That sounded reasonable, and I sez, “Yes, that is so; a nose is necessary, both for beauty and for use; but,” sez I, “at our age a nose or two more or less, or a little tan on some on ’em hain’t a-goin’ to either make or break us—they won’t draw much attention,” sez I. “And even if they did, I expect to enjoy the society of my nose for quite a number of years yet, on towers and off on ’em, but this seen of grandeur I’m a-biddin’ good-bye to,” sez I, sadly—
“It is hail, and farwell, to me—I never expect to see it agin with these mortal eyes.” And I looked off on the lovely seen agin with all the rapter and sadness sech thoughts carry with ’em, when agin my rapt emotions wuz brung downward by the voice—
“Well, I know I wouldn’t run the risk you do of spoiling my complexion for thousands of worlds like this.” I felt that she needed roustin’ up and improvin’ upon, and I sez—
“Mom, I believe you’d enjoy Nater as much agin, if not more, if you’d forgit your complexion. Let your nose retire into the background, so to speak, and open the winders of your soul to the divine influences—look about and soar away, so to speak. And how you can do that under three veils and that umbrell is more’n I can tell.”
Sez she, confidentially, “I am dead tired of seeing things, anyway—I love to rest my eyeballs.”
“Then,” sez I, pityin’ly, “what be you up here on the Rigi for? What made you climb up so fur?”
“Well,” sez she, “I came with a party of Cook tourists, and you know just what they are for boasting; I’m not going to have them crow over me because they have been where I haven’t. Three of them are bed-sick at the hotel, but they can say with truth that they have been here. Two of the girls have to wear bandages over their eyes, and can’t see a thing, but they both have emulative Mas, who are bound that they shan’t be out-travelled by the rest of the girls, and so they are leading them round through Europe; blind as bats, but full of the true Cook fervor of travel.”
“They have emulative Mas, who are bound that they shan’t be out-travelled.”
“Oh, dear me!” sez I, “how bad it is for ’em!”