s I said before, you do not
wish to go to any part of the city. Very few people have time to drive
about in that general way; and surely, when you have once distinctly
informed them that you do not design to inspect New York, they ought to
see plainly that you cannot change your whole plan of operations out of
gratitude to them, and that the part of true politeness is to withdraw.
But they even go beyond a censurable urgency; for an old gentleman and
lady, evidently unaccustomed to travelling, had given themselves in
charge of a driver, who placed them in his coach, leaving the door open
while he went back seeking whom he might devour. Presently a rival
coachman came up and said to the aged and respectable couple,--

"Here's a carriage all ready to start."

"But," replied the lady, "we have already told the gentleman who drives
this coach that we would go with him."

"Catch me to go in that coach, if I was you!" responded the wicked
coachman. "Why, that coach has had the small-pox in it."

The lady started up in horror. At that moment the first driver
appeared again; and Satan entered into me, and I felt in my heart that
I should like to see a fight; and then conscience stepped up and drove
him away, but consoled me by the assurance that I should see the fight
all the same, for such duplicity deserved the severest punishment, and
it was my duty to make an expose and vindicate helpless innocence
imposed upon in the persons of that worthy pair. Accordingly I said to
the driver, as he passed me,--

"Driver, that man in the gray coat is trying to frighten the old lady
and gentleman away from your coach, by telling them it has had the
small-pox."

Oh! but did not the fire flash into his honest eyes, and leap into his
swarthy cheek, and nerve his brawny arm, and clinch his horny fist, as
he marched straightway up to the doomed offender, fiercely denounced
his dishonesty, and violently demanded redress? Ah! then and there was
hurrying to and fro, and eagerness and delight on every countenance,
and a ring formed, and the prospect of a lovely "row,"--and I did it;
but a police-officer sprang up, full-armed, from somewhere underground,
and undid it all, and enforced a reluctant peace.

And so we are at Saratoga. Now, of all places to stay at in the
summer-time, Saratoga is the very last one to choose. It may have
attractions in winter; but, if one wishes to rest and change and root
down and shoot up and branch out,