a colonist.'

"'Commong,' sais he, 'how is dat?'

"'Why' sais I, 'Prince, whenever a colonist goes for to
drink at a spring of the good things in this world, (and
plaguy small springs we have here too,) and fairly lays
down to it, jist as he gets his lips cleverly to it, for
a swig, there is some cussed neck or another, of some
confounded Britisher, pops right over him, and pins him
there. He can't get up, he can't back out, and he can't
drink, and he is blacked and blued in the face, and most
choked with the weight.'

"'What country was you man of?' said he, for he spoke
very good for a Frenchman.

"With that I straightened myself up, and looked dignified,
for I know'd I had a right to be proud, and no mistake;
sais I, 'Prince, I am an American citizen.' How them two
words altered him. P'raps there beant no two words to
ditto 'em. He looked for all the world like a different
man when he seed I wasn't a mean uncircumcised colonist.

"'Very glad to see you, Mr. Yankee,' said he, 'very glad
indeed. Shall I have de honour to ride with you a little
way in your carriage?'

"'As for the matter of that,' sais I, 'Mountsheer Prince,
the honour is all the other way,' for I can be as civil