per might be heard; but, as a general rule, any deviation from the strictest formality was discouraged. As no one changed places, it often happened that two taciturn persons would sit in close proximity for a whole evening without uttering a word. Instead of modern laughter, volubility, and perpetual motion, the silent seasons of our time were awfully repellent to the young, who nevertheless had not sufficient courage to break the spell. Boys, if admitted into so serene an atmosphere, were required "to be seen, and not heard." Woe to the Woe to the young adventurer who happened to arrive at one of these solemn moments, when only one chair was vacant, and every eye was surveying him from head to foot, and he not knowing how to dispose of himself in the centre of the room! I repeat, woe to such a one, with neck-cloth tight, hands straight and rigid as those of poor Bob Acres in the play, and with face of crimson dye!-woe to this poor victim of Puritan frigidity. At the proper time, nuts, raisins, figs, and apples were distributed; and, for a time, the movement relieved the irksomeness of the scene. When, at about the close of such festivities, things were growing hopeless, some one, having no respect for good manners, would propose the singing of a song. A pause ensued; eyes were cast down. A dead silence prevailed, until, encouraged by a sudden rustling of dresses and the moving of chairs, a voice struck up "In the downhill of life," then "Erin go Bragh," "Fresh and Strong," increasing the volume of sound to an indescribable degree, and "Meeting of the Waters," and finally winding up with "Adams and Liberty," the same tune, I believe, which now bears the title of "Star-spangled Banner." But no response, as in these days of huzzas, greeted the unwearied friends of song. In the course of each winter, there were held "subscription assemblies," — the last one being Washington's birth-night ball,-when were provided sundry huge loaves of frosted plum-cake, manufactured by "the Duchess," * the most celebrated cake-maker in Rhode Island. The work *This excellent woman was universally known in the town, and universally beloved. Late in life, she occupied a small house in School Street, still standing, and there annually entertained three families (whom she had faithfully served, until made free) with a most sumptuous "tea-drinking." She was long a member of Dr. was done in our kitchen, having an ample oven, and required a day and night for its completion. Owing to the scarcity of public carriages in the town, there being but two, - one owned by Mr. Place (an old and highly respected hackman), and the other driven from Townsend's Coffee House, by a young man named Drummond,it became necessary to give early notice of the day and hour when the assembly was to take place, so that no delay in conveying the company to Masonic Hall might occur. The transportation, accordingly, commenced at the hour of 6 P.M., and occupied over two hours. When Pattin's church; and, at her funeral, there were present a large number of the most respectable and influential families in Newport. She was buried in the ground appropriated without distinction to all the inhabitants. A humble slab points to the place of this Christian woman's interment, having on it the following inscription, written by the late William E. Channing: In memory of DUCHESS QUAMINO, a free Black, of distinguished excellence; Intelligent, industrious, affectionate, honest, and of exemplary piety; who deceased June 29, 1804, aged 65 years. "Blest thy slumbers in this house of clay, the company had assembled, a rule, previously adopted, was carried out, that of drawing for partners for the first two dances. By this arrangement, the least comely of the company were sure of dancing twice; and very often they were on the floor for many other dances, their agreeable conversation compensating for any lack of personal charms. Waltzes and polkas were unknown; and hardly had cotillons become popular. I can only recollect the minuet, country dance, and reel. Boys and girls had their amusements and games. Now and then, some ventriloquist or juggler would appear, and announce a series of performances, all the more agreeable in proportion to their inexplicability. CHAPTER XIII. I LEGAL PUNISHMENTS. HAVE given, in a previous section, some of my early recollections of home and school government. In stating, as I propose doing, facts with regard to the methods adopted for enforcing criminal jurisprudence, I shall doubtless, in my inferences, startle a few of my contemporaries, whose memory of by-gones may be less tenacious than my own. An early impression, which experience has never weakened, convinced me, that moral suasion, had school-teachers and parents been willing to use it, would have proved vastly more effectual, in counteracting youthful indiscretions, than the adopted idea of the child's innate preference of wrong to right, and hence the necessity of anticipating misdemeanors by suspicious looks and querulous tones. Now, the effect of this espionage upon children was to inaugurate a |