worth so much more than that there exhibited。
〃It is really very pretty； Mr。 Bobbinet； very pretty； but Miss Monson
bought one not quite as pretty； at Lace's； and SHE payed SIXTY…
FIVE； if I am not mistaken。〃
〃I dare say； we have them at much higher prices。 I showed YOU this
only that you might see that OUR SIXTIES are as handsome as MR。
LACE'S sixty…FIVES。 What do you think of THIS？〃
〃That IS a jewel！ What IS the price； Mr。 Bobbinet？〃
〃Why； we will let YOU have it for seventy； though I do think it ought to
bring five more。〃
〃Surely you do not abate on pocket…handkerchiefs！ One doesn't like to
have such a thing TOO low。〃
〃Ah； I may as well come to the point at once with such a customer as
yourself； Miss Halfacre； here is the article on which I pride myself。
THAT article never WAS equalled in this market； and never WILL be。〃
I cannot repeat half the exclamations of delight which escaped the fair
Eudosia； when I first burst on her entranced eye。 She turned me over
and over； examined me with palpitating bosom； and once I thought she
was about to kiss me； then； in a trembling voice； she demanded the
price。
〃ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS； ma'am；〃 answered Bobbinet；
solemnly。 〃Not a cent more； on my honor。〃
〃No； surely！〃 exclaimed Eudosia； with delight instead of alarm。 〃Not a
HUNDRED！〃
〃ONE HUNDRED； Miss Eudosia； to the last cent； then we scarcely
make a living profit。〃
〃Why； Mr。 Bobbinet； this is the highest priced handkerchief that was
ever sold in New York。〃 This was said with a sort of rapture； the fair
creature feeling all the advantage of having so good an opportunity of
purchasing so dear an article。
〃In America； ma'am。 It is the highest priced handkerchief； by twenty
dollars； that ever crossed the Atlantic。 The celebrated Miss Jewel's； of
Boston； only cost seventy…nine。〃
〃Only！ Oh； Mr。 Bobbinet； I MUST have it。 It is a perfect treasure！〃
〃Shall I send it； Miss Eudosia； or don't you like to trust it out of your
sight？〃
〃Not yet； sir。 To own the truth； I have not so much money。 I only came
out to buy a few trifles； and brought but fifty dollars with me； and Pa
insists on having no bills。 I never knew any body as particular as Pa； but
I will go instantly home and show him the importance of this purchase。
You will not let the handkerchief be seen for ONE houronly ONE
hourand then you shall hear from me。〃
To this Bobbinet assented。 The young lady tripped into her carriage；
and was instantly whirled from the door。 In precisely forty…three
minutes； a maid entered； half out of breath； and laid a note on the
counter。 The latter contained Mr。 Halfacre's check for one hundred
dollars； and a request from the fair Eudosia that I might be delivered to
her messenger。 Every thing was done as she had desired； and； in five
minutes； I was going up Broadway as fast as Honor O'Flagherty's （for
such was the name of the messenger） little dumpy legs could carry me。
CHAPTER X。
Mr。 Henry Half acre was a speculator in town…lotsa profession that
was； just then； in high repute in the city of New York。 For farms； and all
the more vulgar aspects of real estate； he had a sovereign contempt； but
offer him a bit of land that could be measured by feet and inches； and he
was your man。 Mr。 Halfacre inherited nothing； but he was a man of
what are called energy and enterprise。 In other words； he had a spirit
for running in debt； and never shrunk from jeoparding property that； in
truth； belonged to his creditors。 The very morning that his eldest child；
Eudosia； made her valuable acquisition； in my person； Henry Halfacre；
Esq。； was the owner of several hundred lots on the island of Manhattan；
of one hundred and twenty…three in the city of Brooklyn； of nearly as
many in Williamsburg； of large undivided interests in Milwaukie；
Chicago； Rock River； Moonville； and other similar places； besides
owning a considerable part of a place called Coney Island。 In a word；
the landed estate of Henry Halfacre； Esq。； 〃inventoried；〃 as he
expressed it； just two millions； six hundred and twelve thousand dollars；
a handsome sum； it must be confessed； for a man who； when he began
his beneficent and energetic career in this branch of business； was just
twenty…three thousand； four hundred and seventeen dollars worse than
nothing。 It is true； that there was some drawback on all this prosperity；
Mr。 Halfacre's bonds； notes； mortgages； and other liabilities； making a
sum total that amounted to the odd six hundred thousand dollars； this
still left him； however； a handsome paper balance of two millions。
Notwithstanding the amount of his 〃bills payable；〃 Mr。 Halfacre
considered himself a very prudent man： first； because he insisted on
having no book debts； second； because he always took another man's
paper for a larger amount than he had given of his own； for any specific
lot or lots； thirdly； and lastly； because he was careful to 〃extend himself；〃
at the risk of other persons。 There is no question； had all his lots been
sold as he had inventoried them； had his debts been paid； and had he
not spent his money a little faster than it was bona fide made； that Henry
