Matilda Montgomerie; Or, The Prophecy FulfilledRichardson, Major (John)
History
Matilda Montgomerie; Or, The Prophecy Fulfilled
Richardson, Major (John)
United States -- History -- War of 1812 -- Fiction
removed from his venerable head, and his body inclined forward over his
saddle-bow, with all the easy grace of a well-born gentleman, and one
accustomed from infancy to pay deference to woman; nay, this at an hour
when he had imbibed enough of his favorite liquor to have rendered most
men insensible even to their presence. These habits of courtesy,
extended moreover to the officers of the garrison, and such others among
the civilians as Simon felt to be worthy of his notice. His tones of
salutation, at these moments, were soft, his manner respectful, even
graceful; and while there was nothing of the abashedness of the
inferior, there was also no offensive familiarity, in the occasional
conversations held by him with the different individuals, or groups, who
surrounded and accosted him.
Such was Simon Girty, in the first stage of his inebriety, no outward
sign of which was visible. In the second, his perception became more
obscured, his voice less distinct, his tones less gentle and
insinuating, and occasionally the cudgel would rise in rapid flourish,
while now and then a loud halloo would burst from lungs, which the
oceans of whiskey they had imbibed had not yet, apparently, much
affected. These were infallible indices of the more feverish stage, of
which the gallopings of Silvertail--the vociferations of his master--the
increasing flourishing of the cudgel--the supposed danger of
children--and the consequent alarm of mothers, together with the
harangues to the Indian auditory, were the almost daily results.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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