mans has the appearance at first of a stingy and penurious spirit. But this is far from the truth. No race of people in the world are more charitable to the poor, or more liberal in the expenditure of their means; but they do every thing in a judicious and systematic way. The wealthiest citizens of Frankfort are as close and saving in their sphere as the poorest. They throw nothing away. Every thing is made to tell; and even their pleasures are conducted upon a judicious system of economy. The result is, the poor are well taken care of, and every family enjoys the greatest possible amount of pleasure at the smallest expense, and without exceeding their permanent income. All are happy and comfortable, and free from anxiety. I am rejoiced to say that Mrs. Brown and the children have greatly improved in this respect. Since the rise of exchange it has become a necessary feature in our domestic system. A brief reference to this portion of our experience in Frankfort will afford a very good idea of the prevailing economy practiced by all German families.

upon their backs and shoulders a torrent of en- | penditures, the extreme cautiousness of the Gerergetic blows; hold them by the skirts of the coat; drag them out of their fortified retreats behind the desks; hop up on the benches to get effective positions, and shout with unmitigated delight when they set the unlucky pedagogues a-roaring with real or imaginary pain. It is a scene of glorious and enthusiastic fun. The teachers seem to enjoy it as much as the pupils; and after it is all over, and the old scores are fairly paid up, hands are shaken all round, and the boys are patted on the head, and complimented for their zeal and activity in this essential branch of their education. An unreserved and affectionate relationship is thus kept up between the teachers and their pupils, and I have never known it to degenerate into disrespect. During the summer holidays pedestrian tours are made through various parts of the country, having in view health, recreation, and instruction. Sometimes these tours extend into the mountains of Switzerland and Bavaria. The classes are accompanied by their teachers, who omit no opportunity of instilling into their minds a practical knowledge of geology, botany, entomology, and such other studies as come within the sphere of their rambles. Each boy carries with him a tin case, in which to preserve the specimens picked up by the way-side. As they wander along through the most beautiful and picturesque parts of the country they sing glees and choruses, make sketches of the old castles, or bathe in the mountain streams. They are the happiest set of beings in existence.

On our arrival at Hamburg during the prodigal times, when we were fresh from California, I was persuaded by Mrs. Brown (rather against my own judgment) to purchase a fine Leghorn hat. It was nicely trimmed with brown silk, . had a stylish twist about the brim, and cost the sum of six dollars. This led to the extravagance of a fine traveling suit of broadcloth to match the hat, and a pair of fine heavy shoes to Know-match the traveling suit, and a handsome walking-cane to match the shoes. Shortly after our arrival in Frankfort this costly outfit was stolen from my room; but by dint of persevering ap

property by paying about half its value in the way of expenses. Since that flush period, now nearly three years past, we have learned many of the bitter lessons of life. The hat has been dyed black, to suit the cold weather, and by Tabitha's own industrious hand thor

ing no troubles, overflowing with health, and in the full enjoyment of liberty, they present a picture of pure and perfect happiness, if such a thing can exist upon earth. Will any one pre-plications to the police office I recovered my tend to say that such a life as this, innocent and refining in all its tendencies, is not infinitely better than the holiday life of our American children? Here there is no dissipation, no encouragement to idle and profligate habits, no morbid and unwholesome excitements. A love of nature in its most attractive aspects is en-oughly lined with the remnants of an old silk couraged. Not a stick, or stone, or flower on the way-side but has its meaning. The beautiful legends of the country are the subjects of song and story. Health earned by exercise brings with it an increased capacity for study. The mind and body are refreshed; and when the holidays are over the teachers and pupils return to their duties with clear heads and strong nerves. In this way the Germans acquire those robust constitutions which are the admiration of the world; and among our Teutonic citizens we find the best civil engineers, draughtsmen, chemists, botanists, and geologists to develop the resources of our country.

