Charlemont; Or, The Pride of the Village. a Tale of Kentucky — John Shaqi
Charlemont; Or, The Pride of the Village. a Tale of KentuckySimms, William Gilmore
General
Charlemont; Or, The Pride of the Village. a Tale of Kentucky
Simms, William Gilmore
Kentucky -- Fiction
The nephew, with an air of some impatience, which, however, escaped the
eyes of the senior, sent his horse forward by a sharp application of his
spur, though looking back the while, with a glance of reluctance, which
strongly disagreed with the sentiments which he expressed. Indeed,
with both the travellers, the impression made by the little village
of Charlemont was such that the subject seemed nowise displeasing to
either, and furnished the chief staple of conversation between them,
as they rode the remaining eight miles of their journey. The old man's
heart had been subdued and won by the sweet air of peace which seemed to
overspread and hallow the soft landscape, and the smiling cottages which
made it human. The laughing maidens with their bright eyes and cheering
accents, gave vivacity to its milder charms. We have heard from the lips
of the younger traveller, that these attractions had failed to captivate
his fancy. We may believe of this as we please. It is very probable that
he had, in considerable part, spoken nothing but the truth. He was too
much of a mocker;--one of those worldlings who derive their pleasures
from circumstances of higher conventional attraction. He had no feeling
for natural romance. His PENCHANT, was decidedly for the artificial
existence of city life; and the sneers which he had been heard
to express at the humble joys of rustic life, its tastes, and
characteristics, were, in truth, only such as he really felt. But, even
in his case, there was an evident disposition to know something more of
Charlemont. He was really willing to return. He renewed the same subject
of conversation, when it happened to flag, with obvious eagerness;
and, though his language was still studiedly disparaging, a more deeply
penetrating judgment than that of his uncle, would have seen that the
little village, slightly as he professed to esteem it, was yet an object
of thought and interest in his eyes. Of the sources of this new interest
time must inform us.
“Well, well, Warham,” at length exclaimed the uncle, in a tone that
seemed meant to close the discussion of a topic which his nephew now
appeared mischievously bent to thrust upon him, “you will return to
Kentucky in the fall. Take Charlemont in your route. Stop a week there.
It will do you no harm. Possibly you may procure some clients--may,
indeed, include it in your tour of practice--at all events, you will not
be unprofitably employed if you come to see the village and the people
with MY eyes, which, I doubt not, you will in time.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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