I Forbid the Banns! — page 347: what you’re looking at

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

ON THE PLUNGE. 337 to represent such abstractions as Night—silver stars over black lace ; or Winter—plenty of swansdown and holly ; or Gretchen—a fair wig ; or Commercial Enterprise—a Salva- tion lass’s uniform; or Pleasure—gauze wings; or the Drama in England—short petticoats andacigarette. These abstractions were not to find a place at the entertainment. The characters were to be got up on the principle of illus- trating lines of poetry. ‘Believe me if all those endearing young charms ”’ was the line that Mrs. Cyrus P. Bates hoped to illustrate. It was said that royalty had suggested her adopting it, discountenancing a line she had: chosen from a bard of the greatest republic that the world had ever known— I want a chaw of terbaccer, and that’s what’s the matter with me.” What did Mr. Charlton think of the matter, she wondered. Mr. Charlton thought that a capital line for a young American widow would be “Silent, upon a peak in Darien.” | ‘“ Upon how much ?” asked Mrs. Cyrus P. Bates. “A peak in Darien,’ said Julian. ‘* All you will have to do is to remain speechless for the entire evening.” ‘“ You are the most impolite gentleman I have met since I came to Europe,” said Mrs. Cyrus P. Bates. ‘ You know as well as I do that if I desiderated that character I’d burst my corsets trying to contain my speech. Besides, I don't take piques—if I did I opine that I should leave you to freeze here ; and as for peaks in Nary Ann 4 “ Darien,” suggested Julian. ‘Oh, get along with you!” cried Mrs. Cyrus P. Bates, with a lunge in tierce of her fan. ‘“ I don’t go to Habakkuk G. Hopkins’ saloons as anything that hints at silence. No. What’s the matter with ‘ Believe me if all those endearing young charms’ ?” ‘“ Nothing whatever,” said Julian. She was still sitting by the side of the Academician, he (C0) CONNIELIOOKS