agreeable and entertaining, he is doing
the honours of La Grande Nation, and it stands him upon, that you are
not to go away discontented with the politeness of "the only civilized
people of Europe." Paddy has some of this spirit too, but less on
national than individual grounds; he likes conversation, and leads the
way to it; beside, no one, while affecting to give information
himself, can pump a stranger, like an Irishman. The Yankee plan is
cross-examination outright, and no disguise about it; if he shows the
way to one place, it is because you must tell him where you came from
last; while John Bull, with a brief "Don't know, I'm sure," is equally
indifferent to your road and your fortune, and has no room for any
thoughts about you.

My "avant courier" was worthy of his country; if every word had cost him
a molar tooth, he couldn't have been more sparing of them, and when
by chance I either did not hear or rightly understand what he did say,
nothing could induce him to repeat it; and so, on we went from the more
frequented part of the town, till we arrived at a quarter of narrow
streets, and poor-looking houses, over the roofs of which I could from
time to time, catch glimpses of the fortifications; for we were at the
extreme limits of the place.

"Are you quite certain this is the way, my lad?" said I, for I began to
fear lest he might have mistaken the object of my inquiry.

"Yes, yes--there it was--there was the theatre," and so he pointed to a
large building of dark stone, which closed the end of the street, and on
the walls of which, various placards and announcements were posted,
which, on coming nearer, I found were bills for their night's
performance, setting forth how the servants of his Majesty would perform
"Den Junker in den Residentz," and the afterpiece of "Kraehwinkel." There
was a very flourishing catalogue of actors and actresses, with names as
hard as the dishes in a bill of fare; and something about a "ballet,"
and a "musical intermezzo."

Come--said I to myself--this is a piece of good fortune. And so,
dismissing my little foot page I turned to the door, which stood within
a deep porch.

What was my amazement, however, to find it closed--I looked on every
side, but there was no other entrance; besides, the printed list of
places and their prices, left no doubt that this was the regular place
of admission. There's no knowing, after all,--thought I--these Germans
are strange folks; perhaps th