yachting--"

Bowing my thanks for these amiable hints, I carelessly observed that
the letter of the Cherokee editor was no sacrifice at all, for the
chief and myself were regular correspondents; I had a dozen of his
letters, and had just given one to Mr. T----. This intelligence
evidently lessened Miss Rowley's excessive gratitude. She continued her
applications, however, casting an eye on her list.

"Perhaps you correspond also with some rowdies, Mr. Howard? Could you
oblige me with a rowdy letter?"

{rowdies = in the mid-nineteenth century, an American slang term for
backwoodsmen or other rough and disorderly types}

I drew up a little at this request; my correspondents, I assured the
lady, were generally men of respectability, though one of them was of a
savage race.

"No doubt; but in the way of autographs, you know, one would correspond
with--"

The sentence remained unfinished, for the lady added,

"I wrote myself to Madame Laffarge, not long since. I am sorry to say
Lady Holberton has two of hers; but although an excellent person in
most respects, yet it cannot be denied that as regards autographs, Lady
Holberton is very illiberal. I offered her Grizzel Baillie, two
Cardinals, William Pitt, and Grace Darling, for one of her Laffarges;
but she would not part with it. Yet the exchange was very fair,
especially as Madame Laffarge is still living."

{Madame Laffarge = Marie Lafarge (1816-1853), French woman convicted in
1840 for poisoning her husband; later pardoned. Grizzel Baillie = Lady
Grizel Baillie (1665-1746), Scottish poet. William Pitt = either
William Pitt "the Elder" (1708-1778) or William Pitt "the Younger"
(1759-1806), both British Prime Ministers. Grace Darling = Grace
Darling (1815-1842), English heroine and lighthouse keeper's daughter,
famous for her rescue of castaways in 1838.}

I bowed an assent to the remark.

"And then she herself actually once made proposals for Schinderhannes,
to a friend of mine, offering Howard, the philanthropist, Talma,
William Penn, and Fenelon for him--all commonplace enough, you
know--and Schinderhannes quite unique. My friend was indignant!"

{Schinderhannes = German bandit chief, executed in 1803. Howard = John
Howard (1726-1790), English philanthropist and prison reformer. Talma =
Francois Talma (1763-1826), popular French playwright. William Penn
(1644-1718), Quaker founder of Pennsylvania. Fenelon = Francois Fenelon
(1651-1715), French Archbishop and