t home. The wives
and daughters, sir, of the most honoured of our citizens have no
nomenclature different from that which belongs to the least noted
among us. It is perhaps a consequence of this that Europeans who are
accustomed in their social intercourse to the assistance of titles,
will not always trouble themselves to inquire who and what are the
American citizens who may sit opposite to them at table. I have
known, Mr. Glascock, the wife and daughter of a gentleman who has
been thrice sent as senator from his native State to Washington,
to remain as disregarded in the intercourse of a European city, as
though they had formed part of the family of some grocer from your
Russell Square!"

"Let the Miss Spaldings go where they will," said Mr. Glascock, "they
will not fare in that way."

"The Miss Spaldings, sir, are very much obliged to you," said the
minister with a bow.

"I regard it as one of the luckiest chances of my life that I was
thrown in with them at St. Michael as I was," said Mr. Glascock with
something like warmth.

"I am sure, sir, they will never forget the courtesy displayed by you
on that occasion," said the minister bowing again.

"That was a matter of course. I and my friend would have done the
same for the grocer's wife and daughter of whom you spoke. Little
services such as that do not come from appreciation of merit, but are
simply the payment of the debt due by all men to all women."

"Such is certainly the rule of living in our country, sir," said Mr.
Spalding.

"The chances are," continued the Englishman, "that no further
observation follows the payment of such a debt. It has been a thing
of course."

"We delight to think it so, Mr. Glascock, in our own cities."

"But in this instance it has given rise to one of the pleasantest,
and as I hope most enduring friendships that I have ever formed,"
said Mr. Glascock with enthusiasm. What could the American Minister
do but bow again three times? And what other meaning could he attach
to such words than that which so many of his friends had been
attributing to Mr. Glascock for some weeks past? It had occurred to
Mr. Spalding, even since he had been sitting in his present close
proximity to Mr. Glascock, that it might possibly be his duty as an
uncle having to deal with an Englishman, to ask that gentleman what
were his intentions. He would do his duty let it be what it might;
but the asking of such a question would be very disagreeable to