The May Flower, and Miscellaneous WritingsStowe, Harriet Beecher
General
The May Flower, and Miscellaneous Writings
Stowe, Harriet Beecher
United States -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction
Our readers may imagine that after this the conversation proceeded to
grow increasingly confidential and interesting; that from the account of
early life, each proceeded to let the other know something of
intervening history, in the course of which each discovered a number of
new and admirable traits in the other, such things being matters of very
common occurrence. In the course of the conversation Joseph discovered
that it was necessary that Susan should have two or three books then in
his possession; and as promptitude is a great matter in such cases, he
promised to bring them "to-morrow."
For some time our young friends pursued their acquaintance without a
distinct consciousness of any thing except that it was a very pleasant
thing to be together. During the long, still afternoons, they rambled
among the fading woods, now illuminated with the radiance of the dying
year, and sentimentalized and quoted poetry; and almost every evening
Joseph found some errand to bring him to the house; a book for Miss
Susan, or a bundle of roots and herbs for Miss Silence, or some
remarkably fine yarn for her to knit--attentions which retained our hero
in the good graces of the latter lady, and gained him the credit of
being "a young man that knew how to behave himself." As Susan was a
leading member in the village choir, our hero was directly attacked with
a violent passion for sacred music, which brought him punctually to the
singing school, where the young people came together to sing anthems and
fuguing tunes, and to eat apples and chestnuts.
It cannot be supposed that all these things passed unnoticed by those
wakeful eyes that are ever upon the motions of such "bright, particular
stars;" and as is usual in such cases, many things were known to a
certainty which were not yet known to the parties themselves. The young
belles and beaux whispered and tittered, and passed the original jokes
and witticisms common in such cases, while the old ladies soberly took
the matter in hand when they went out with their knitting to make
afternoon visits, considering how much money Uncle Jaw had, how much his
son would have, and what all together would come to, and whether Joseph
would be a "smart man," and Susan a good housekeeper, with all the "ifs,
ands, and buts" of married life.
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