No! she would not have us shorten our call on her account; she could go half an hour later as well as now.

A good deal was said of the disagreeable weather, and the bad sidewalks in that new section of the city--as I recollected afterward.

At the time, I was more interested in her mention that her favorite brother, an editor of note from another town and State, was visiting her.

She asked permission to bring him to call, and I consented with alacrity, thinking, as I spoke, that I would, after meeting him, arrange a little dinner-party of choice spirits in his honor.
When we were ready to go, Mrs.D----, to my surprise and embarrassment, did not propose that our hostess should drive down-town with us, although we were going directly back, and a cold "Scotch mist" was beginning to fall.

To this day, I do not know to what to attribute what I then felt--what I still consider--was gross incivility.