Graham's Magazine, Vol. XLI, No. 5, November 1852Various
General
Graham's Magazine, Vol. XLI, No. 5, November 1852
Various
Literature -- Periodicals; Literature, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals
and down into all the chambers of the house, whistling or humming notes
that had no pretence to cohesion, or harmony, or to any thing but
doleful monotony, and in a thousand other ways displayed the
wretchedness of his mind.
And long after the lovers--from frequent communion and from other causes
well wotted of by old and young--had outgrown the restraints of
bashfulness, and were become sister and brother in manner and wedded in
heart, the old sea-captain still felt qualmish on the approach of John’s
visits. So it was that on Sunday mornings he usually delayed his
greeting to the last moment, when, his grisly hair brushed no way in
particular, and tucked under the brim of a very rakish and
curley-looking hat, he was prepared to accompany them to church. Along
the dusty, pebbly footpath, with here a church-going worshiper from the
cottage, and there a church-going worshiper from the hall, the
school-children defiling irregularly and dustily in the road. Across the
common--down the long lane shadowed, almost darkened, by trees that
overhung from high and weedy banks on either side, where birds chattered
and sung, and the church-bells rang with softened resonance; at the end
the sunshine gloriously outspread, with the tumble-down old church and
the tumble-down old gravestones drowsing in the midst: and all like a
picture framed in the foliage of the lane. Pleasant enough in reality
and destitute of association, that walk was beautiful indeed as
remembered by the apothecary. Cool summer airs floated past his face,
the freshness of morning moistened on his lips, in his eyes was light,
in his heart all happiness, as the recollection rose in fullness before
the dreaming bridegroom, and passed gently away. Again as they entered
the porch together, in the shadow of a real and earnest thoughtfulness;
again as together they knelt down; again as organ and children intoned
an old meandering psalm, that ever found an easy path from earth to
heaven--the memory came with a shock like electricity and left him
confusedly trembling. And the loose afternoon rambles while papa dozed,
the botanical excursions into all the shady, shrubby nooks of the
garden, where Jessy gathered her hair under that wonderful muslin
scarf--pleasant converse or pleasanter silence by open windows, when
rain-drops drummed among the leaves--cozy evenings when, determined to
be happy (for at heart he was almost as proud of Godwin’s frank
openheartedness and sound intelligence as his daughter,) the old captain
brought forth a tobacco-pouch that might also have served for a
carpet-bag, mixed a pint of grog in a half-gallon bowl, and sat down to
talk morals and politics over the table with his guest, while at the
same time, beneath the shadow of the table, the joined hands of Jessy
and the happy guest talked love--and ceremonial suppers, for parting had
to follow--parting itself, when Jessy and her father accompanied him
into the porch, and her father wandered uneasily somewhere out of it,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account