The Knickerbocker, or New-York Monthly Magazine, June 1844: Volume 23, Number 6Various
General
The Knickerbocker, or New-York Monthly Magazine, June 1844: Volume 23, Number 6
Various
Periodicals
Mrs. Blossom, at first alarmed by the fear of the law, grew penitent and
rigorous in the discharge of her moral obligations to society; but the Law
being a notorious sleepy-head, and never appearing to have its eyes open,
she gradually fell into her old habits, reöpened her 'seminary for lambs;'
and from the great quantity of her disciples which frequent the
thoroughfares of the city at present, I should judge is getting along
prosperously. Mr. Snork was extremely desirous of becoming a partner in
the concern, and made several overtures to that effect, which might have
been accepted by the lady, had he not objected to being deprived of his
eye-sight, and seated at a corner to receive pennies from passers-by. It
was in vain that the lady represented to him that this would be the making
of their respective fortunes; that blind beggars, particularly if they
were remarkably disgusting, as was the case with him, had been known to
retire with handsome fortunes, and that some of them even bought snug
little farms in the country, and kept a horse and 'shay.' Mr. Snork
however, was obstinate; his proposals were accordingly rejected, and he
returned disconsolately to his abode, which was now lonely, his wife
having paid a visit to the penitentiary, for the benefit of the country
air.
The widow, Mrs. Chowles, still lives in her quiet, blinking little house,
as cheerful and contented as ever; as happy as ever to hear Harry's heavy
step, and to see his honest face in his old corner in her parlor; and
although he is no longer accompanied by Spite, who has grown old and
rheumatic, so that he is unable to stir from the chimney-corner, where he
passes his time in crabbed solitude, except when he turns up his dim eyes
to his old master, as he hears his voice, and feels his caressing hand on
his head: all else is as it was in that little household; and that it may
long continue, is our warmest wish.
CONCLUSION.
Mr. Stites' manuscript was written at different times, and in different
hands. The little man was evidently troubled with a defective memory,
(although I would not tell him so for the world,) and has permitted many
strange mistakes and anachronisms to creep into his tale, which inclines
me to think that the whole matter is not so authentic as he pretends, but
has been gleaned in various parcels from the regions of romance. But as he
is not a little tetchy on the score of his veracity, I can only suggest
that the tale be regarded by his good natured readers rather as a fiction
than sober truth.
From beginning to end, strong disapprobation has been expressed by Mr.
Snagg, who says that 'that d--d dog is enough to kill any story, and that
for his part, he doesn't think much of Stites; never did, and never will;
and that a single hair of Slaughter's tail was worth Stites' marrow, fat
and kidneys, all done up together.'
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.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account