Fern Leaves from Fanny's Port-folio. Second SeriesFern, Fanny
General
Fern Leaves from Fanny's Port-folio. Second Series
Fern, Fanny
American essays -- 19th century; Short stories, American
Don’t the Bible say, “To him that hath shall be given?” No mistake,
you see. When the wheel turns round with you on the top, (saints and
angels!) you can do anything you like--play any sort of a prank--pout
or smile, be grave or gay, saucy or courteous, it will pass muster!
You never need trouble yourself,--can’t do anything wrong if you try.
At the most, it will only be an “eccentricity!” But you never need be
such a fool as to expect that anybody will find out you are a _diamond_
till you get a _showy setting_! You’ll get knocked and cuffed around,
and roughly handled, with paste and tinsel, and rubbish, till that
auspicious moment arrives. Then! won’t all the sheaves bow down to your
sheaf?--not one rebellious straggler left in the field! But stay a
little.
In your adversity, found you one faithful heart that stood firmly by
your side and shared your tears, when skies were dark, and your pathway
thorny and steep, and summer friends fell off like autumn leaves? By
all that’s noble in a woman’s heart, give that one the first place in
it now. Let the world see _one_ heart proof against the sunshine of
prosperity. You can’t repay such a friend--all the mines of Golconda
couldn’t do it. But in a thousand delicate ways, prompted by a woman’s
unerring tact, let your heart come forth gratefully, generously,
lovingly. Pray heaven he be on the shady side of fortune--that your
heart and hand may have a wider field for gratitude to show itself.
Extract every thorn from his pathway, chase away every cloud of sorrow,
brighten his lonely hours, smooth the pillow of sickness, and press
lovingly his hand in death.
RAIN IN THE CITY.
Patter, patter, patter! down comes the city shower, on dusty and
heated pavements; gleefully the willow trees shake out their long green
tresses, and make their toilettes in the little mirror pools beneath.
The little child runs out, with outspread palm, to catch the cool and
pearly drops. The weary laborer, drawing a long, grateful breath,
bares the flushed brow of toil; boyhood, with bare and adventurous
foot, wades through gutter rivers, forgetful of birch, and bread and
butter. Ladies skutter tiptoe, with uplifted skirts, to the shelter of
some friendly omnibus; gentlemen, in the independent consciousness of
corduroys, take their time and umbrellas, while the poor jaded horses
shake their sleek sides, but do not say _neigh_ to their impromptu
shower-bath.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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