Theycastanabsurdpoetryoverthelandscape；theyinvitedthemselvestoberemindedofpassagesofEuropeantravelbyit；，andtheyplacedvillasandcastlesandpalacesuponalltheeligiblebuilding-sites。Ashamedofthesedevices，presently，BasilpatrioticallytriedtoreconstructtheDutchandIndianpastoftheMohawkValley，butherehewasfoiledbytheimmenseignoranceofhiswife，who，asatrueAmericanwoman，knewnothingofthehistoryofherowncountry，andlessthannothingofthebarbarousregionsbeyondthebordersofhernativeprovince。SheprovedabewilderinglabyrinthoferrorconcerningtheeventswhichBasilmentioned；andshehadneverevenheardofthemassacresbytheFrenchandIndiansatSchenectady，whichheinhisboyhoodhadknownsovividlythathewasscalpedeverynightinhisdreams，andwokeupinthemorningexpectingtoseemarksofthetomahawkonthehead-board。So，failingatlasttoextractanysentimentfromthesceneswithout，theyturnedtheirfacesfromthewindow，andlookedaboutthemforamusementwithinthecar。
Itwasinallrespectsanordinarycarfulofhumanbeings，anditwasperhapsthemoreworthytobestudiedonthataccount。Asinliteraturethetrueartistwillshuntheuseevenofrealeventsiftheyareofanimprobablecharacter，sothesincereobserverofmanwillnotdesiretolookupontheheroicoroccasionalphases，butwillseekhiminhishabitualmoodsofvacancyandtiresomeness。Tome，atanyrate，heisatsuchtimesveryprecious；andIneverperceivehimtobesomuchamanandabrotheraswhenIfeelthepressureofhisvast，natural，unaffecteddullness。ThenIamabletoenterconfidentlyintohislifeandinhabitthere，tothinkhisshallowandfeeblethoughts，tobemovedbyhisdumb，stupiddesires，tobedimlyilluminedbyhisstintedinspirations，tosharehisfoolishprejudices，topracticehisobtuseselfishness。Yes，itisaveryamusingworld，ifyoudonotrefusetobeamused；andourfriendswereverywillingtobeentertained。Theydelightedintheprecise，thick-fingeredoldladieswhoboughtsweetapplesoftheboyscomeaboardwithbaskets，andwhoweresolonginfindingtherightchange，thatourtravellers，leapinginthoughtwiththeboysfromthemovingtrain，feltthattheydidsoattheperiloftheirlives。Thentheywereinterestedinpeoplewhowentoutandfoundtheirfriendswaitingforthem，orelsedidnotfindthem，andwandereddisconsolatelyupanddownbeforethecountrystations，carpet-baginhand；inwomenwhocameaboard，andwereawkwardlyshakenhandswithorsheepishlykissedbythosewhohastilygotseatsforthem，andplacedtheirbagsortheirbabiesintheirlaps，andturnedforanodatthedoor；inyoungladieswhowereseentoplacesbyyoungmenthelatterseemednottocareifthetraindidgooffwiththem，andthenthrewuptheirwindowsandtalkedwithgirl-friends，ontheplatformwithout，tillthetrainbegantomove，andatlastturnedwithgleamingeyesandmoistredlips，andpantedhardintheexcitementofthinkingaboutit，andcouldnotcalmthemselvestothedulllevelofthetravelaroundthem；intheconductor，coldlyandinaccessiblyvigilant，ashewenthisrounds，reachingblindlyfortheticketswithonehandwhilehebenthisheadfromtime，totime，andlistenedwithafaint，sarcasticsmiletothequestionsofpassengerswhosupposedtheyweregoingtogetsomeinformationoutofhim；inthetrainboy，whopassedthroughonhismanyerrandswithprizecandies，gum-drops，pop-corn，papersandmagazines，anddistributedbooksandthepolicejournalswithablindimpartiality，oraprodigiousignorance，orasupernaturalperceptionofcharacterinthosewhoreceivedthem。
AthroughtrainfromEasttoWestpresentssomepeculiarfeaturesaswellasthetraitscommontoallrailwaytravel；andourfriendsdecidedthatthiswasnotaverywell-dressedcompany，andwouldcontrastwiththepeopleonanexpress-trainbetweenBostonandNewYorktonobetteradvantagethanthesewouldshowbesidetheaveragepassengersbetweenLondonandParis。Anditseemstruethatonawestering’line，theblackingfadesgraduallyfromtheboots，thehatsoftensandsinks，thecoatlosesitsrigorofcut，andthewholepersonloungesintoincreasinginformalityofcostume。Ispeakoftheundressfulsexalone:woman，whereversheis，appearsinthelastattainableeffectsoffashion，whicharenowallbuttelegraphicanduniversal。Butmostofthepassengershereweremen，andtheymereplainlyofthefree-andeasyWestratherthanthedapperEast。Theyworefacesthoughtfulwiththeproblemofbuyingcheapandsellingdear，andtheycouldbeknownbytheirsilencefromtheloquacious，acquaintance-makingway-travellers。Inthese，themerecomingaboardseemedtobegetanaggressivelyconfidentialmood。
Perhapstheyclutchedrecklesslyatanymeansofrelievingtheirennui；
ortheyfeltthattheymighthereindulgesafelyinthepleasuresofautobiography，sodeartoallofus；orelse，inviewofthemanypossiblecatastrophes，theydesiredtoleavesomelittlememoryofthemselvesbehind。Atanyrate，wheneverthetrainstopped，thewedding-