"I did, Frank, and when the light comes, I will read some of them.
Meantime, I will tell you one or two little anecdotes. I was dining
yesterday with a gentleman who told me this story. He was returning
from England to Boston in one of the fine royal steamers. When not
very far from the end of the voyage, he and some other gentlemen
determined to indulge themselves with the pleasure of giving a
dinner as good as they had every day to the sailors. I suppose you
know that in these steamers the passengers pay a large price for the
passage, and are feasted every day with luxuries. The gentleman
asked the captain's leave to give this dinner, and wished him to
order it; but the captain replied, "I will have nothing to do with
such nonsense. I will give steward orders to do whatever you bid
him; and I don't care what you do, only I must not appear in it."
Accordingly, the gentleman gave the steward orders to provide the
very best dinner that the ship could afford, telling him to prepare
four courses, and adding that if the dinner was in any respect
inferior to what the cabin passengers had it would not be paid for.
The steward was desired to keep it a profound secret who ordered the
dinner, and not to say any thing about it beforehand.

When the day came, the sailors were astonished that they did not
have their dinner at the usual hour. Presently all hands were called
on deck. This was such an unusual thing when all was quiet in the
ship, that they were still more puzzled. The gentlemen meant to have
them dine in the cabin; but the captain advised against this on the
ground that sailors would feel confined in the cabin, and would not
enjoy themselves. So the dinner was served on deck. When the sailors
were assembled, and were ordered to take their places at the dinner
before them, they obeyed, looking greatly astonished. They were
first helped to soup--then to meats of all sorts--then puddings,