ly with the management of the flute. On this occasion I was
not at all backward about showing off, and I executed two or three airs,
from the best masters, with as much care as if I had been playing to a
salon in one of the best quarters of Paris. I could see that Mary and
her father were both surprised at the execution, and that the first was
delighted. We had a most agreeable quarter of an hour together; and
might have had two, had not Opportunity--who was certainly well named,
being apropos of everything--began of her own accord to sing, though not
without inviting Mary to join her. As the latter declined this public
exhibition, as well as my uncle Ro's offering, Seneca's sister had it
all to herself; and she sang no less than three songs, in quick
succession, and altogether unasked. I shall not stop to characterize the
music or the words of these songs, any further than to say they were
all, more or less, of the Jim Crow school, and executed in a way that
did them ample justice.

As it was understood that we were all to travel in the same train, the
interview lasted until we were ready to proceed; nor did it absolutely
terminate then. As Mary and Opportunity sat together, Mr. Warren asked
me to share his seat, regardless of the hurdy-gurdy; though my attire,
in addition to its being perfectly new and neat, was by no means of the
mean character that it is usual to see adorning street-music in general.
On the whole, so long as the instrument was not _en evidence_, I might
not have seemed very much out of place seated at Mr. Warren's side. In
this manner we proceeded to Saratoga, my uncle keeping up a private
discourse the whole way with Seneca, on matters connected with the rent
movement.

As for the divine and myself, we had also much interesting talk
together. I was questioned about Europe in general and Germany in
particular; and had reason to think my answers gave surprise as well as
satisfaction. It was not an easy matter to preserve the Doric of my
assumed dialect, though practice and fear contributed their share to
render me content to resort to it. I made many mistakes, of course, but
my listeners were not the persons to discover them. I say my listeners,
for I soon ascertained that Mary Warren, who sat on the seat directly
before us, was a profoundly attentive listener to all that passed. This
circumstance did not render me the less communicative, though it did
increase the desire I felt to render what I sai