Evenings at Donaldson Manor; Or, The Christmas GuestMcIntosh, Maria J. (Maria Jane)
General
Evenings at Donaldson Manor; Or, The Christmas Guest
McIntosh, Maria J. (Maria Jane)
Christmas stories; Fiction
The marriage of Lilian, which took place in three months after her
return to Mossgiel, could not but excite some interest in the world in
which she had so lately occupied a conspicuous place. When, however, to
the great question--"Who is this Mr. Grahame?" the answer, "Nothing but
a mechanic," was received--the interest soon faded away, and in the
winter Lilian found herself in New-York, with scarcely an acquaintance,
except the Trevanions, and she could easily perceive that something of
pity was mingled with their former kindness. Yet never had Lilian been
less an object of pity. Every day increased not only her affection to
her husband, but her pride in him, by revealing to her more of his high
powers and noble qualities. Those powers had received a new spring from
his desire to prove himself worthy of his cherished wife. He had long
been occupied with a problem whose solution, he believed, would enable
him to increase greatly both the speed and safety of steam navigation.
In the early part of the winter succeeding his marriage, with a glad
spirit, with which Lilian fully sympathized, he cried "Eureka." Before
the winter concluded he had been to Washington, and explaining to the
officers of our own government the importance of his invention, sought
permission to test it on a government vessel. After many delays, with
that short-sighted policy which cannot look beyond the present expense
to the overpaying results, the proposition was declined. During his stay
in Washington, his object had become noised abroad, and the Russian
Minister had opened a correspondence with him and with his own court on
the subject. The result of this correspondence was, that in the
following spring Michael Grahame sailed for Russia, to test his
invention first in the service of its emperor. He was accompanied by
Lilian. Their departure and its object were talked of for awhile, but
soon ceased to be remembered, except by men of science, and those
immediately interested in the result of his experiment.
In the mean time Anna Trevanion married. Her husband, Mr. Walker, was a
man of large property, and of social position equal to her own. They
spent the first two years of their married life abroad. It was in the
second of these two years, and when Lilian had been four years in St.
Petersburgh, that Mr. and Mrs. Walker entered that city. One of their
first inquiries of the American Minister was, "What Americans are here?"
and at the head of the list he presented, stood Mr. and Mrs. Grahame.
"And who are Mr. and Mrs. Grahame?" asked Mr. Walker. "You say they are
from New-York, and I remember no such names of any consequence in
society there."
"I do not know what their consequence was there, but I assure you it is
as great here as the partiality of the Emperor, the favor of the
Imperial family, and their association with the highest rank, can make
it."
"But how did people unknown at home work themselves into such a
position?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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