United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 -- Fiction
“Why, _this_ is not the lad you told me of,” she said. “Come here! Both
of you.” They came and the lady scrutinized them comparingly.
“Actually you look alike—and, Harry, you have no advantage, even if you
are my own son. I am glad you are here,” she said with sudden soberness,
and smiling tenderly she put both hands on his shoulders, drew him to
her and kissed him, and again he felt in his eyes that curious sting.
“Come, Harry!” With a gallant bow Harry offered his left arm, and
gathering the little Kentuckian with her left, the regal lady swept out.
In the reception-room she kept the boy by her side. Every man who
approached bowed, and soon the lad was bowing, too. The ladies
courtesied, the room was soon filled, and amid the flash of smiles,
laughter, and gay banter the lad was much bewildered, but his face
showed it not at all. Barbara almost cried out her astonishment and
pleasure when she saw what a handsome figure he made in his new
clothing, and all her little friends were soon darting surreptitious
glances at him, and many whispered questions and pleasing comments were
passed around. From under Hugh’s feet the ground for the moment was
quite taken away, so much to the eye, at least, do clothes make the man.
Just then General Willoughby bowed with noble dignity before Mrs. Dale,
and the two led the way to the dining-room.
“Harry,” she said, “you and Barbara take care of your cousin.”
And almost without knowing it the young Kentuckian bowed to Barbara, who
courtesied and took his arm. But for his own dignity and hers, she would
have liked to squeal her delight. The table flashed with silver and
crystal on snowy-white damask and was brilliant with colored candles.
The little woodsman saw the men draw back chairs for the ladies, and he
drew back Barbara’s before Hugh, on the other side of her, could
forestall him. On his left was Harry, and Harry he watched keenly—but no
more keenly than Hugh watched him. Every now and then he would catch a
pair of interested eyes looking furtively at him, and he knew his story
was going the round of the table among those who were not guests in the
house. The boy had never seen so many and so mysterious-looking things
to eat and drink. One glass of wine he took, and the quick dizziness
that assailed him frightened him, and he did not touch it again. Beyond
Barbara, Hugh leaned forward and lifted his glass to him. He shook his
head and Hugh flushed.
“Our Kentucky cousin is not very polite—he is something of a
barbarian—naturally.”
“He doesn’t understand,” said Barbara quickly, who had noted the
incident, and she turned to her cousin.
“Papa says you _are_ going to live with us and you are going to study
with Harry under Mr. Brockton.”
“Our tutor,” explained Harry; “there he is across there. He is an
Englishman.”
“Tutor?” questioned the boy.
“School-teacher,” laughed Harry.
“Oh!”
“Haven’t you any school-teachers at home?”
“No, I learned to read and write a little from Dave and Lyddy.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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