THE SOVSE BEAUTIFUL. 361
and oil-picture on every state-room door; curving patterns of filagree-
work touched up with gilding, stretching overhead all down the
converging vista; big chandeliers every little way, each an April
shower of glittering glass-drops; lovely rainbow-light falling every-
where from the coloured glaring of the skylights; the whole a long-
drawn, resplendent tunnel, a bewildering and soul-satisfying spectacle!
In the ladies1 cabin a pink and white Wilton carpet, as soft as mush,
and glorified with a ravishing pattern of gigantic flowers. Then the
Bridal Chamber—the animal that invented that idea was still alive
and unhanged, at that day—Bridal Chamber whose pretentious flum-
mery was necessarily overawing to the now tottering intellect of
that hosannahing citizen. Every state-room had its couple of cosy
dean bunks, and perhaps a looking-glass and a snug closet; and
sometimes there was even a washbowl and pitcher, and part of a
towel which could be told from mosquito netting by an expert—
though generally these things were absent, and the shirt-sleeved
passengers cleansed themselves at a long row of stationary bowls in
the barber shop, where were also public towels, public combs, and
public soap.
Take the steamboat which I have just described, and you have
her in her highest and finest, and most pleasing, and comfortable, and
satisfactory estate. 3STow cake her over with a layer of ancient and
obdurate dirt, and you have the Cincinnati steamer awhile ago
referred to. Not all over—-only inside; for she was ably officered .in
all departments except the steward's.
But wash that boat and repaint her, and she would be about
the counterpart of ihe most complimented boat of the old flush
times: for the steamboat architecture of the "West has undergone no
change; neither has steamboat furniture and ornamentation under-
gone any.