the Civil War– a four-year war (1861–1865) between the US federal government and the Southern states that seceded from the Union in 1860
St. Paul– a city on the Mississippi River in Minnesota
the Catskills– the Catskill Mountains, a part of the Appalachian Mountains in the southwest of New York state
Jersey– New Jersey, one of the thirteen original states on the Atlantic coast, south and southwest of New York
Long Island– an island in the Atlantic Ocean, the southwestern part of New York state
proclamation– an official or public statement
aliases– names, different from one’s own, which persons uses on some occasions or for some reasons
the first Babylonian Empire– an ancient empire of the 18th century BC in Babylonia, a cultural region in Mesopotamia, the land between the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers
bric-à-brac– bits of old and curious things of no great value
nymph– in Greek and Roman mythology, a goddess living in rivers, trees, etc.; a beautiful young woman.
Newport– a city in southwestern Rhode Island, US, founded in 1633
amnesia– loss of memory
wop= an Italian (US slang)
Pro deo et patria et St. Midas= For God, and fatherland, and St. Midas ( Latin )
the Balkans– the Balkan Peninsula, a cultural and historical region in Eastern Europe
Serbian– relating to Serbia, a country in the west-central Balkans
Empress Eugénie– the wife of Napoleon III (1808–1873), president of the Second Republic of France and then the emperor of France
West Virginia– a small US mountain state east of the Mississippi River, admitted to the Union in 1863
Omaha– a city in eastern Nebraska, on the west bank of the Mississippi River
Sioux City– a city in northwestern Iowa, on the Missouri River, founded in 1886
portico– entrance of a building with a roof supported by columns
Divinity– a divine person or other being
By golly! – an exclamation of surprise
rhinestones– rock-crystal; gems imitating diamonds.
to cut smb. off with a hot coal– to disinherit, to leave little or no money (idiom)
anachronism– 1) smth. or smb. out of date; 2) mistake in chronological relation.
Baltimore– a city in north-central Maryland, US, founded in 1729
the Confederacy– 11 Southern states that seceded from the Union in 1860–1861 and formed the Confederate States of America; the secession caused the American Civil War of 1861–1865.
phaeton– an open four-wheeled carriage with one or two seats
septuagenarian– a person from 70 to 79 years of age
Methuselah– the Old Testament patriarch; he was 969 years old, and was considered the longest-lived man.
Havana– a famous cigar
the wandering Jew– a legendary character doomed to live until the end of the world in punishment for taunting Jesus Christ on his way to the Crucifixion
brougham– four-wheeled one-horse carriage designed by Henry Brougham in 1838
mantilla– a large veil or scarf worn to cover the hair and shoulders
San Juan Hill– the highest point of San Juan Ridge where one of the battles of the American-Spanish War took place in 1898
persona grata– a person who is acceptable
Y.W.C.A. – Young Women’s Christian Association
sans= without (French)
gingham– a strong, plain-woven cotton fabric
Richard Harding Davis (1864–1916)– American author of romantic novels, short-story writer and reporter
Frank Norris (1870–1908)– American novelist and the first American naturalist, writer of importance
the Japs= the Japanese (contemptuous)
Port Arthur– the place of severe battle during the Russian-Japanese war of 1904—1905
Château Thierry– a town on the Marne River in northeastern France, the place where the German offensive was stopped during World War I
sextets– groups of six people singing or playing music together
hansom– a two-wheeled closed carriage entered from the front, invented in 1839
the Gibson girl– an ideal of beauty of the epoch created by illustrator Charles Dana Gibson (1867–1944)
Lillian Russell (1861—1922) – American actress and singer in musical comedies
Stella Mayhew– American actress
Anna Held– French actress of the late 19th – early 20th centuries
Balboa– Vasco Núñez de Balboa (1475–1519), Spanish conquistador and explorer of Central and South America
manna– here: smth. sweet and tasty; in the Bible, miraculously sent food.
Thanksgiving (Day)– in the United States, an annual national holiday on the fourth Thursday of November celebrating the harvest
Seattle– a city in the state of Washington, one of the largest cities in the US
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