ey were afraid they shouldn't get their share of
terra-firma! How the cab-men and porters and hack-drivers were just as
independent as the gentlemen and ladies they worked for! and how
showily and gaily the ladies dressed, just to take a promenade.
It was all very funny.
The children and their mother looked with all their eyes; they could
not make up their minds whether they should like it or not; but that
was not the first thing to be considered; they must first decide where
to live.
Mr. Adrian concluded to go to B----, about two days' journey by the
railroad. So their trunks were taken from the ship and carried to the
baggage cars. Little Julien and Victor had nice seats by the window,
and it was very delightful to see the green fields after having seen
nothing but the dashing billows for so many weeks. They felt as glad as
Noah's dove did, when she spread her wings from the door of the ark,
after "the waters were abated." They threw their limbs about, whenever
the cars stopped for the great "iron horse" to lay in some wood for his
supper, as if they were determined to make up for the time they had
been cramped on ship-board.
"Things are not so very cheap after all, over here in America," said
Mr. Adrian, with a sigh, as he took possession of the room that was to
serve them for shop, parlor, kitchen and bed-room. "Well, we must be
patient and industrious; I will put up my sign to-day, and if you and
the children (turning to his wife) are only in good health, I shall
have courage to work."
So the sign was put up: "John Adrian, tailor, from England--all orders
promptly and neatly executed." Then John took out his shears and
"goose," crossed his legs and seated himself with a jacket to make, in
front of the window, where pedestrians could see that he was at his
post, ready for orders.
Julien and Victor, the rosy little Englishmen, didn't fancy much the
small room they lived in. It was almost as much of a prison to them as
the vessel; they liked better to play in the streets. Their mother
looked out the window at them, with a sigh, for her children had been
carefully brought up, and she shuddered at the bad words they were
hearing, and the groups of idle, noisy, vicious children, swarming
about the neighborhood. Oh, how should she keep her little boys pure
and unspotted?
Three weeks had passed by. Little Julien came in, one day, from his
play, when his mother met him at the door, saying, "Run, Julien,
qui
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