[12] A whisperer usually betrays herself by unconsciously fixing her eyes on the person she is secretly talking of. If you wish to inform your neighbour that a distinguished person is present say softly, "Mr. C. is here, but do not look at him just now."
[13] It is, however, customary in eating sweet potatoes of a large size, to break them in two, and taking a piece in your hand, to pierce down to the bottom with your fork, and then mix in some butter, continuing to hold it thus while eating it.
[14] When the name of the state is short, you may give all the letters that compose it, as Maine—Ohio—Iowa—Texas—Utah.
[15] In buying a handsome parasol or umbrella, see that it has a folding-joint in the middle of the stick, and that this joint works easily, so that there may be no difficulty in packing it in a trunk or box. To prevent the silk being rubbed, tie up the parasol in a smooth linen case, previous to packing.
[16] We were a few years since, told by one of our principal booksellers that a young lady came into his store when he chanced to be at the counter himself, and, showing him a small English prayer-book elegantly bound, and with fine engravings, she enquired if he had any exactly like that. On his replying in the negative, she desired that he would get precisely such a prayer-book made for her, in time for church on Sunday morning—(it was then Friday)—as she had set her mind on it. It must have just such pictures, and just such a beautiful gilt cover. He endeavoured in vain to convince her of the utter impossibility of performing this feat of having one single book printed, and bound, with plates engraved purposely for it, and all in the space of a day and a half. She seemed much displeased, and went away, in search, as she said, of a bookseller that was more obliging.
[17] The author is a Protestant.
[18] Miss Leslie's American Girl's Book (published by C. S. Francis,) contains a great variety of amusing plays, ways to redeem forfeits, &c., with an unusual number of conundrums.
Transcriber's Notes:
Typos, spelling and punctuation errors fixed.
P. 168, "inverted commas"—represented as curved opening and closing quotation marks as used throughout the original.