Anna Cora Mowatt

“ Den dere is Ma'mselle Gertrude, but she not anybody at all; she only teach Mademoiselle Seraphina la musique. Zeke
Well now, Missy, what's your own special defunctions? Millinette
I not understand, Monsieur Zeke. Zeke
Den I'll amplify. What's de nature ob your exclusive services? Millinette
Ah, oui! je comprend. I am Madame's femme de chambre--her lady's maid, Monsieur Zeke. I teach Madame les modes de Paris, and Madame set de fashion for all New York. You see, Monsieur Zeke, dat it is me, moi-meme, dat do lead de fashion for all de American beau monde! Zeke
Yah! yah! yah! ”

“ The true test of a poet is the velocity with which he composes. Really they do look very prettily, and they read tolerably--quite tolerably--very tolerably, --especially the first verse. (reads) "To Seraphina T--." Seraphina Tiffany
Oh! Mr. Twinkle! T. Tennyson Twinkle
(reads) "Around my heart"-- Mrs. Tiffany
How touching! Really, Mr. Twinkle, quite tender! T. Tennyson Twinkle
(recommencing) "Around my heart"-- Mrs. Tiffany
Oh, I must tell you, Mr. Twinkle! I heard the other day that poets were the aristocrats of literature. That's one reason I like them, for I do dote on all aristocracy! ”

“ Ah! very elegant, very elegant indeed! There is a jenny-says-quoi look about this furniture,--an air of fashion and gentility perfectly bewitching. Is there not, Millinette? Millinette
Oh, oui, Madame! Mrs. Tiffany
But where is Miss Seraphina? It is twelve o'clock; our visitors will be pouring in, and she has not made her appearance. But I hear that nothing is more fashionable than to keep people waiting.--None but vulgar persons pay any attention to punctuality. Is it not so, Millinette? Millinette
Quite comme il faut.--Great personnes always do make little personnes wait, Madame. Mrs. ”

“ You may devote yourself to him. Mrs. Proudacre is dying to become acquainted with him. By the by, if she or her daughters should happen to drop in, be sure you don't introduce them to the Count. It is not the fashion in Paris to introduce--Millinette told me so. (Enter Zeke, L. U. E.)
Zeke
(in a very loud voice) Mister T. Tennyson Twinkle! Mrs. Tiffany
Show him up. (Exit Zeke L.)
Prudence
I must be running away! (going) Mrs. Tiffany
Mr. T. Tennyson Twinkle--a very literary young man and a sweet poet! It is all the rage to patronize poets! Quick, Seraphina, hand me that magazine.--Mr. ”

“ Tiffany
Do, you think so, Millinette? Well, I believe I have. But a woman of refinement and of fashion can always accommodate herself to everything foreign! And a week's study of that invaluable work--"French without a Master," has made me quite at home in the court language of of Europe! But where is the new valet? I'm rather sorry that he is black, but to obtain a white American for a domestic is almost impossible; and they call this a free country! What did you say was the name of this new servant, Millinette? Millinette
He do say his name is Monsieur Zeke. Mrs. ”

“ Millinette
Monsieur is man of business,--Madame is lady of fashion. Monsieur make de money,--Madame spend it. Monsieur nobody at all,--Madame everybody altogether. Ah! Monsieur Zeke, de money is all dat is necessaire in country to make one lady of fashion. Oh! it is quite oder ting in la belle France! Zeke
A bery lucifer explanation. Well, now we've disposed ob de heads ob de family, who come next? Millinette
First, dere is Mademoiselle Seraphina Tiffany. Mademoiselle is not at all one proper personne. Mademoiselle Seraphina is one coquette. ”

“ Well now, I might have guessed that--ha! ha! ha! for I see you make it a point to carry half your husband's shop upon your back! No matter; that's being a good helpmate--for he carried the whole of it once in a pack on his own shoulders--now you bear a share! Mrs. ”