Year: 1871

sofa, and two big bird cages, and pic
lures on the walls, and splendidly bound
books on the table, and music on the
piano.


The duchess Of Kent came in too, and
while they were all talking / rumaged
about among the music, and soon discov-
cred my first set of songs. So of course
| begged her rather to sing one of those
than the Gluck, to which she very kind
ly consented and which did she choose
"Schoner und Schoner schmuckt sich y
sang it quite charmingly, in strict time
and tune, and with very good execution,
only in the line, Der Prosa Lasten und
Mih," where it goes down to ID, and then
comes up again automatically, she sang
D sharp each time, and as / gave her
the note both times, the last time she
sang d, and there it ought to have been
d sharp. But with the exception of
this little mistake, it was really charm
ing, and the last long G have never
heard better, or purer, or more natural
from any ameteur. Then | was obliged
TO confess that Fanny had written the
song (Which / found very hard, but pride
must have a falD, and beg her to sing
one of my own also. If would give
her plenty of help she would gladly try,
she said, and then she sung the Pilger-
spruch Lass dich nur,' really quite
faultlessly, and with charming feeling
and expression. I thought to myself
one must not pay too many compliments
on such an occasion, so merely thanked


her great many times; upon which she
said, "Oh, if only had not been so


frightened generally / have such long


breath" Then l praised her heartily


and with the best conscience in the world


for just that part with the long G at the


close she had done so we'll, taking the


three following and connecting notes
| in the same breath, as one seldom


hears it done, and therefore it amused me


doubly that she herself should have be


gun ab1ut it. After this Prince Albert


sang the Aerndtelied, " Es ist Elm Schnit-


ter" and then he said must play him


something before went, and gave me as


the chorale which he had played on the


organ. aud the song he had just sung. If


everything had gone as usual, | ought to


have improvised most dreadfully badly,


for it is always like that with me when |


want it to 60 well, and then | should


have gone away vexed with the whole


morning. But, just as if | was to keep


nothing but the pleasantest, most charm
ing recollection of it, never improvised


better; l was in the best mood for it, and


played long time, and enjoyed it my


self so, that beside the two themes 1


brought in the songs that the queen had
sung, naturally enough and it all went


off so easily that would gladly have


not stopped and they followed with so


much intelligence and attention that |


felt more at my ease than ever did in I'M


provising to an audience. She said sew


eral times she hoped | would soon come


to England and pay them visit, and
then l took leave, and down below | saw


beautiful carriages waiting, with their


scarlet outriders, and in quarter of an


hour the flag was lowered, and the Court


Circular announced, "Her majesty left


the palace at 20 minutes past 81"
and | went off in the rain to the Klinge-
manus, aud had the double pleasure of
: pouring out all my news to them to
Cecile.


And I must add that / begged the
: queen to allow me to Dedicate my A mi
nor symphony to her, as that had really
: been the inducement to my journey, and
because the English name on the Scotch
piece would loyk doubly we'll. Also, I
> forgot TO tell you how, just as she was
f going to begin to sing, she said " But the
, parrot must go out first, or he willscreeeh
| louder than l shall sing" Upon which
S Prince Albert rang the bell, and the
Prince of Gotha said he would carry il
! out, and | said "Allow me" and carried
. the great cage out to the establishment Of
: the servants. There is plenty more to


say when we meet but if Dirchlet goes
! and thinks me little aristocrat because
t of these long details, / swear l am more
t radical than ever, and call to witnes:
t Grote, RoebucE, and you, my dear little
t mother, who will be as much amused by
! these details as l am myself.


, A WINE BATH.-An American trav
e eller desiring while in Paris 10 take a
$ bath, his physician recommended wine
e baths In the employ of the establish
: ment was a colored man whom he had
e known in America, and of whom he in
: quired how they could afford to give a
n wine bath for seventy-five cents.


5 "Why, massa," said the negro, that
b wine has been in the bathroom one week
u and that Won are the tbIrty-eiphth persor