dervalue the intelligence of this class of English travelers, and
get amusement out of their peculiarities instead of learning from them
how to make everyday of life interesting. Even King, who, besides his
national crust of exclusiveness, was today wrapped in the gloom of
Irene's letter, was gradually drawn to these simple, unpretending
people. He took for granted their ignorance of America--ignorance of
America being one of the branches taught in the English schools--and he
soon discovered that they were citizens of the world. They not only knew
the Continent very well, but they had spent a winter in Egypt, lived a
year in India, and seen something of China and much of Japan. Although
they had been scarcely a fortnight in the United States, King doubted
if there were ten women in the State of New York, not professional
teachers, who knew as much of the flora of the country as this
plain-featured, rich-voiced woman. They called King's attention to a
great many features of the landscape he had never noticed before, and
asked him a great many questions about farming and stock and wages
that he could not answer. It appeared that Mr. Stanley Stubbs,
Stoke-Cruden--for that was the name and address of the present
discoverers of America--had a herd of short-horns, and that Mrs. Stubbs
was even more familiar with the herd-book than her husband. But before
the fact had enabled King to settle the position of his new acquaintance
satisfactorily to himself, Mrs. Stubbs upset his estimate by quoting
Tennyson.

"Your great English poet is very much read here," King said, by way of
being agreeable.

"So we have heard," replied Mrs. Stubbs. "Mr. Stubbs reads Tennyson
beautifully. He has thought of giving some readings while we are here.
We have been told that the Americans are very fond of readings."

"Yes," said King, "they are devoted to them, especially readings
by Englishmen in their native tongue. There is a great rage now for
everything English; at Newport hardly anything else is spoken."

Mrs. Stubbs looked for a moment as if this might be an American joke;
but there was no smile upon King's face, and she only said, "Fancy! You
must make a note of Newport, dear. That is one of the places we must
see. Of course Mr. Stubbs has never read in public, you know. But I
suppose that would make no difference, the Americans are so kind and so
appreciative."

"Not the least difference," replied King. "They are used to it."

"It is