Bowing my thanks for these amiable hints, I carelessly observed that
the letter of the Cherokee editor was no sacrifice at all, for the chief
and myself were regular correspondents; I had a dozen of his letters,
and had just given one to Mr. T-----. This intelligence evidently
lessened Miss Rowley's excessive gratitude. She continued her
applications, however, casting an eye on her list.

"Perhaps you correspond also with some rowdies, Mr. Howard? Could
you oblige me with a rowdy letter?"

{rowdies = in the mid-nineteenth century, an American slang term
for backwoodsmen or other rough and disorderly types}

I drew up a little at this request; my correspondents, I assured the
lady, were generally men of respectability, though one of them was
of a savage race.

"No doubt; but in the way of autographs, you know, one would
correspond with--"

The sentence remained unfinished, for the lady added,

"I wrote myself to Madame Laffarge, not long since. I am sorry to
say Lady Holberton has two of hers; but although an excellent
person in most respects, yet it cannot be denied that as regards
autographs, Lady Holberton is very illiberal. I offered her Grizzel
Baillie, two Cardinals, William Pitt, and Grace Darling, for one of her
Laffarges; but she would not part with it. Yet the exchange was very
fair, especially as Madame Laffarge is still living."