The Grinder Papers — page 293: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

288 THE GRINDER PAPERS. ‘« Madame !” ‘“Well, sir,” sez I, ‘‘ what do you want ?”: Sez he, ‘‘I have something particular for madame.” ‘Dunno what it kin be?” sez I. b ‘*It is de perfect love,’ sez he. ‘“Yeu go way,” sez I; ‘*I don’t believe it.” ? ‘Tt is the best ting ever was,” sez he. | | sez I, ‘‘The bonds o matri- monial ferlicity hain’r never had no detractions fur me.” ? ro | prefer tu hev my liberty, ’ He bows, and sez he, ‘‘It presairves de charms of youth, most mi-r-r-r-raculously.” ‘Well,’ sez I, ‘‘I dunno about that. I know the heft o young married ladies is clean tuckered out with housework, and the help, and the sewing on her husbands buttons, and sottin’ up fur him—hain't got no complexions at all.” He looked puzzled, until I came tu the last word, then sez he: ‘‘Ze complexion is of value.” “Ves,” sez I. ‘*Nos ing like it fur de beauty of de lady,’ b sez he. ‘‘If you will accept dis perfect love, you shall be most happy.” — “Oh,” sez 1, ‘‘how du I know but you may be an impos- ture?” ‘‘Madame !” sez he ? ‘‘ Mebby yeu cheaty me,” sez I, adaptin’ myself tu his furrin understandin o’ the ’Merican langwidge.” “Upon my honor,” sez he, ‘‘dis is de genuine—de reg'lar French article, mum.”