"After This," I Added, "You Will, Perhaps, Think Me
Impertinent If I Say They Seem To Me So English!
But after all, you came
from us, and it only shows you have kept the stock pure, while we
Have
in many cases adopted a spurious Americanism in our ways and speech."
Since I wrote this, Mrs. Perkins, a married daughter of dear Mrs. Bruen,
and a masterful kind of person, has called on me, and upon my making
some such remark as the foregoing, she exclaimed, "I don't like
_that_ at all! Before the war we used to like being taken for
English, but now we _don't_, - How would _you_ like to be taken
for an American?" "Well," I replied, "we don't speak of the
_mother_ being like the _child_; whether you like it or not
you _are_ English by descent, and are our cousins at _least_."
Dick asked her afterwards, "What do you wish to be thought?" "An
American, of course." "Please tell me then how you describe an
_American_?" We could not get her to do so; in fact, nothing
pleases the _set-up_ creatures, for if we judge of them by the
Western or Southern, or even Central Americans, they exclaim at our
injustice, and if we judge by these New England States, they are
indignant at being thought English! This, I believe, is only a
_pretence_, however, and that in their _hearts_ they are fond
of England, and justly proud of the relationship and likeness. Certainly
the New Englanders are conceited and _bumptious_, and in this also
they keep up their British characteristics.
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