The Knickerbocker, or New-York Monthly Magazine, March 1844: Volume 23, Number 3 — John Shaqi
The Knickerbocker, or New-York Monthly Magazine, March 1844: Volume 23, Number 3Various
Philosophy
The Knickerbocker, or New-York Monthly Magazine, March 1844: Volume 23, Number 3
Various
Periodicals
thinking sufficing to kindle his feelings into a glow of patriotism, while
a civil word of dissent would seem to chill his sympathies for his kind;
strong disapprobation blinding his perceptions to any good possible in
those differing from his established standard. Now it was not to be
expected that the young Lucy's circle would be modelled according to such
restrictions; she loved her kind old father with the clinging fondness of
an unweaned infant for its mother; but though again and again she would,
to gratify him, toil through a whole pamphlet, its meaning as dark to her
perceptions as the close and blurred print to his failing eyes, it may
well be imagined that her girlish brain failed to receive any other
impression from the contents than of their excessive tedium; certainly if
she formed therefrom any opinion regarding his favorite party, it was most
probably the not very flattering one that its members were all especially
tiresome and prolix.
Either from this notion, or a contradiction natural to human nature, it so
happened that among the rivals for the lovely Lucy's smiles, none seemed
to possess such power in riveting her attention as a certain young
gentleman, who although not only the son of a leading man in the
opposition, but holding himself a somewhat prominent place in the ranks of
the condemned party, yet continued with a boldness much to be wondered at
to engross the young lady's time by frequent visits of most unfashionable
length, in spite of Mr. Lee's open vituperations of all the manoeuvres of
the said party. The undaunted aspirant turned a deaf ear however to this,
taking every thing that was said in good part, until one day, when
suddenly his patience seemed to give out.
News had just been received of the marriage of a former school-mate of
Lucy's, the daughter of an old esteemed comrade, orthodox in all his
views, to an individual decidedly in the wrong on the one important point.
First, how astonished, next how entirely shocked, was the good old
gentleman! 'What a falling off! to give his child to ----! Pshaw! what
would the world come to! Where were his principles? where his wisdom?
where his _honor_?' etc., etc. Lucy, frightened perhaps at her father's
vehemence, turned pale. Dr. Kent, the friend and physician of the family,
who chanced to be present, endeavored to calm him, but with little
success; and Mr. Lillburgh, unable as it seemed to join in condemning this
'mis-alliance,' left the house somewhat abruptly. Soon after this,
however, an opportune influx of papers and pamphlets caused a salutary
diversion in Mr. Lee's irritated feelings; and as Lucy's most monopolizing
visitor seemed quite to have disappeared, he could now enjoy his favorite
luxury of drinking in, through the medium of the voice he loved so well,
the words of wisdom he honored so highly.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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