Around the World with Josiah Allen's WifeHolley, Marietta
General
Around the World with Josiah Allen's Wife
Holley, Marietta
Women travelers -- Fiction
A big house, called a Pleasure House, stood in the centre of the
broad, handsome streets, a sort of a centrepiece from which streams of
happiness and health flowed through the hull city, some as them little
rills of pure snow water flowed through the streets of Salt Lake and
Denver. Where all sorts of innocent recreation could be found to suit
all minds and ages. A big library full of books. A museum full of the
riches of science and art. A big music hall where lovers of music
could find pleasure at any time, and where weekly concerts was given,
most of the performers being of the musically inclined amongst the
young people in the City of Justice. A pretty little theatre where
they could act out little plays and dramas of a helpful, inspirin'
sort. A big gymnasium full of the best appliances and latest helps to
physical culture. A large bathing tank where the white marble steps
led down to cool, sweet waters flowing through the crystal pool, free
to all who wanted to use it. A free telephone linking the hull place
together. I roamed along through the beautiful streets and looked on
the happy, cheerful-faced workmen, who thronged them now, for their
short day's work wuz ended and they wuz goin' home. My heart swelled
almost to bustin' and I sez almost unbeknown to myself, to Robert
Strong who wuz walkin' by my side: "We read about the New Jerusalem
comin' down to earth, and if I didn't know, Robert Strong, that you
had founded this city yourself, I should think that this wuz it."
He laughed his boyish laugh, but I see the deep meanin' in his clear,
gray eyes and knew what he felt, though his words wuz light.
"Oh no," sez he, "we read that those gates are pearl; these are just
common wood, turned out by my workmen."
Sez I, "The pearl of love and good will to man, the precious stun of
practical religion and justice shines on these gates and every
buildin' here, and I bless the Lord that I have ever lived to see what
I have to-day." And I took out my snowy linen handkerchief and shed
some tears on it, I was so affected.
Robert Strong wuz touched to his heart, I see he wuz, but kep' up, his
nater bein' such. Miss Meechim and Dorothy wuz walkin' a little ahead,
Tommy between 'em. And anon we come to the house Robert lived in; not
a bit better than the others on that street, but a nice comfortable
structure of gray stun and brick, good enough for anybody, with wide
sunshiny windows, fresh air, sunshine, plenty of books, musical
instruments and furniture good enough, but nothing for show.
Here his motherly-looking housekeeper spread a nice lunch for us. His
overseer dined with us, a good-looking chap, devoted to Robert Strong,
as I could see, and ready to carry out his idees to the full. Miss
Meechim couldn't find anything, it seemed to me, to pick flaws in, but
she did say to me out to one side, "Just think how Robert lives in a
house no better than his workmen, and he might live in a palace."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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