and excused myself by saying that I should stop only an hour.
At the Colonel's quarters, I requested his waiter to inform him, that a stranger wished for the privilege of introducing himself. The waiter, being a spruce lad of seventeen, no doubt thought much better of himself than of me: it being not easy for one in common life, and of but little experience, to perceive a gentleman under so rough a garb as was mine. The servant probably represented me to the colonel as being either an Indian, or some old hunter from the Canada shore. The first idea might well exist: as, having travelled many days in the eye of a high wind, my complexion had become very dark. But, however this may have been, the servant returned with an answer, which rather moved my yankee spirit: the colonel wished to know whether I could not inform him, through the waiter, of what I wanted. I replied, emphatically, no; and added, tell colonel Pinkney again, that a stranger wishes for the privilege of introducing himself.
Before the servant's return, the Irishman had obtained a brother Pad to come and see the man in fur. After staring at me for a minute, the new-comer said—"sare, ar ye last?" I looked at him with a steady aspect, and replied, emphatically, lost?—lost? The fellow dropped his eyes and drew back, his comrade, at the same time, declaring, in true Irish lingo, "by St. Patrick, ye'd batre mind what ye're about!—that mon has got more sanse in his latle fanger than we've in both of oure hades." This unexpected compliment was no less gratifying to my vanity than contributive to my amusement.
In a moment after, the colonel's waiter returned; {69} and, in rather a surly manner, said, "you may go in now." I approached the parlour door, which was nearly shut; and here placing myself upon its threshold, and gently push-
