Mr. Van Arsdale was this time a little discon-
37 lines✦
he editor broke in : " Student from theacademy, isn't he? He'd better be about it,I should say. They 're going to eat, — d' ye seeMr. Van Cortlandt? Let him lay his pieces atmy feet. I '11 touch him up in ' The Mirror.' " So under the quiet presidency of Mr. Scher-merhorn's uncle, prompted and helped by Mr.Case Barendt, the company was soon devouringheartily. Letters were costly, and a long time comingand going in those days; but letters enough MARBIAGB AND WIDOWHOOD. 123 came to Miss Kate Van Cortlandt, and CarrieDuncan, and Mr. Barendt, and Mr. Parsons, tokeep the town in talking. Editor Van Sandt-voordt, moreover, took more than one chanceto publish, under the heading of two Cupids, a bulletin from the " Tour of J S ^ Esq., and Mrs. S ." She was an eager traveller, and, as young brides do, found every thing freshand delightful or funny; and he wrote as ifevery thing, almost, had the interest of discovery.Descriptions of people met and things seen,where few, in that day, travelled ; sketches fromthe deck of a packet-boat on the canal ; from astage-house at the foot of a hill, or on a valley'sside; from one of the lesser lakes; from theGenesee country, — showed the quickness of « Grace Schermerhorn's eye and hand. Someone, in reading this, may be reminded how a verydear •hand once did pretty work of that sort,under his own fond eye, on just such a journey.He will understand how the husband added towhat she wrote his postscripts, thoughtful or law-yer-like or wise ; and illustrated with caricatures,meant or not meant, in pen-and-ink. So the
✦