What right had we to murmur? It would have been ungrateful if we had done so; for, although not by any means elegant, we were comfortable. True, my nice carriage and beautiful horses had been sold; but mother had quite a nice little carriage, and a fine old gray horse, that would have appeared very respectable, if (as the stable boy said) the calves had not "chawed of his tail!" However, that was a source of amusement. We rode often, for both mother and I needed the exercise; and the rides were delightful, as 'Joseph' was generally our driver; and a merry chase he would lead us sometimes, for when he no longer had "the farm" to go to, (that had likewise been sold), he seemed determined to find out the merits, or demerits, of every road in the vicinity. This made quite a variety for us, for, besides the change of scenery, it usually called forth ejaculations from his mother, and answers from him, which were very amusing. She saw no sense in "rambling the country over, going into every nook and corner, and jolting people to death!" But he would earnestly assure her that he had not gone into half yet--looking round at her with a provokingly mischievous expression, which seemed to intimate that he meant to try it, though--and as for the roads, he could "find much worse roads than that! And as to driving--he hadn't begun to show how many stumps he could go over, without upsetting." This playful, jocose, merry mood of her son, frequently recalled to the old lady's mind some incidents of early times, when she was young, and Joseph was a boy, which she would relate, and laugh all over at, shaking her fat sides most merrily. And, notwithstanding her outbursts of hastily spoken words of disapprobation to him for his temerity, she always wondered, after being safely landed at home, why she enjoyed her rides so much more when Joseph drove! When we think about it, there are really no enjoyments in this wide world equal to home enjoyments. And when we have to go away from that hallowed spot, to seek for some longing of the soul which we cannot find there, or return to it with distaste, after having dipped into the pleasures (even the refined and reasonable ones) of the world, we are to be pitied, greatly pitied; for we are strangers to the purest and sweetest joys that are known this side of Paradise. And, thank God! this happiness is not confined to the mansion of the rich and the great. Perhaps it is less felt there than in the cottage of the virtuous and intelligent poor.