human
Seems to me you're goin' to a heap o' trouble, friend, he remarked, surveying the tall, graceful figure with a rather disdainful eye.
gpt
We don't dress up much in these parts, 'cept on Sunday.
human
Please do not consider me vain, said the young man, flushing. He smarted under the implied rebuke,--in fact, he was uncomfortably aware of ridicule.
gpt
My riding-boots were filthy. I--I--Yes, I know, he broke in upon himself as Phineas extended one of his own muddy boots for inspection.
human
I know, but, you see, I am the unbidden guest of yourself and Mrs. Striker. The least I can do in return for your hospitality is to make myself presentable--
gpt
You'll have to excuse my grinnin', Mr. Gwynne, interrupted the other.
human
I didn't mean any offence. It's jest that we ain't used to good clothes an' servants to pull our boots off an' on, an'--butternut pants an' so on. We're 'way out here on the edge of the wilderness where bluejeans is as good as broadcloth or doe-skin, an' a chaw of tobacco is as good as the state seal fer bindin' a bargain. Lord bless ye, I don't keer how much you dress up. I guess I might as well tell ye the only men up at Lafayette who wear as good clothes as you do are a couple of gamblers that work up an' down the river, an' Barry Lapelle. I reckon you've heerd of Barry Lapelle. He's known from one end of the state to the other, an' over in Ohio an' Kentucky too.
gpt
I have never heard of him.
human
Well, he owns a couple steamboats that come up the river. Got 'em when his father died a couple o' years ago. His home used to be in Terry Hut, but he's been livin' at Bob Johnson's tavern for a matter of six months now, workin' up trade fer his boats, I understand. He's as wild as a hawk an'--but you'll run across him if you're goin' to live in Lafayette.
gpt
By the way, what is the population of Lafayette?
human
Well, 'cordin' to people who live in Attica she's got about five hundred. People who live in Crawfordsville give her seven hundred. Down at Covington an' Williamsport they say she's got about four hundred an' twelve. When you git to Lafayette Bob Johnson an' the rest of 'em will tell you she's over two thousand an' growin' so fast they cain't keep track of her. There's so much lyin' goin' on about Lafayette that it's impossible to tell jest how big she is. Countin' in the dogs, I guess she must have a population of between six hundred and fifty an' three thousand. You see, everybody up there's got a dog, an' some of 'em two er three. One feller I know has got seven. But, on the whole, I guess you'll like the place. It's the head of navigation at high water, an' if they ever build the Wabash an' Erie Canal they're talkin' about she'll be a regular seaport, like New York er Boston. 'Pears to me the worst is over, don't you reckon so?