ra! what lakes! Room for all ze
world! Hospitalitee for all ze nations!"

"The Frenchman says our country is the most wonderful in all the
world," said Tommy to the portly Englishman.

The latter looked very solemn; seemed about to speak, then made a
long pause as though the opinion he was about to utter was a very
weighty one.

"Poverty to riches, riches to poverty; now up, now down, but the
animating principle always the same,--riches, riches. Wonderful
people! progress! each one living to outdo the other. To-day an
alderman, to-morrow in the penitentiary; to-day my Lady of Lynne,
to-morrow John o' the Scales's wife!"

Tommy had an idea of what his lugubrious acquaintance meant to say,
though the latter's wisdom was rather above his intellectual stature.

"We have no castles in America," said Tommy.

"Castles! No; an American family could not keep a castle: it would be
sold in five years for a mill."

[Illustration: {A STEERAGE PASSENGER.}]

Tommy's face was always very bright after talking with the Frenchman,
but lengthened out during the interview with his English friend. He
usually retired discomforted from the latter, to seek comfort in the
steerage from the lively Italian's fiddle.

* * * * *

There was a bright girl on board, named Agnes,--the daughter of a
Boston gentleman, who was going abroad for a year. She was a social
miss; witty, yet polite; speaking to every one freely, without being
intrusive.

On the evening of the sixth day, nearly all the passengers were in the
saloon. Agnes was asked to sing. She winningly said,--

"I will do my best, if agreeable to all." She asked to be excused a
moment, and presently returned with a broad-rimmed hat and a basket,
and wandering carelessly up and down the saloon sang "The Beggar
Girl."

"Over the mountain, and over the moor,
Hungry and barefoot I wander forlorn.
My father is dead and my mother is poor,
And she grieves for the days that will never return.

Pity, kind gentlefolk,
Friends of humanity,
Keen blows the blast and night's coming on;
O give me some food
For my mother, for charity;
Give me food for my mother, and I will be gone."

Agnes presented her basket to one and another of the passengers, as if
to solicit contributions as the song went on. All were pleased with
the diversion, and it was proposed to have some other amusements
du