Halfacre； Esq。 would have been a very rich man。 As he managed；
however； by means of getting portions of the paper he received
discounted； to maintain a fine figure account in the bank； and to pay all
current demands； he began to be known as the RICH Mr。 Halfacre。
But one of his children； the fair Eudosia； was out； and as she had some
distance to make in the better society of the town； ere she could pass
for aristocratic； it was wisely determined that a golden bridge should be
thrown across the dividing chasm。 A hundred…dollar pocket…
handkerchief； it was hoped； would serve for the key…stone； and then all
the ends of life would be attained。 As to a husband； a pretty girl like
Eudosia； and the daughter of a man of 〃four figure〃 lots； might get one
any day。
｛was out = was a debutante； had been presented to society｝
Honor O'Flagherty was both short…legged and short…breathed。 She felt
the full importance of her mission； and having an extensive acquaintance
among the other Milesians of the town； and of her class； she stopped no
less than eleven times to communicate the magnitude of Miss Dosie's
purchase。 To two particular favorites she actually showed me； under
solemn promise of secrecy； and to four others she promised a peep
some day； after her bossee had fairly worn me。 In this manner my
arrival was circulated prematurely in certain coteries； the pretty mouths
and fine voices that spoke of my marvels； being quite unconscious that
they were circulating news that had reached their ears via Honor
O'Flagherty； Biddy Noon； and Kathleen Brady。
｛Milesians = slang for Irish （from Milesius； a mythical Spanish
conqueror of Ireland）； Miss Dosie = Miss Eudosia； bossee = humorous
for a female boss； coteries = social sets｝
Mr。 Halfacre occupied a very GENTEEL residence in Broadway；
where he and his enjoyed the full benefit of all the dust； noise； and
commotion of that great thoroughfare。 This house had been purchased
and mortgaged； generally simultaneous operations with this great
operator； as soon as he had 〃inventoried〃 half a million。 It was a sort of
patent of nobility to live in Broadway； and the acquisition of such a
residence was like the purchase of a marquiseta in Italy。 When Eudosia
was fairly in possession of a hundred…dollar pocket…handkerchief； the
great seal might be said to be attached to the document that was to
elevate the Halfacres throughout all future time。
｛marquiseta = presumably the residence or palace of a Marquis｝
Now the beautiful Eudosiafor beautiful； and even lovely； this glorious…
looking creature was； in spite of a very badly modulated voice； certain
inroads upon the fitness of things in the way of expression； and a want
of a knowledge of the finesse of fine lifenow the beautiful Eudosia had
an intimate friend named Clara Caverly； who was as unlike her as
possible； in character； education； habits； and appearance； and yet who
was firmly her friend。 The attachment was one of childhood and
accidentthe two girls having been neighbors and school…fellows until
they had got to like each other； after the manner in which young people
form such friendships； to wear away under the friction of the world； and
the pressure of time。 Mr。 Caverly was a lawyer of good practice； fair
reputation； and respectable family。 His wife happened to be a lady from
her cradle； and the daughter had experienced the advantage of as great
a blessing。 Still Mr。 Caverly was what the world of New York； in 1832；
called poor； that is to say； he had no known bank…stock； did not own a
lot on the island； was director of neither bank nor insurance company；
and lived in a modest two…story house； in White street。 It is true his
practice supported his family； and enabled him to invest in bonds and
mortgages two or three thousand a…year； and he owned the fee of some
fifteen or eighteen farms in Orange county； that were falling in from
three…lives leases； and which had been in his family ever since the
seventeenth century。 But； at a period of prosperity like that which
prevailed in 1832； 3； 4； 5； and 6； the hereditary dollar was not worth
more than twelve and a half cents； as compared with the 〃inventoried〃
dollar。 As there is something； after all； in a historical name； and the
Caverleys ＇sic＇ still had the best of it； in the way of society； Eudosia was
permitted to continue the visits in White street； even after her own family
were in full possession in Broadway； and Henry Halfacre； Esq。； had got
to be enumerated among the Manhattan nabobs。 Clara Caverly was in
Broadway when Honor O'Flagherty arrived with me； out of breath； in
consequence of the shortness of her legs； and the necessity of making
up for lost time。
｛owned the fee。。。falling in from three…life leases = i。e。； Mr。 Caverly
owned farms in Orange County that had been leased out for long
periods （the lives of three persons named at the moment the lease was
granted） but which were now about to revert to himsuch long…term
leases； in the Hudson Valley； led to the so…called anti…rent war that was
breaking out at the time Cooper wrot