with its appearance. Nothing could be brighter
or fresher than it looked, and the flags and streamers across the
street, and general lighting up, were foreign-looking and picturesque.
Although the town is but small compared with those we had just left, the
shops were spacious and well filled, and the things in them of a good
quality. Hearing that there was a meeting at the City Hall, we went to
it, little expecting to find such a splendid room. In order to reach it,
we had to pass through a corridor, where the names of the officers of
the corporation were painted over doors on each side, and were struck
with amazement, when, at the end of this, we entered a hall, as light
and bright-looking as St. James' Hall in London, and though not perhaps
so large, still of considerable dimensions, and well proportioned. The
walls were stone-colour, and the wood-work of the roof and light
galleries were buff, picked out with the brightest scarlet. On a
platform at one end of the room were seated the Mayor of Springfield,
and many guests whom he introduced one by one to the audience in short
speeches. These worthies delivered harangues on the subject of horses
and their uses; and the speeches were really very respectable, and not
too long, but were delivered in general with a strong nasal twang.
There were persons from all parts of America; Ohio, Carolina, &c. &c.

We made out our night tolerably well, and next morning went to look at
the arsenal, and depot of arms, and were shown over the place by a
person connected with the establishment, who was mo