446 FRUIT. 



Sana-^eau, or Skinless, was evidently touched to the quick. Tlie 

 Pomme glace gave all the Pippins a freezing look ; and the Fon- 

 dante d'Automne, a very tender creature, was so overcome that she 

 melted into tea^s at such a monstrous proposition. The Belle de 

 Bruxelks muit/srei that she had seen Newtown Pippins that were 

 false-hearted ; and the Poire Episcopal declared that the man who 

 could utter such sentiments was a radicali anii dangerous to the 

 peace of established institutions. 



Just as we were wondering who would rise on- the Opposition,' a 

 tall, well proportioned Pear got up, with a pleasant Flemish aspect. 

 It was Van Mani Leonle Clerc, He said he was sorry to see this- 

 violent feeling manifested . against foreign names ; and being a 

 foteigner, and having had a pretty long acquaintance with foreign 

 Pears abroad, he felt called upon to say something in their defence. 

 He thought the remarks of the gentleman who had preceded him, 

 both uncourteous to foreigners andunreasohable* He could not un- 

 derstand why people should not be allowed to retain their nc^es, 

 at least such ai had any worth retaining, even if they did become 

 rooted to the soil of this country. Especially when those names 

 were in the most polite language in the world, — a langqage which 

 every educated person was bound to understand, — a language spoken 

 by Duhamel and Van Mons, the greatest of pomologists, — a lan- 

 guage more universal than the English,^ — spoken, in short, in all 

 civilized countries, and especially spoken by fine ladies over a dish 

 of fine pears at the dessert. {^Qreat applause.) 



Here, a strange^ to us, the Bezi des Veterans, rose and said : — 

 Sare, I have de honor to just arrive in dis country. I am very much 

 chagrinee a,t dis proposition to take away my name. I have run 

 away from de revolutions, what take away my property, and here 

 I hope to find la Uherte—la paim ; and I only find les voleUrs — 

 robbers — vat vish to take away my name. Yes, sare ; and what 

 they will call me deii ? — " wild old mans," or " old sojai: ? " Bah ! 

 Me no like to be so, Moi, who belong to de grand hataillon — le 

 garde Napoleon ! . ' 



Here a pleasant and amiable lady rose, evidently a little embar- 

 irassed. It was Louise Bonne de Jersey. She said she loved Ame- 

 rica. True, she had found the climate not to agree with her at-firet. 



