"--but, the excellent divine, in his annual
attendance on the convention, was accustomed to stay with his
kinswoman, who often pressed him to bring both Lucy and Grace to see
her; her house in Wall street being abundantly large enough to
accommodate a much more numerous party. "Yes," said Mr. Hardinge,
"that shall be the arrangement. The girls and I will stay with
Mrs. Bradfort, and the young men can live at a tavern. I dare say this
new City Hotel, which seems to be large enough to contain a regiment,
will hold even _them_. I will write this very evening to my
cousin, so as not to take her by surprise."
In less than a week after this determination, an answer was received
from Mrs. Bradfort; and, the very next day, the whole party, Neb
included, embarked in the Wallingford. Very different was this
passage down the Hudson from that which had preceded it. Then I had
the sense of error about me, while my heart yearned towards the two
dear girls we had left on the wharf; but now everything was
above-board sincere, and by permission. It is scarcely necessary to
say that Grace and Lucy were enchanted with everything they saw. The
Highlands, in particular, threw them both into ecstasies, though I
have since seen so much of the world as to understand, with nearly all
experienced tourists, that this is _relatively_ the worst part of
the scenery of this beautiful river.
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