Family Pride; Or, Purified by SufferingHolmes, Mary Jane
General
Family Pride; Or, Purified by Suffering
Holmes, Mary Jane
American fiction; Dime novels
Such fun as it was to see mother and Juno training Katy, showing her how
to enter the parlor, how to arrange her dress, how to carry her hands
and feet, and how to sit in a chair--Juno going through with the
performance first, and then requesting Katy to imitate her, which I must
say she did to perfection, even excelling her teacher, inasmuch as she
is naturally very easy and graceful. Had I been Katy I should have
rebelled, but she is far too sweet-tempered and anxious to please, while
I half suspect that fear of my lord Wilford had something to do with it,
for when the drill was over, she asked so earnestly if we thought he
would be ashamed of her, and there were tears in her great blue eyes as
she said it. Hang Wilford! Hang the whole of them! I am not sure but I
shall espouse her cause myself, or else tell father, who will do it so
much better.
Dec.--th.--Another drill, with Juno commanding officer, while the
poor little private seemed completely worried out. This time there were
open doors, but so absorbed were mother and Juno as not to hear the
bell, and just as Juno was saying, "Now, imagine me Mrs. General
Reynolds, to whom you are being presented," while Katy was bowing almost
to the floor, who should appear but Mark Ray, stumbling square upon that
ludicrous rehearsal, and of course bringing it to an end. No explanation
was made, nor was any needed, for Mark's face showed that he understood
it, and it was as much as he could do to keep from roaring with
merriment; I am sure he pitied Katy, for his manner toward her was very
affectionate and kind, and when once she left the room he complimented
her highly, repeating many things he had heard in her praise from those
who had seen her both in the street and here at home. Juno's face was
like a thundercloud, for she was as much in love with Mark Ray as she
was once with Dr. Grant, and is even jealous of his praise of Katy. Glad
am I that I never yet saw the man who could make me jealous, or for whom
I cared a pin. There's Bob Reynolds up at West Point. I suppose I do
think his epaulettes very becoming to him, but his hair is too light and
he cannot raise whiskers big enough to cast a shadow on the wall, while
I know he looks with contempt upon females who write, even though their
writings never see the light of day; thinks them strong-minded,
self-willed, and all that. He is expected to be present at the party,
but I shall not be. I had rather stay at home and finish that article
entitled "Women of the Present Century," and suggested to my mind by my
Sister Katy, who stands for the picture I am drawing of a pretty woman,
with more heart than brains, contrasting her with such a one as Juno,
her opposite extreme.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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