But of all the traits in the character of the Germans none strikes me more forcibly than their economy. They are economical in every condition of life. Nothing goes to waste. To an American, accustomed as he is to prodigality in his household, prodigality in his pleasures, and reckless extravagance in all his ex

gown, already worn by the girls, in the shape of black bodies, on various festive occasions. True, it gets rustier and rustier every day, and begins to show symptoms of fagging out about the brim; but Tabitha is a woman of remarkable resources, and declares that by an expenditure of twenty-four kreutzers she can make it hold out another year. In spite of all conjugal endeavors, little spots in front of the thick-stuff trowsers show that there are brass buttons hid behind; and they grow shorter and shorter in the legs; and bag-formations about the knees indicate that their master is a great pedestrian, while the coat-sleeves give evidence of his literary labors. Finding that no further sponging with alcohol or Flecken-wasser produces any permanent effect, Mrs. B. has, for some time past, begged me, with tears in her eyes, to turn these articles of apparel over to our oldest boy, Spenser; but I have contrived, up to this date, to ward off her importunities by

way, and her brain got more room. From that moment she was rid of her headache, though her head became rather tender, and the bandages necessary to protect it from the changes of temperature give it enormous proportions. Subsequently she lost one eye; but all she did was to bind a clean white handkerchief over it, so as to save the feelings of the beholder, and was as happy as before, undaunted in her activity to relieve the suffering in mind and body. The biography of this woman and her exploits

such terrible pictures of Exchange (which she conceives to be a species of earthquake) that she sometimes controls herself for several days, though it is evident she is constantly meditating some scheme by which I may be induced to purchase a new outfit. Weather-beaten and travelstained, the hat is nearly gone; the braid of the coat hangs about it like a gorgeous fringe; the pantaloons clearly indicate that Americans wear drawers; the buttons generally begin to show their shiny brass faces; and the double-soled shoes now have two or three soles apiece, entire--how, she herself poor, fitted out whole housely independent of each other. Mrs. Brown and the girls make some melancholy efforts to laugh off my appearance on the public promenade, to which their attention is frequently called. They profess to regard it as one of my peculiarities, derived from long experience among the Indian tribes of America. With an embarrassed simper Mrs. B. assures her friends that they can form no idea what a queer and careless man Mr. Brown is; that he has a strange attachment to old clothes, and greatly prefers them to new "Oh, he is so queer!" she says; "he thinks about nothing but Indians and camp-life in California ;" and then she starts off into such a labyrinth of reminiscences about our wild mode of life on the Pacific coast as completely to captivate the imagination of her unsophisticated German friends, and lead them entirely away from the point at issue.

ones.

holds-how she brought back to their duties drunken and dissipated husbands and slovenly wives, and saved forsaken children—yes, even managed to open prisons and let out political offenders-would fill volumes. One can easily imagine how proud we are of our German aunt, especially since she has undertaken to be the guardian angel of our own family. From some cause unknown to me she has taken up a notion that Tabitha was once upon a time a very fine lady, who never did any thing but sing and play the piano, ride in a fine carriage, and enjoy all her heart could wish for. I think this idea must have originated in the placid and resigned expression of Mrs. Brown's countenance. How can any body expect this fine creature, so delicately nurtured, to submit all at once to the heavy cares of a household, with but one insignificant little nurse, and seven children, and the whooping-cough, and the measles, and scarlet-fever, and chicken-pox, all in the family, and such a queer, half-civilized man for a husband!-this has been Tanta Sette's governing thought for the past two years. If Mr. Brown only understood a little more German, and if she could understand a little more of his French, she would soon convince him of the error of his ways, and the absurdity of expecting from such a wife all that he expects. But she can make nothing of him; she can only try to lighten the burden of Tabitha's domestic cares; and forthwith she sets about curing the whooping-cough as a preliminary measure.

