hours were devoted to Entomology and his ardor became so intense, 

 that, having procured a furlough from military duty, he went to Africa on 

 a collecting tour and visited most of the museums and large private col- 

 lections of Europe. 



An unhappy disagreement with some of his family led him to leave 

 his native country and settle in the United States. He abandoned for- 

 tune and all prospects of preferment and came over with his wife as a 

 poor man. He laid aside all his titular and aristocratic honors and was 

 known among his neighbors as plain Mr. Jenison. 



This was the gentleman whom I was going to visit. I was quite a 

 young man and wanted to see and learn. I had never seen a live noble- 

 man. Since that time, I have seen many with more names than dollars, 

 and more titles than shirts. 



On arriving at the village where the baron lived, I did not at once 

 go to his house. I was covered with Ohio dust and I went to a hotel 

 and spent more time in making my toilet than I had done for months. 

 I thought my appearance should correspond to the occasion. The boot 

 black said that if he rubbed another hour at my boots, they would be as 

 thin as paper, and the chambermaid impudently asked me "whether I 

 intended to wash my own shirt?". "Is soap scarce here?" I rejoined. 

 'No Sir, but it will be if you stay here long'' was the little minx's an- 

 swer, as she bolted like lightning out of the room, just in time to escape 

 a blow from my slippers which I hurled at her head. 



After smoothing down every hair and adjusting my cravat very 

 neatly, much to its astonishment, I ordered a coach and two. There was no 

 such vehicle in the village. I was told that I must walk. Walk! to a 

 nobleman's mansion? That was vulgar but I had to do it. 



I went. The house was pointed out. It was not a palace, not even 

 a splendid mansion; it was an ordinary house, very ordinary indeed. It 

 was located on the muddy tow path of a canal; it was constructed of un- 

 painted boards; pigs, fowls and dogs were enjoying themselves around 

 unmolested. I thought my guide had made a mistake. My fancy had 

 portrayed something different: I had thought of columned porticoes, 

 massive gateways, a porter's lodge and liveried servants. My courage 

 began to rise, for verdant as I was, I was intimidated at the idea of en- 

 countering a learned nobleman in his stately mansion, but if his resi- 

 dence is so unpretending, thought I, his manners must correspond. I 

 knocked. A plain, farmer-like man in shirt sleeves, stubby red beard, 

 coarse straw hat, shoes innocent of the stain of blacking and vest and 

 pants that had seen long and severe service, appeared. 



