"I did, and a great deal more; which I am going to deposit by and by in the Savings Bank to your credit." "There must be an awful demand for papers in Canton." "There is, mother; and they pay such high prices there, that I am thinking of setting up a news establishment in the place." "And did you _walk_ all the way to Canton day before yesterday, my boy?" "Then it was day before yesterday morning when I left home? I thought it was longer ago than that." "Longer ago! Oh, dear, dear! you are not out of your head, my son?" "My good mother, I am as sound as you are. Only you know that sometimes, when we are very much occupied, the time passes quickly; and I have been quite busy since I left you." "And did you say that you walked to Canton?" "No, mother, I didn't walk a step." "Then you took the Providence cars?" "Well, mother, it was a kind of a providence car." [John's statement at once relieved the old lady's mind; but those of our readers who are not intimately acquainted with the geography of Massachusetts, may be somewhat puzzled at this. For the information of foreigners and uneducated people in general, we must mention that there is a thriving village on the Boston and Providence railroad, about ten miles from Roxbury, which rejoices in the name of Canton. It may here be observed, that the young man's mind had got into a kind of chronological muddle, and the days and nights were mixed up together in the most miscellaneous manner. We, who are competent to solve any ordinary problem, furnish our young readers with this explanation. John left our American soil on Tuesday morning, at or about six o'clock. He is twelve hours--there or thereabouts--passing through the earth. This brings him to China also in the morning, as every thing is topsy-turvy on the other side of the globe. His walk to Canton fills up most of the day,--_Tuesday night here_. He sleeps in Canton one night. _Wednesday here_; leaves Canton, _via_ Air-Line, the next morning,--_Wednesday night here_; and arrives at Jamaica Plain on Thursday morning. Absent from home forty-eight hours; twenty-four consumed in travelling _via_ Air-Line; twelve in pedestrian excursion through the Kwangtung country in China; and twelve in pecuniary negotiations and sleep at the British and American Coffee-House, Canton. This makes every thing clear and consistent. We would simply remark, that, when John first told us his singular tale of adventure, we remarked that he seemed to have had a very small allowance of food, as he ate but one good meal in the whole forty-eight hours. To which he replied in a rather lofty manner, which repressed all further comment on our part, that, when the mind was filled with great thoughts, it didn't require much to sustain the body. We should like to take John as a boarder. But he is now on his feet again, and we let him speak for himself.]