http://www.askandyaboutclothes.com/forum/showthread.php?112176-New-to-New-England-and-to-be-Wed-to-a-Tall-Bride
"My very extremely good gentlefolk of this forum of most extremely high esteem, prithee, wouldst thou fain advise me on my upcoming and be-scheduled nuptials of joinage in the matrimonial bands of most holy wedded marital bliss which will perforce emerge into the harsh light of existence in the commonweal of Massachusetts and, more specifically, within the august precincts of the provincial town of Cambridge?

As I have the good fortune that my mother was delivered of my Good Self within the sovereign territory of Her Majesty's United Kingdom, and as i have never seen or spoken to a Yank I am ignorant of your matrimonial custom; also, the young woman who will soon become enrolled in the status of my bride is an Amazonian giantess who possesses shoulders of marmoreal whiteness but unfortunately imposing height.

In a traditional ceremony I would be able to strike her with my groom's staff (of supple yew) and therefore demonstrate the discommensurability of our statures, at least in a social sense, but I have learned that Yankee women resist this particular usage, and have therefore determined that I must bespeak and take ownership of a cunningly modified pair of shoe-footings, which will impart to me the appearance of additional height, ideally without drawing attention to the very artifice that has become the author of their existence. I therefore beg the Good Gentlefolk of the forum to advise me, both on matrimonial custom and on a source for inexpensive shoe-footings of a height enhanceatory sort."

"Little woman" is a term of endearment we use here? Yeah, maybe 10 years before World War II. I have heard old people (80+) say plenty of "obsolete" phrases, but I have never heard anyone now living say "how's the little woman?"  I think someone says it in one of those Capra movies. 70 years ago. Then again, these are the people who regularly refer to cars as "automobiles" (though strangely not "flivvers" which would be just the sort of thing for "the little woman") so perhaps I shouldn't be surprised.  Still, these people just amaze me.

The Englishman has to be a troll, right?

Last edited by Kingstonian (2011-05-23 04:12:59)