Gloria : $b A novelSouthworth, Emma Dorothy Eliza Nevitte
General
Gloria : $b A novel
Southworth, Emma Dorothy Eliza Nevitte
Maryland -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction; Women -- United States -- Fiction
“Oh, Granny Lindsay, he did bring them for me, he and uncle; but I would
not let them stop. I sent them back to the boat, because I wanted to
have you all to myself,” said Gloria, as she picked up one bundle, while
the old woman took the other, and they entered the house together.
“Now sit ’ee down, and take off ’ee things, dearie,” said the dame, as
she placed a chair.
“I will sit down, dear Granny Lindsay, but not take off my hat this
time, because uncle would come, and his doing so has prevented me from
spending the day with you as I wished so much to do; for, oh! I remember
what happy, happy days I used to have here with you and David! And
nothing is changed here! Nothing, nothing! The very chest of drawers and
table and chairs sit in the very places where they used to sit in the
sweet old time.”
“Why, dearie, everything sits where it must sit. In a room like this
everything is put into the place where it fits best, and there it has to
stay. There is no room for alterations, dearie.”
“Well, I like to see it as it used to be. Now, dear Granny Lindsay, I
must tell you that I wanted to come to see you the day after my arrival
home; but it was raining that day and for a week afterwards, and when it
cleared off and David Lindsay so kindly came to fetch me, he was told
that I was engaged. Well, I might have been doing something, and
probably was, but it was nothing that I would not have willingly dropped
for the sake of coming to see you, if I had only been told that David
Lindsay had come for me; but I was not told—I was never told. I should
never have known if I had not met him by chance this morning.”
“I know, I know, dearie, David told me. It was ’ee good guardian’s
prudence, dearie, as I explained to David. ’Ee must mind ’ee guardian,
dearie, and be guided and governed by him until ’ee comes of a proper
age, little lady, and all the more must ’ee submit ’eeself to him who
stands in a father’s place, because ’ee has no mother, dearie,” said the
dame, speaking conscientiously and affectionately.
“Ah,” thought the poor girl, “if she knew how he frightens and
distresses me, she would not say that! I wonder if I could tell her? No,
because I could not explain! How could I explain? There is nothing to
explain.”
With a sigh Gloria turned from her perplexed thoughts to the pleasant
task before her.
She lifted both bundles from the floor to the table. She untied and
opened one, and displayed a large double shawl of a fine black and white
check, saying:
“Now dee-ar Granny Lindsay, I know you love old Scotland, where your
forefathers came from, and you would like any good thing that came from
Scotland. Now, I brought this from Edinboro’ for you.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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