First, she goes to a butcher and begs a hog's bladder "for charity's sake"-it won't do to purchase it; then she takes half a pound of

I now come to our German aunt on the Professor's side, who lives in the village of Housen, three miles from Frankfort, and whose influence upon the domestic economy of our family will be duly acknowledged before the close of these memoirs. Tanta Sette is a remarkable woman, and would be a remarkable character in any part of the world. She received an excellent education in her youth, and grew up an accomplished young lady. Before her maturity, however, she was attacked with a disease which culminated in a terrible chronic headache, that kept her in bed for many years. She broke off an engagement on account of her health, and is therefore to-day an old maid. Every moment of her life, when not incapable by sickness, she has employed in doing good to every body, and especially to poor people. She brought up sev-rock-candy, also a charitable gift, and puts it in eral forsaken children-among them a poor idiotic girl, of such hideous appearance that her friends almost shunned her house, for she was ever there by the side of that unfortunate girl, tending and nursing the overgrown, silly creat-names. ure by day and by night; talking to her, and imagining there were gleams of intelligence in the few inarticulate sounds uttered by the poor idiot. For fourteen years Tanta Sette nursed that stricken child; then the poor girl died; and to-day, on the anniversary of her death, you may see the old lady, in her neat black dress, carry a garland of flowers to the graveyard, and, with many tears, put it on the little hillock beneath which "her Anna" sleeps. One fortunate event happened to Tanta Sette-thanks to Providence and the kindly aid of several years ago. The seams of her skull gave | Tanta Sette!

VOL. XXVII.-No. 158.-M

the bladder. This done she fastens the precious parcel to a long string, and precisely at sunset lowers it down into a draw-well before her cottage-door, with invocations to the three highest

Next day, exactly at sunset again she draws it up. Through organic influences it has become a sirup; through higher influences it has been blessed with special properties to cure the whooping-cough. In a little brown pitcher she puts it and carries it three miles to town; and with many blessings pours it down the throats of the little Browns. Three days thereafter they are greatly improved; before the expiration of a week they almost cease to whoop; and in due course of time are as well as ever

But the full benevolence and pity of this the health and comfort of the family, in the tender-hearted old lady were only thoroughly manufacture of substratum coverings for their aroused when she heard, or discovered through bodies, Mrs. Brown and her sister Dart exercise her remaining eye, that an event by no means their ingenuity in the matter of external adornuncommon in our family was about to transpire. ment. There never before was such a turning With indefatigable zeal she wandered to and fro and cutting up of old gowns; and it must be adfrom her village to town and back again, bring- mitted that if the stuff does not often bear a ing with her at each visit a bundle of fine old critical examination, this slight defect is more linen-antique shirts and chemises long since than counterbalanced by the fit and style. Many cast aside, old sheets and handkerchiefs and a little girl on the promenade envies May when petticoats of the finest texture. It would never she flaunts by in a silk skirt with flounces, a codo, she said, to have the silken skin of the little quettish little sack trimmed with velvet, open in stranger touched by any fabric that was not front; and one of Spenser's shirts worn à la mellowed by age. Such a monstrous thing as Zouave underneath; nor will that little girl's new linen upon a new baby would not be sanc- mother quite succeed in pacifying her by remarktioned by public opinion in Germany. Then ing that May is an American girl, and only the she set her servant to work upon the raw ma- Americans dress so fine. On gala days no exterial, manufacturing little shirts and swaddling- ception whatever can be taken to May's dress, clothes and such like articles of convenience and for then she wears her Aunt Dart's real Zouave, luxury, so that when the little Brown opened and her Aunt Dart's real lace, judiciously tacked its eyes for the first time to a consciousness of to it, and perhaps a borrowed ring of pure gold existence, it found itself pretty well off as to from the same source. I can assure you my nether garniture. The permanent decoration daughter Mayotta on these occasions is a stunof its outside and upper works has not to this ner. Poor Nina fares worse. Other people's date been deemed necessary. The nurse, in the things on her look like other people's things. vanity of her silly heart, bought out of her own There is not so much millinery work done for money a little white worsted cap with pink rib- her as for May; and when May has outgrown bons, and a thin worsted net for a veil. These the skirts with the flounces, and Nina tries them are put on the baby when it is exhibited to stran- on, they come to pieces and are laid by to make gers; and when thus appareled and wrapped up dresses for Sea, who is chiefly solicitous about in its mother's summer shawl it is supposed to the colors. Necessity is the mother of invention. make a very fine appearance. Nina helps herself. She is a great needle-woman; so she saves all the little bits of cotton she can pick up and works them into sets of collars and cuffs, with neat colored edges which she embroiders around them; and then washes and starches and irons them with her own hands. Many a time when May comes to Aunt Dart to

