"Look deary you're missing things . . . There's the statue of Liberty." A tall green woman in a dressing gown standing on an island holding up her hand.
"What's that in her hand?"
"That's a light, dear . . . Liberty enlightening the world. . . . And there's Governors Island the other side. There where the trees are . . . and see, that's Brooklyn Bridge. . . . That is a fine sight. And look at all the docks . . . that's the Battery . . . and the masts and the ships . . . and there's the spire of Trinity Church and the Pulitzer building." . . . Mooing of steamboat whistles, ferries red and waddly like ducks churning up white water, a whole train of cars on a barge pushed by a tug chugging beside it that lets out cotton steampuffs all the same size. Jimmy's hands are cold and he's chugging and chugging inside.
"Dear you mustn't get too excited. Come on down and see if mother left anything in the stateroom."
Streak of water crusted with splinters, groceryboxes, orangepeel, cabbageleaves, narrowing, narrowing between the boat and the dock. A brass band shining in the sun, white caps, sweaty red faces, playing Yankee Doodle. "That's for the ambassador, you know the tall man who never left his cabin." Down the slanting gangplank, careful not to trip. Yankee Doodle went to town. . . . Shiny black face, white enameled eyes, white enameled teeth. "Yas ma'am, yas ma'am" . . . Stucka feather in his hat, an called it macaroni. . . . "We have the freedom of the port." Blue custom officer shows a bald head bowing low . . . Tumte boomboom boom boom boom . . . cakes and sugar candy. . . .
"Here's Aunt Emily and everybody. . . . Dear how sweet of you to come."
"My dear I've been here since six o'clock!"
"My how he's grown."
Light dresses, sparkle of brooches, faces poked into Jimmy's, smell of roses and uncle's cigar.
"Why he's quite a little man. Come here sir, let me look at you."
