personage a person of importance or distinction.
veselija the Lithuanian wedding celebration which includes but is not limited to traditional foods, dances, and behaviors.
viands food of various kinds; especially, choice dishes
caper to skip or jump about in a playful manner.
swain a young rustic lover.
grandes dames women, especially older ones, of great dignity or prestige.
quaff to drink deeply in a hearty or thirsty way.
Faust the hero of several medieval legends and later literary and operatic works, a philosopher who sells his soul to the devil in exchange for knowledge and power; here, and in several places throughout The Jungle, Sinclair inserts literary allusions that are not compatible with the educational level of the character, a stylistic shortcoming.
ponas Lithuanian word meaning master, gentleman.
brass check refers to the style of time clock used during this period.
