Because this old town of St. Louis was then only a village, and we just had bought our unknown country of France, and this town was on the eastern edge of it, the gate of it--the gate to the West, it used to be, before steam came, while everything went by keel boat; oar or paddle and pole and sail and cordelle.

… he said delightly. I had to make a sprint for it, though, and I shall be glad of a rest. …

She told me she was on her way to the fair in Bolzano and assumed I was going there too. Should we meet there, I must buy her a fairing [translating Jahrmarkt].

He knew all about the guts of the business, how things actually get done.