now, Derrick, what do I generally say to a glass? I generally
say it's a good ting, don'd I? Und I generally say a good deal more to
what is in it, dan to de glass.

VON B. Certainly, certainly! Say, hallo, there! Nick Vedder, bring out a
bottle of your best!

RIP. Dat's right--fill 'em up. You wouldn't believe, Derrick, but dat is
de first one I have had to-day. I guess maybe de reason is, I couldn't
got it before. Ah, Derrick, my score is too big! Well, here is your good
health und your family's--may dey all live long and prosper. [_They
drink._] Ach! you may well smack your lips, und go ah, ah! over dat
liquor. You don'd give me such liquor like dat every day, Nick Vedder.
Well, come on, fill 'em up again. Git out mit dat water, Nick Vedder, I
don'd want no water in my liquor. Good liquor und water, Nick Vedder, is
just like man and wife, dey don'd agree well togedder--dat's me und my
wife, any way. Well, come on again. Here is your good health und your
family's, und may dey all live long und prosper!

NICK VEDDER. That's right, Rip; drink away, and "drown your sorrows in
the flowing bowl."

RIP. Drown my sorrows? Ya, dat's all very well, but she don'd drown. My
wife is my sorrow und you can't drown her; she tried it once, but she
couldn't do it. What, didn't you hear about dat, de day what Gretchen
she like to got drownded? Ach, my; dat's de funniest ting in de world.
I'll tell you all about it. It was de same day what we got married. I
bet I don'd forget dat day so long what I live. You know dat Hudson
River what dey git dem boats over--well, dat's de same place. Well, you
know dat boat what Gretchen she was a-goin' to come over in, dat got
upsetted--ya, just went righd by der boddom. But she wasn't in de boat.
Oh, no; if she had been in de boat, well, den, maybe she might have got
drownded. You can't tell anyting at all about a ting like dat!

VON B. Ah, no; but I'm sure, Rip, if Gretchen were to fall into the
water now, you would risk your life to save her.

RIP. Would I? Well, I am not so sure about dat myself. When we was first
got married? Oh, ya; I know I would have done it den, but I don'd know
how it would be now. But it would be a good deal more my duty now as it
was den. Don'd you know, Derrick, when a man gits married a long
time--mit his wife, he gits a good deal attached mit her, und it would
be a good deal more my duty now as it was den. But I don'd know,
Derrick. I am afraid if Gretchen should