Blue-Stocking Hall, (Vol. 1 of 3)Scargill, William Pitt
General
Blue-Stocking Hall, (Vol. 1 of 3)
Scargill, William Pitt
Epistolary fiction; Women -- Conduct of life -- Fiction; Women -- Education -- Fiction
Immediately behind the urn, which with its pedestal is let into a
niche, is a pretty little arched window of stained glass; and at
the opposite extremity of our Anchorite's cell stands a slab of
Kerry marble, which rests upon a simple cabinet of the beautiful
black oak of the bog which our island furnishes from its _ebony_
stores. When opened, a flat box of polished beech-wood presents
itself, and this serves as a solid portfolio, preserving from damp
an exquisite drawing in pencil, by Frederick, of the large tree
to which you have been already introduced. Underneath the tree,
mamma's lines which we found, are neatly transcribed; and the old
pencil, with its original paper wrapped round it, as when first
discovered in its hiding place, and a pocket Bible, in the first
page of which, after the name of Caroline Douglas, are written
these words; "The prayer of the righteous availeth much," complete
the furniture of this rustic sanctuary.
When Frederick and I went this morning at early dawn, to see that
all was finished according to our design, we found Tom Collins
already there, leaning against one of the pillars, in an attitude
of contemplation. He started from his reverie as we approached, and
twirling his old hat in his hands, resting first upon one foot,
then upon the other, he said, after the usual salutation, "Miss,
dear, I was thinking that you would'nt refuse me, if you plase,
just to let me be standing overright there beyant the big baach,
when my mistress will be coming--I'll engage I'll not let her see a
bit o'me, any more than if I was a sperret, nor I'ont brathe a word
good, or bad, only to set my two looking eyes upon her, when she'll
see the place you done for her." Could such a request fail of being
granted?
This romantic mountaineer is full of the finest sensibilities,
and not perverted, as so much of acute feeling often is, to the
purposes of discontent and ingratitude. Tom is a good husband,
a good son, and a good father. Yet he knows not a letter in the
alphabet.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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