242 HOSPITALITY OF INHABITANTS. 



here?&quot; &quot; We farmers in Scotland, finding ourselves uncom 

 fortably situated, desire to emigrate to this country, the ac 

 counts of whicn being contradictory, I resolved to see it per 

 sonally.&quot; The old gentleman descended from his horse, with 

 sparkling eyes, shook me by the hand, saying, &quot; In me you 

 have found a friend.&quot; There was something- in the man s 



O 



expression and warmth of manner so unexpected in this part 

 of the world, that I asked if he was from Scotland. He said 

 his name was Humphries, originally from Pennsylvania, his 

 parents being of Welsh extraction. I was pressed to pass the 

 night at his house, and on declining to do so, agreed to break 

 fast with him next morning. 



I found the old gentleman, and what I supposed two 

 daughters, expecting my arrival. The house contained seve 

 ral apartments, in one of which were some dozens of books on 

 a shelf. Mr Humphries appeared verging on seventy. We 

 walked over the farm, and after partaking of excellent me 

 lons, I took leave about noon, much gratified with my visit, 

 and with the kindest invitations to visit him or his family at 

 a future period. 



On arriving at the hotel, I learned that two Scotchmen had 



called for me, Mr D and Mr B , and I rode across a 



prairie, after dinner, to see Mr D , at his steam saw-mill on 



the Sangamon river. On my return to Springfield, I spent the 

 evening in company with two ladies from New England, and 

 one from Scotland. They agreed in thinking Illinois a hard 

 country for women and cattle, as helps could not always be 

 had. My countrywoman smiled at my objections to the slave 

 states, and maintained the coloured population were not human 

 beings, but inferior animals created for slavery. It was pain 

 ful to hear a lady advance such opinions, who in youth must 

 have imbibed very different sentiments and principles, and I 

 attributed the change she had undergone to her residence in 

 a slave state, and affording in herself an instance of the evils 

 of slavery. Her observations required from me a reply ; and 

 the subject dropt, on my remarking there were many white 

 slaves in the world, some being slaves to their passions, and 

 others to their prejudices. 



Springfield is an irregular village of wooden houses, con- 



