[Footnote 43: The reader will do my heroine the justice to remember that she set out with only _three_, consequently her wish that another had been added, arose from a motive purely affectionate and characteristic. This benevolent trait, ingeniously insinuated, excites the interest of the reader for her, and adds horror to the catastrophe.]
[Footnote 44: Our heroine is here lost in _double_ astonishment; not only the _length_, but the _whiteness_ of her grandmother's teeth excites her wonder and suspicion.]
The following piece of singular and original composition was found amongst the papers of an old Dutchman, in Albany. The manuscript has suffered considerably from the tooth of time, and from several marks of antiquity about it, it may be safely inferred, that a century at least has elapsed since it was written. It is hardly necessary to inform the judicious reader, that this piece is no other than a billet doux, or love epistle, sent by some Dutch swain in the country, to the girl of his heart, who, it seems, had gone to reside some time in the city of Albany.
Mine Cot, vat vose does Hans se feel, Vile lufly Notchie is avay, Vat is de matter, vat de deel, Does make you zo vorever stay.
I sleep none in de day, nor nite, Mit such impashuns I duz burn, Zo, when de shell drake vings hur vlite, Pore Frow she mornes vor his return.
Zo owls will hoot, und cats will mew, Und dogs will howl; und storms will ney, Und zhall not I more anguish sho, Vile lufly Notchie is avay.
A shacket I has lately bot, Und brokenbrooks zo zoft as zilk, Stripd as your under petticote, Und vite as any buttermilk.
Make hase, mine dere, und quikly cum, Mine vaders goin to di, you zee, Und Yacups cot his viddle home, Und we shall haf a daring bee.
I feres zum Yanky vull uv art, More cunnin, as de ferry dele, Vill git away yorn little hart, Zo as da will our horshes stele.
If any wun yore hart shool blunder, Mine horshes Ill do vaggon yoke, Und ghase him quickly by mine dunder, I vly zo zwift as any zpoke.
Vhen yonk Vontoofen, my coot frend Zhall cum to zee you vhare you be, Dese skarlet carters I zhall zend, O die dem on, und dink on me.
_Port Folio_, II-176, June 5, 1802, Phila.
["se feel" (stanza I). "se" is no Dutch word and the verb "feel" (voelen) is not reflexive in Dutch. In stanzas III and VI "mill" appears in the place of "will." This is most likely a misprint, since "_w_ in Dutch is a particularly tenacious sound" and is not replaced by _m_, as is sometimes the case in German. "Brokenbrooks" is a coined word.