The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1891-07-16
PARTY'S Pepper.

hate roughing it, simply because
had known what really roughing it
meant for five years, and after five
years experience roughing ito use
ali Americanism-had come to kinder
pail.
Twas not sorry to wash my hands
OF America, OF it's dreadful climate,
and OF it's dreadful people. I do not
want to be ungrateful but the whole
OF my time in America had been pass
ed in Firetail canyon, and the people
l met in Firetail canyon were decided
iy dreadful; and when l turned my
back on Firetail Canyon and meta
:phorically speaking, shook the dust
of my feet against America, was de-
aighted; for | was tired of the brutal,
uncivlized, sordid life, and the ex-
ceedingly brutal, uncivilized, sordid
people whom it had been my misfor-
tune to have to associate with in Fire
tail city.
The factis, had been engineer to
the Uncle Dudley silver mine, and
having, soto say-speaking in quite
an humble way you know-made my
pile, l was coming home to England
ON six months leave with the inten-
ton of bettering myself, if possible,
and OF not returning to America, Fire
tail canyon nor the Uncle Dudley
mime if I could help it. 1 carried my
littIe fortune af &c, 900 on my person
In thousand dollar notes. 1t was a
stupid thing to do. I did it to avoid
loss on exchange.
had four delightful days on the
Bithynia. I need not describe the
Bithynia-you all know the Bithynia.
THESE four days were peculiarly de-
fghtful, because they were passed in
the society of Parthenia Persimmon.
Parthenia was 49, She had lips rud-
dler than the cherry and ripper than
the berry; they were arched like cupid's
bow, and on her cheeks the lily and
the rose and innumerable dear, de-
dlghtful dlmples struggled for suprem-
acy. Her luXuriant hair was delic-
ious golden brown-but need not say
any more it will save your time and
mine if [ state that Parthenia Per-
simmon was Duck of Diamonds.
You know what 1 mean? Exactly so.
If you ask me how Parthenia and I
employed our time during those four
days, fear must reply, "In delicious
'dalliance," which is poetic phrase,
and expressive. We had never seen
each other in our lives before, and my
Party's pepper was lying in his state
room very seasick, indeed. Parthenia
as such a. mouthful, you know, and she
has hidden me to call her Party, on
the third day of dalliance. 'Popper
always calls me Party" she had OBJ
served. may explain here that pop
per is American for father.
AS yet l had not seen party's pop
ger, but on the fourth day ofdalliance
a gentleman OF so, looking very green,
indeed, about the gills, was intro
~duced to me by Parthenia as that
relative.
Party's pepper was evidently gen.
tleman. He was very quiet, he dressed
'unobtrusively, he did not talk politics,
and he spoke particularly we'll, throw
ing IN an occasional archaic word or
two, which gave a certain special
flavor nd picturesqueness to that
clear, cold, genuine English OF his.
was rather sorry to see Party s
pepper. Nomore moonlight walks on
the saloon deck, l thought; the days
OF dalliance are over Perhaps he
would ask my intentions. l did not
mind that particularly, for my inten
lions were strictly honorable, but
and it was very big but, indeed
had no idea in the world of the posi-
ton IN lie Of Party Or Party's pop
per. That is the difficulty about
travelling Americans, it is impossible
to Judge OF their position by thei1
clothes, or their luggage, or their talk
vi one thing alone can you be Ger
tain. II all American man or woman
sports Jewelry save at a ball or a BIZ
dinner, then you may be sure that h,
or she is "shoddy." There was moth
ing "shoddy" about Persimmon or hi
daughter. The father sported attire
and a half dollar Waterbury and .
steel guard. That gave me courage
81 don't want money" I thought t,
myself II am desperately in low
with Parthenia, and 1 have 10000
iILl propose to her"
l did propose to her. 49,.
.You know nothing of me, Mr.. st
John, 'she said in astonishment. Sh
said great deal more. So did I. TIL
interview ended by her telling me t,
:see as much OF her pepper as possible
and to try and get down his back.
understood enough OF the America,
Language to know what she meant.
Mr.. Persimmon and 1 grew yer,
friendly. We saw a good deal OF eac
sother, and in the evening we went int
the smoking room and we played a
ipoker. When | say eve" Imean tina
Il did; for Mr.. Perslmmon declare
,that he did not "know enough abou
. #..j b