CHAPTER III.

HILLSDALE.

FROM Oberlin (which lies somewhat northwest of Cleveland, Ohio) we proceeded to Hillsdale, in the southern part of Michigan, where is a second large college for both sexes, the management of which is in the hands of a liberal body of Baptists.

It was raining hard when we reached the station, and, finding no conveyance obtainable, we left our luggage in the cloak-room, and set out to walk to the President's house. The ground on each side of the railway-line rises gently, the village or small town of Hillsdale lying on one side of the track, and the Collegebuildings at some distance on the other, with at least half a mile between them.

As we walked up the continued ascent towards the College, we could not but remark to each other how much more healthy the air seemed in spite of the rain, and how much

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more desirable the site of this College was than that of Oberlin.

We were fortunate in finding the President at home, and were received by him with great kindness. He welcomed us warmly to Hillsdale, and expressed his wish to be of use to us in every possible way. I inquired whether it would be possible for us to board in the Ladies' Hall during our stay, as we should thus be able to see so much more of the social life of the community, but was told that it was already overflowing with students.

The President advised us to go to the country inn, on the other side of the railway, for the night, and promised to find some boarding-place for us near the College next day, if possible.

When we returned to the little town, we found that a concert was to be given that evening, and that almost every room was engaged. By great pertinacity we succeeded in securing one very small room, and were glad, after the fatigues of the day, to accept even that. This was the roughest of the Western inns to which we went; in proof whereof I may relate a characteristic little incident of

this evening. Our room was but meagrely furnished for one inmate, and we represented strongly that a more bountiful supply of water and general washing apparatus was absolutely essential for two people. The shock-headed help" stared at us; told us we "couldn't have any more;" and then, when we persisted, stood still in amazement to have a good look at such unreasonable people, exclaiming, "What do you want with such a lot of washing ?" "To be clean," quoth I. After considering this reply, "Are ye some of the concert folk, then ?" No; we couldn't aspire to that honour. "Well, then! I don't see what you want such a deal of washing for!"

Which colloquy reminded me of an incident of travel in Germany. Arriving at Hanover after a long and dusty journey from Cologne, I was as intensely disgusted as English people usually are to find no ladies' dressing-room at so large a station; and, having got hold of some old hag, who seemed the presiding genius, explained to her that I must have some soap and water at any rate. Greatly amazed by such an unheard-of demand, she proceeded, however, to comply with it, in hope of future

groschens; but when she had deposited the bowl of water on a table, she retired to some hidden den, whence I heard issue, in a tone combining reproachful wonder with its only possible explanation-" Ach! Englisch!"

After all, I do not know that the love of cold water is the worst possible of national characteristics.

Next day we found that the President had been taking great trouble on our behalf, but had not succeeded in finding any boardingplace for us. He then conferred, for the second time, with the Lady Superintendent of the Ladies' Hall, and she told us shortly after that a room in the building was at our service. We found afterwards that, in her great kindness, this lady had proposed to give up her own sitting-room for our use, and that she had only been prevented from doing so by two of the students, daughters of the steward, who actually moved out of their room and installed us in it with the most unostentatious hospitality, their father's office in the hall enabling them to find (though I fear at great inconvenience) some inferior quarters for them

selves downstairs.