Travelling broadens the mind only when

a man knows how to travel.

In his essay

on The Moral of Landscape, Ruskin says that "all travelling becomes dull in exact proportion to its rapidity." It is not the distance travelled, but the manner of travelling that counts. In the case of the globe-trotter, travelling produces just the reverse effect. In his hurry and hustle, he misses many good things of the country; or if he sees them at all, he sees them through a wrong perspective, and has them perverted in his mind. So he goes back to his country with a lower estimation of other nations than when he started. What he formerly guessed, now he thoroughly believes. What was formerly his idea, now is his conviction, viz., that the American nation is undoubtedly the best in the world in all matters, physical, intellectual, moral and spiritual. He does not, however, remain satisfied with keeping the knowledge to himself, but at once spreads the news far and wide through his lips and his pen; and the people throughout the length and breadth of the land begin to

love their country with greater love, eat their hash and pumpkin pie with greater zest, and drink their cocktails in larger tumblers than before.

Once on board a ferry-steamer in India, at the dining table, I heard somebody by my side ask the Indian waiter for some crackers. The waiter, although he knew English, did not understand what the order was until another person explained that the gentleman wanted some biscuits, which is the English equivalent of crackers. The American word crackers arrested my attention; I at once inferred that there must be some American at the table. I looked, and unmistakably there on my right, sat three young men from the other side of the globe.

They were evidently touring in India, all trotting in single harness, none of them in double. They were all below twenty-five. I had not met Americans for a long while. My joy was immense to see them there. I at once made their acquaintance. They were all college graduates; one of them was from Yale,

another from Columbia, and the third from Williams. Their joy too was great when they heard I had been in their country, and what was more, I was a Cornell man. I asked them the question, "How do you like our country?" right in the American fashion, and they also answered right in the American spirit. I had been so often asked that question by hundreds, nay, by thousands in America, that I thought I would not miss this chance of retaliating upon these three American youths. I made mention of several places of interest which were worth visiting in India, but they said their programme was all fixed up, that they were pressed for time, and they had to hurry on. I asked them if they had seen any Hindu theatres; if they had come in contact with any representative Hindus, or visited any cultured Hindu families; if they had seen the ConsulGeneral of the United States in Calcutta, or their countrymen in the Young Men's Christian Association who could pilot them round; but to none of these question did I get an answer in the affirmative. They had come

half the world over, but they were as much American in their nature as they were before they sailed,-ever restless, but cordial and open-hearted. Two of them were West End Avenue men of New York. I told them that I contemplated going back to America in the course of a few months, so they invited me by saying, "The next time you visit New York, you must come and live with us, if you do not find good food in the hotels.' We spent a very pleasant half-hour together. Then my destination took me to a different train from theirs. I parted from them with a heavy heart; my sorrow was all the greater when I thought that they would go back without seeing much of my country. They would see India as a man sees the Moon. But it could not be helped. You can bring a horse to the pool, but you cannot make him drink.

CHAPTER VIII.

AMERICAN AT-HOMES.

Intellectual

flavour-Horticulturists'

riddles

Hidden cities-The hump of the largest, white, sacred bull of India-Kate's puzzles-Age problems.

When an American gentleman and his wife invite a small party of friends to come and spend an evening with them at their home, they spare no pains to make the evening a very pleasant one, and they entertain the guests as best as they can. There are plenty of refreshments to go round in the shape of ice-cream, cakes, candies, tea, coffee, punch, cider, etc.; and plenty of music, both vocal and instrumental, as every American lady is supposed to be well-versed in the arts of singing and playing, these accomplishments being considered necessary adjuncts to her education. In addition to these items sweet to the palate and sweet to the ear, there is also some food for the brain, which one often misses