before met the gentleman he thus addressed. However, the game was resumed, and after a few more deals the countryman got four kings. Here was a chance of making a small fortune; such an opportunity might never occur again. Strange to say, the gentleman in black velvet thought that he also had a good hand. Rurality bet fifty dollars and gasped, Black Velvet went fifty more and smiled. Rurality then bet a hundred, which was quickly covered, and the pool further increased by yet another hundred. Rather tremblingly our rural friend threw down his cards, saying, 'Four kings-what have you got?'

'Four aces,' replied our bland friend, showing his cards with one hand and raking in the money with the other. The country youth swore and raved, but all to no purpose, and the two gentlemen smiled as sweetly as ever. At the next station they were just about to get out for lunch,' as they said, when the conductor, who had recognised them, and two gentlemen, who had watched their proceedings, seized them and marched them off to the office of the station officials, where they were made to disgorge their ill-gotten gains-much to the delight of our country friend, who then said he thought hoeing corn was after all better than "

poker." Thieves and gamblers are to be met with all along the line, and notices in all the cars bid you beware of such people. They dog the steps of persons leaving a town,

and by means of the telegraph and other agencies known only to the initiated, their accomplices are advised of any 'game' that may be passing.

One of their contrivances is called the 'green-back reflector,' and consists of a one dollar green-back note, having a stiff piece of paper pasted on it. A small piece of wood is pinned to the paper, having on its face a small glass mirror. When the game commences this is laid on the table, and dollars are placed upon it, so as to conceal the mirror. The cards are dealt directly over this reflector; and thus, knowing his opponent's hand, the gambler has easy work in fleecing his victim.

All through Nevada the scenery is most forbidding: nothing but vast tracts of sand, and sage-brush, and glittering alkali. Occasionally near the stations there may be a small patch of cultivated land, but that will be all. The only incident likely to occur is the stopping of the train by a band of the Train-robbers; ' but as this only happens on an average two or three times. a year, it is difficult to suit your journey so as to hit off the exact time.

A few months ago a train with cars containing some Chinese of high rank was stopped and ransacked. The moon-faced Celestials must have been pleased with their first adventure in a strange land! I believe they simply remarked on the occasion, ' Hi-yah! too muchee

gun; no can fightee all that bobbery!' and wished themselves back in Pekin.

We are now in the region of square meals,' whatever they may be, and slang terms are more prevalent than they were in the East. I had often been told that Americanisms were only to be found in novels. My experience differs entirely from that assumed fact. Slang is heard only amongst the lower classes (if the Great Republic will admit of there being classes), but Americanisms are heard everywhere. America originally forgot to furnish herself with an independent language, but she is working hard to supply the deficiency, and in time there will be an American language, concise and significant. One cannot help being struck by the number of words and even sentences that are repeated on all possible occasions. Such a poverty of expression becomes at last quite annoying. ‘Hurry up' are words that can never be forgotten by a traveller in America; and I do not believe it is possible to converse for five minutes without hearing a dozen times the remark, 'You don't say so.' In the West that terrible wordsay' (not 'I say') is prefixed to every sentence; and the epithet 'elegant' is bestowed on the most inappropriate objects. Fancy an elegant day,' and yet you hear that expression continually! Our awfuls' and awfully jolly' are bad enough, but they are not reiterated with the provoking

'

frequency with which domestic Americanisms assail the

ears.

You meet real (pronounced 'reel') nice' people wherever you go, and are constantly asked if you have had a 'real fine time.' It may be said they are not the 'best' people who use those expressions-I beg to differ-and besides, in travelling you must judge from the people you meet. I have lately seen papers denying the existence of Americanisms at all, and virtually agreeing with a lady who once said to another in my hearing, 'Oh! I knew you were English by your accent;' so I like to add my testimony in a humble way and show what my experience of the American language has been.

You certainly do not hear so much slang, in the ordinary acceptation of the word, as in England; but what is slang, after all, but an effort to be concise? And, for my part, I prefer an ocasional slang term to the constant use of hackneyed Americanisms.

Thank God we are approaching Reno; and although it is two o'clock in the morning I am very glad to leave the train and make my way to Virginia City and the mining districts of the Sierras.

CHAPTER VII.

VIRGINIA CITY TO STOCKTON.

Politicians-A silver mine-Sutro tunnel-A commercial crisisGeysers-Lake Tahoe-Shakespeare - Donner Lake The old traveller-Two American forces-Cape Horn-Alabaster cave-Sacramento-Mosquitoes-The pedlar-boy-The poor man's carriage-Gold currency-Wages.

Or all the desolate, grim scenery to be found in America that around Virginia City takes the lead. The great brown hills are scarred and seamed and bare. No wonder the town itself obtained the distinction of being the 'cussedest' in the land; but even that proud epithet no longer distinguishes it, and the title has been assumed by newer and less frequented villages.

The hotel at which I was staying was crowded with people who called themselves politicians, but who might have been more appropriately designated agitators— men who seemed angry because they could not get into Congress, that they might become people of some importance.

What they were doing in Virginia City I cannot imagine, as it seemed to me a very inappropriate place