Tanta Sette does not do things by halves. She discovered that the reason the children caught all the epidemics that were floating about school was, that they were too thinly clad. Straightway she went to work and begged a vast collection of old silk and calico gowns. These, with her own hands, aided by her serv-beg the loan of a clean collar, Nina stands by ant, she fitted and fixed, and dove-tailed, and wadded and quilted, till, in due progress of time, the three girls, May, Nina, and Sea, were amply provided with the most unique petticoats ever invented.

But you must not suppose the word "unique" applies to the colors of the same; for in that particular they outflash the flashiest Balmoral. "They are warm at least," says Tanta Sette, "and nobody sees them." She was right in the first part of her proposition; but the last was frustrated by that element of human nature inherent in the female race. Little Sea, who is only four years old, upon repeated contemplation of her petticoat of plaid, calico, merino, and velvet, silk, satin, and bombazine; with its dazzling patches of green, blue, red, and yellow; its ornate and flowery effects in general, thought it so very fine that she could not permit her light to be hidden under a bushel. To the great dismay of Mrs. Brown, who is a little sensitive in these matters, and the exceeding discomfiture of May and Nina, the delighted child lifts her frock to every young gentleman and lady that enters the house, exclaiming, "Oh, thee my beaufu toatie! Oh, thee my schön petti-toat!"

While Tanta Sette thus evinces her care for

with a nice clean collar on and a pair of beautiful cuffs to match, in the proud consciousness that she owes her fine appearance to nobody but herself, and the judicious exercise of her own talents.

It is pretty much the same thing with the boys. Mitché wears a big coat, transmitted to him from myself over the backs of Spenser and Egerton, subject only to a graduated system of reduction. This coat, though greatly curtailed of its original proportions, hangs down to his heels, so as to hide his (literally) inexpressibles, which are not deemed by Mrs. Brown fit to be seen by the public eye. Egerton sports a pair of my old trowsers, cut off a little below the knees, and carefully spunged with Flechenwasser, together with a jacket ingeniously constructed out of Spenser's last coat. From the fact that there has existed for some time an incurable hole in the left elbow, it has become a habit with the lad to walk on the left side of the street, and to make the crossings with his right hand over the afflicted part of his coat-sleeve. Spenser comes heir to my cast-off apparel without those trying intervals of wear and tear which militate against the interests of his younger brothers, and in consequence, aided by his own careful habits, generally succeeds in making rather

a decent appearance, though he is sometimes And what was the reason that this "sallow compelled to resort to the miserable subterfuge of buttoning his coat to hide his linen.

Tabitha manages excellently. With her placid dignity she always looks the lady, even when she wears her cook's dresses. You must not understand me to say that she borrows dresses from her cook; but she has acquired a certain economical art very prevalent here in the ranks of reduced gentility. When a poor servant girl enters a dry-goods store she is turned over to the youngest hand in the establishment. This youngest hand lays before her such things as he imagines a poor servant girl ought to wear. The poor servant girl selects, and then jews down the young hand a few kreutzers on account of her depressed condition in life. Now, you perceive, when Tabitha wants a dress, and can no longer do without it, she sends her cook down the street on economical thoughts intent. Through the above-described system of diplomacy the cook makes a cheap purchase, carries it home, and turns it over to her mistress, who is thus a walking specimen of her cook's taste which happily coincides with my own most of the time.

