Page:The Homes of the New World- Vol. II.djvu/373

Rh door of the house opened I was met by a young-middle-aged lady, whose charming countenance bore such a speaking impression of goodness and benevolence that I felt myself involuntarily attracted to her, and glad to be in her house; and the attraction and the pleasure have increased ever since.

I have heard Cincinnati variously called “The Queen of the West,” “The City of Roses,” and “The City of Hogs.” It deserves all three names. It is a handsome, nay, a magnificent city, with the most beautiful situation among vineyard-hills, green heights adorned with beautiful villas, and that beautiful river, Ohio, with its rich life and its clear water. It has, in the time of roses, it is said, really an exuberant splendour from these flowers, and I see roses still shining forth pleasantly among the evergreen arbor vitæ on the terraces, before the beautiful houses. But the predominant character at this moment, is as “the city of hogs.” This is, namely, the season when the great droves of these respectable four-footed citizens come from the western farms and villages to Cincinnati, there to be slaughtered in a large establishment solely appropriated to this purpose, after which they are salted and sent to the eastern and southern States. I have many times met in the streets whole regiments of swine, before which I made a hasty retreat, partly because they entirely fill up the whole street, partly because their stench fills the air and poisons it. I called them respectable (aktnings-vârd), because I in every way guard (akta) myself against them. I have a salutary abhorrence of the whole of their race in this country, and if I could but impart the same to many others, then would there be many healthier and happier people than there are. I now see that Moses was a much wiser man and legislator than I imagined. If he could come back, be made President of the United States, and prohibit the eating of swine's-flesh, and enforce the