It was a civil or uncivil contract,
as the case might be. Wooing was a thing he didn't understand; for
what right had a woman to an opinion of her own? Jessie felt for her
father, the doctor, and herself, and retired crying. The doctor said:
"Peter, you know me, I am an honest man; give me your confidence, and
then I will ask the Chief for the hand of his daughter."
"Tat is like herself," said Peter. "And she never doubted her; and
there is her hand, which is her word. Tam the coffee! let us have a
glass of whiskey."
And he poured out three, and we severally drank to each other's
health, and peace was once more restored.
Thinks I to myself, now is the time to settle this affair; for the
doctor, Peter, and Jessie are all like children; it's right to show
'em how to act.
"Doctor," sais I, "just see if the cart with the moose has arrived; we
must be a moving soon, for the wind is fair."
As soon as he went on this errand, "Peter," sais I, "the doctor wants
to marry your daughter, and she, I think, is not unwilling, though,
between you and me, you know better than she does what is good for
her. Now the doctor don't know as much of the world as you do. He has
never seen Scotland, nor the north-west, nor travelled as you have,
and observed so much."
"She never said a truer word in her life," said Peter. "She has seen
the Shetlands and the Rocky Mountains--the two finest places in the
world, and crossed the sea and the Red River; pesides Canada and Nova
Scotia, and seen French, and pairs, and Indians, and wolves, and plue
noses, and puffaloes, and Yankees, and prairie dogs, and Highland
chiefs, and Indian chiefs, and other great shentlemen, pesides peavers
with their tails on.
Pages:
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295