YANKEES are supposed to have attained the greatest art in parrying
inquisitiveness, but there is a story extant of a "Londoner" on his
travels in the provinces, who rather eclipses the cunning "Yankee
Peddler." In traveling post, says the narrator, he was obliged to stop
at a village to replace a shoe which his horse had lost; when the "Paul
Pry" of the place bustled up to the carriage-window, and without waiting
for the ceremony of an introduction, said:
"Good-morning, Sir. Horse cast a shoe I see. I suppose, Sir, you are
going to--?"
Here he paused, expecting the name of the place to be supplied; but the
gentleman answered:
"You are quite right; I generally go there at this season."
"Ay--ahem!--do you? And no doubt you are now come from--?"
"Right again, Sir; I _live_ there."
"Oh, ay; I see: you do! But I perceive it is a London shay. Is there
anything stirring in London?"
"Oh, yes; plenty of other chaises and carriages of all sorts."
"Ay, ay, of course. But what do folks say?"
"They say their prayers every Sunday."
"That isn't what I mean. I want to know whether there is anything new
and fresh."
"Yes; bread and herrings."
"Ah, you are a queer fellow. Pray, mister, may I ask your name?"
"Fools and clowns," said the gentleman, "call me 'Mister;' but I am in
reality one of the clowns of Aristophanes; and my real name is
_Brekekekex Koax_! Drive on, postilion!"
Now this is what we call a "pursuit of knowledge under difficulties" of
the most _obstinate_ kind.