MARGARET FREYER'S HEART.

girl” transformed herself so brilliantly for these men instead of these women? Was it the common incentive of coquetry that roused her to animation? No. But in the position of life in which it was Margaret's fortune to be cast, as a general rule, the sons took wider ranges of thought and speculation than the daughters. And naturally enough, as being men, they came in contact with all the contrasts of life-touched at all its points in their intercourse with their fellows; while their sisters revolving in their narrower circle, which custom has rendered exclusive to one class or "set," have little knowledge, and less interest for any other.

And Margaret, an only daughter, associated with her father and two brothers from her early girlhood, partook of their spirit most cordiallya spirit which by nature and education embraced broad grounds. So it happened that she became more companionable to "these men" than to "these women."

So it happened that she stood talking on one of those summer nights four years ago with Matt Dillon and Harry Smythe and Mr. Garruth, three of the finest fellows you could have found at Newport that season, or any other season.

And across the room, leaning on their partners' arms, and waiting for the next waltz to strike up, were some of those fair dissenters, who OUR years ago last summer Margaret Frey- wondered "what Matt Dillon and Harry Smythe

port. She was then two-and-twenty. A slender, graceful girl, whom men spoke of as "that charming Miss Freyer;" of whom women wondered "what men could see in Margaret Freyer to admire so much." I have known gentlemen to come from her presence, where they had been lingering a brief call into a visit, and go into raptures, in the hearing of lady acquaintances, over Margaret's hair, and her eyes, and her teeth; or her color, her form, and her grace.

"Such dark eyes! Such brilliant hair! Such dazzling teeth!"

And the fair hearers would look in amaze. Why her eyes were light-blue eyes. And her teeth so uneven! And she was so sallow; and the outlines of her face so irregular! And as for her color, why that was quite as irregular. When Margaret wasn't under some excitement she was pale as a ghost, and showed great hollows in her cheeks. Handsome! They couldn't see Margaret Freyer's beauty.

Yet Margaret Freyer possessed the power of great beauty. For she was one of those persons who had all the effects of beauty without its perfect possession. So men and women differed about her. To the former, after leaving her electric presence, where they had watched that vivid coming of color, the kindling eyes, the quick flashing smiles, the flitting expressions, Margaret was beautiful. To the latter-women whom Margaret mostly saw, gay girls, who chatted and gossiped over last night's party-Margaret Freyer was only "a plain, sallow girl, rather stylish, but so peculiar!"

garet Freyer."

One of these partners-a tall, slight, and dark man, with a promise of greater breadth in the well-knit frame for the days that were to comewas evidently not so surprised at the admiration as the pretty blonde who hung upon his arm; for as he listened to Bertha's light graceful talk with courteous response of smile, or word, or bow, he shot out from under black brows a curious inquiring look at Margaret opposite.

But Madison Wythe was too much of a tactician to betray his interest to his lady companion. Much too wise and witty to say as he felt, "Who is that brilliant girl across there with Dillon and the rest?"

No, he waited. Went through the long waltz with that tireless Bertha Downes, swung off near the supper-room as the last flute sounded, met Dillon coming out, and made him go back again while he transferred Miss Downes to one of the Smythes. Then at liberty, he linked his arm in Matt Dillon's, and sauntering down the floor, asked,

"Who was that girl you stood talking with, Matt?"

"Which girl?"

Matt had been talking with a dozen, certainly, and this rather widely-put question wasn't easily answered.

"Which!"

There was sarcastic emphasis in this repetition.

"It's my opinion there is but one girl here with whom we can talk for the space of fifteen minutes, Matt."

"Oh, I know now ;" and Matt laughed and it comes to that, you know, you can wait till then looked at his companion oddly. you catch them in the Carolinas, and settle it

'Well, who is she?” Wythe was getting im- in a compound duel. I'll come on and play patient. the second." "Which side?"

He knew, as he lent an ear to a gay little talker beside him, that he was under discussion between the owner of those splendid dark eyes and Matt Dillon. He knew Matt was proposing his acquaintance, and he felt the splendid eyes in a glance of curiosity-it seemed to him like measurement; and he colored so fiercely that the little talker thought she had bewitch-forth? What "thoughts that breathe and words ed him.