tained by the Misses Norris, presently began. They sang in all languages except their own. German, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Swiss; but nothing native; nothing so low as native. For in this respect languages are like many other travellers—ordinary and common-place enough at home, but 'specially genteel abroad.
There is little doubt that in course of time the Misses Norris would have come to Hebrew, if they had not been interrupted by an announcement from the Irishman, who flinging open the door, cried in a loud voice—
"Jiniral Fladdock!"
"My!" cried the sisters, desisting suddenly. "The General come back!"
As they made the exclamation, the General, attired in full uniform for a ball, came darting in with such precipitancy that, hitching his boot in the carpet, and getting his sword between his legs, he came down headlong, and presented a curious little bald place on the crown of his head to the eyes of the astonished company. Nor was this the worst of it; for being rather corpulent and very tight, the General, being down, could not get up again, but lay there, writhing and doing such things with his boots, as there is no other instance of in military history.
Of course there was an immediate rush to his assistance; and the General was promptly raised. But his uniform was so fearfully and wonderfully made that he came up stiff and without a bend in him, like a dead Clown, and had no command whatever of himself until he was put quite flat upon the soles of his feet, when he became animated as by a miracle, and moving edgewise that he might go in a narrower compass and be in less danger of fraying the gold lace on his epaulettes by brushing them against anything, advanced with a smiling visage to salute the lady of the house.
To be sure, it would have been impossible for the family to testify purer delight and joy than at this unlooked-for appearance of General Fladdock! The General was as warmly received as if New York had been in a state of siege and no other General was to be got, for love or money. He shook hands with the Norrises three times all round, and then reviewed them from a little distance as a brave commander might, with his ample cloak drawn forward over the right shoulder and thrown back upon the left side to reveal his manly breast.
"And do I then," cried the General, "once again behold the choicest spirits of my country!"
"Yes," said Mr. Norris the father. "Here we are, General."
Then all the Norrises pressed round the General, inquiring how and where he had been since the date of his last letter, and how he had enjoyed himself in foreign parts, and, particularly and above all, to what extent he had become acquainted with the great dukes, lords, viscounts, marquesses, duchesses, knights, and baronets, in whom the people of those benighted countries had delight.
"Well then, don't ask me," said the General, holding up his hand. "I was among 'em all the time, and have got public journals in my trunk with my name printed"—he lowered his voice and was very
