(Mike Murphy’s letter to Mrs. McCaffry.)
“My Dear Aunt Maggie:
“I’m thinking that about the time this luv letter raiches ye, an insthrumint will do the same, which the name is peeanoler, or something like that. I beg ye to accipt the thrifle as a prisent from Captain Landon, Second Mate Haynes and First Mate mesilf. I know Misther Noxon would crack his heels togither fur the chance of j’ining wid us, but he forgot to lave his card and I suspict he’s sailed for Europe not to be back fur fifteen or twinty years, as was the case wid me great uncle whin he sailed for Botny Bay.
“The peagnoluh—I’m thrying all ways of spelling the name of the blamed thing so as to get the same right wunst any way—is played wid the feet. You slide the sheet wid the holes punched into ’em into the wrack over the keeze and then wurrk the feet up and down like yer husband Tana used to do at home in the treadmill.
“Don’t try to sing along wid the music for somebody might hear ye. Me worry is that yer teeny Sinderilla feet won’t be able to wurruk the peddles, and if ye put on the shoes ye wore whin hanging out the clothes, there wont be room in the house for the peanholler, so ye might try the same widout yer shoes and stockings.
“Wid regards to Tam and much love to yersilf I am ever
“Yer devoted,
“Mike Murphy.”
(Mrs. McCaffry’s reply to the foregoing.)
“My darlint broth of a boy: