New England -- Fiction; New England -- Politics and government -- Fiction
When Ephraim came home to supper that evening, he brought the Brampton
Clarion, just out, and in it was an account of Miss Lucretia Penniman's
speech at the mass meeting, and of her visit, and of her career. It was
written in Mr. Page's best vein, and so laudatory was it that we shall
have to spare Miss Lucretia in not repeating it here: yes, and omit
the encomiums, too, on the teacher of the Brampton lower school. Mr.
Worthington was not mentioned, and for this, at least, Cynthia drew
along breath of relief, though Ephraim was of the opinion that the
first citizen should have been scored as he deserved, and held up to the
contempt of his fellow-townsmen. The dismissal of the teacher, indeed,
was put down to a regrettable misconception on the part of “one of the
prudential committee,” who had confessed his mistake in “a manly and
altogether praiseworthy speech.” The article was as near the truth,
perhaps, as the Clarions may come on such matters--which is not very
near. Cynthia would have been better pleased if Mr. Page had spared
his readers the recital of her qualities, and she did not in the least
recognize the paragon whom Miss Lucretia had befriended and defended.
She was thankful that Mr. Page did pot state that the celebrity had come
up from Boston on her account. Miss Penniman had been “actuated by a
sudden desire to see once more the beauties of her old home, to look
into the faces of the old friends who had followed her career with such
pardonable pride.” The speech of the president of the literary club,
you may be sure, was printed in full, for Mr. Ives himself had taken the
trouble to write it out for the editor--by request, of course.
Cynthia turned over the sheet, and read many interesting items: one
concerning the beauty and fashion and intellect which attended the party
at Mr. Gamaliel Ives's; in the Clovelly notes she saw that Miss Judy
Hatch, of Coniston, was visiting relatives there; she learned the output
of the Worthington Mills for the past week. Cynthia was about to fold up
the paper and send it to Miss Lucretia, whom she thought it would amuse,
when her eyes were arrested by the sight of a familiar name.
“Jethro Bass come to life again.
From the State Tribune.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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