A BALL AT MINE INN. 343 



In a short time I found myself ensconced in a dilapi 

 dated bed-room, and an object of considerable curiosity 

 as I ascended or descended the stairs to various misses, 

 young ladies who had come all without chaperons to 

 attend a ball to be held in the house that evening. 

 After dinner, at the suggestion of mine host, and a 

 gentleman or two that called on me, in my shooting 

 dress, for I had little else with me, I looked in at the 

 ball, and was introduced, as far as the very obscure 

 twilight of the apartment would permit, to two or three 

 people, but it was so dark I could scarcely recognise 

 their features. There were some fine girls there, as 

 far as outline went the light admitted of no other 

 perception and the dances indulged in seemed to me 

 to be made up of " quadrilles," " Pop goes the weasel," 

 common English country dances, and " the Lancers," 

 all pounded together, during the execution of which 

 complicated mysteries there was a good deal of loud 

 verbal direction as to the figure from the leader of the 

 band. The friends with whom I had shaken hands 

 often suggested that I should join the dance, but as I 

 felt that that was utterly beyond the possibility of the 

 uninitiated successfully to do, I respectfully declined. 

 One fine girl having dropped a bow I do not mean 

 that she knocked her partner down, but she lost a knot 

 or bow from her dress I stepped forward, as all the 

 Americans seemed not to care about it, and rescuing 

 it from their feet, presented it to her. She thanked 

 me, and the dance proceeded ; and some gentleman 

 standing by me said, " I had set his countrymen an 

 example in politeness." 



