EPISODES 417 



feeling heart, for one of her children had caught a Siskin, 

 and was tormenting the poor bird, when she rose from her 

 seat, took the little fluttering thing from the boy, kissed 

 it, and gently launched it into the air. This made me 

 quite forget the tattle about the fine arts. 



Some excellent milk was poured out for us in clean 

 glasses. It was a pleasing sight, for not a cow had we 

 yet seen in the country. The lady turned the conversa- 

 tion on music, and asked me if I played on any instru- 

 ment. I answered that I did, but very indifferently. 

 Her forte, she said, was music, of which she was indeed 

 immoderately fond. Her instrument had been sent to 

 Europe to be repaired, but would return that season, 

 when the whole of her children would again perform 

 many beautiful airs; 'for in fact anybody could use it with 

 ease, as when she or the children felt fatigued, the ser- 

 vant played on it for them. Rather surprised at the ex- 

 traordinary powers of this family of musicians, I asked 

 what sort of an instrument it was, when she described it 

 as follows : " Gentlemen, my instrument is large, longer 

 than broad, and stands on four legs, like a table. At 

 one end is a crooked handle, by turning which round, 

 either fast or slow, I do assure you we make most excel- 

 lent music." The lips of my young friends and compan- 

 ions instantly curled, but a glance from me as instantly 

 recomposed their features. Telling the fair one that it 

 must be a hand-organ she used, she laughingly said, " Ah, 

 that is it ; it is a hand-organ, but I had forgot the name, 

 and for the life of me could not recollect it." 



The husband had gone out to work, and was in the 

 harbor calking an old schooner. He dined with me on 

 board the "Ripley," and proved to be also an excellent 

 fellow. Like his brother-in-law, he had seen much of 

 the world, having sailed nearly round it; and, although 

 no scholar like him, too, he was disgusted with it. He 

 held his land on the same footing as his neighbors, caught 



TOL. II — 27 



