"Why, Julia! what is the matter? How strangely your eyes look!" My
sister at this exclamation turns round, and I discover that from the
other end of the room I have been gazing at the unexpressive features
of her "back hair," which is twisted in a "pug," or "bob,"--which is
the correct term?--and surmounted by a tortoise-shell comb.

But in the whole course of my numerous mistakes and blunders, whether
ludicrous, serious, or embarrassing, I believe I have never mistaken a
cow for a human being, as was done by old Dr. E----. It was many years
ago, when Boston Common was still used as a pasture, and cows were
daily to be met in the crooked streets of the city, that this
gentleman, distinguished for the courtesy and old-school politeness of
his manner, no less than for his extreme near-sightedness, was walking
at a brisk pace, one winter's day, and saw, just before him, a lady,
as he thought, richly dressed in furs. As he was passing her, he
thought he perceived that her fur boa or tippet had escaped from her
neck, and, carefully lifting the end of it with one hand, he made a
low bow, raising his hat with the other, and said in his blandest
tone, "Madam, you are losing your tippet!" And what thanks did the
worthy Doctor receive, do you think, for this truly kind and polite
deed? Why, the lady merely turned her head, gave him a wondering stare
with her large eyes, and said, "Moo-o-o-o!"

As an offset to this instance of courtesy and good-breeding lavished
on a cow, let me give you, as a parting _bon-bouche_, another cow
anecdote, where, as you will see, there was no gentle politeness
wasted.

The Rev. Dr. H---- was an eccentric old man, near-sighted of