After properly thanking my neighbor for these useful explanations, we naturally fell into discourse about matters and things in general, the weather in America being uniformly too fine to admit of discussion.
"Pray, sir," said I, trembling lest my BOSS might be a colonel of the editorial corps, after all--"pray, sir," said I, "is it expected in this country that the wardrobe should entertain the political sentiments of its boss?""I rather think not, unless it might be in high party times; or, in the case of editors, and such extreme patriots. I have several relatives that belong to the corps, and they all tell me that while their bosses very frequently change their coats, they are by no means so particular about changing their shirts. But you are of foreign birth, ma'am, I should think by your dress and appearance?"{change their coats.... = i.e., editors frequently change political sides, but they are not very careful about their personal hygiene}
"Yes, sir, I came quite recently from France; though, my employer being American, I suppose I am entitled to the rights of citizenship. Are you European, also?""No, ma'am; I am native and to the 'MANOR born,' as the modern Shakspeare has it. Is Louis Philippe likely to maintain the throne, in France?"{'manor born' = from "to the manner born" Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act I, Scene 4, line 2--frequently misquoted in popular speech as "to the manor born"}
"That is not so certain, sir, by what I learn, as that the throne is likely to maintain Louis Philippe. To own the truth to you, I am a Carlist, as all genteel articles are, and I enter but little into the subject of Louis Philippe's reign."{Carlist = supporter of King Charles X of France, who was deposed in 1830 by King Louis Philippe}
This remark made me melancholy, by reviving the recollection of Adrienne, and the conversation ceased. An hour or two later, I was removed from the line, properly ironed, and returned to my boss. The same day I was placed in a shop in Broadway, belonging to a firm of which I now understood the colonel was a sleeping partner. A suitable entry was made against me, in a private memorandum book, which, as Ionce had an opportunity of seeing it, I will give here.
Super-extraordinary Pocket-Handkerchief, French cambric, trimmed and worked, in account with Bobbinet & Gull.
DR.
To money paid first cost--francs 100, at 5.25, -- $19.04To interest on same for -- 00.00
To portion of passage money, -- 00.04
To porterage, -- 00.00 1/4
To washing and making up, -- 00.25
(Mem.--See if a deduction cannot be made from this charge.)CR.
By cash, for allowing Miss Thimble to copy pattern--not to be worked until our article is sold, -- $1. 00By cash for sale, &c. --
{in account with.... = this and subsequent "accounts" are presented by Cooper in tabular form, generally without decimal points in the figures;we have inserted decimals and omitted zeros to make them more readable}
