The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. I., No. 13, September, 1835Various
History
The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. I., No. 13, September, 1835
Various
American literature -- 19th century -- Periodicals
akimbo, and look like a very virago, he would return the next morning,
and if he was again told of _friendship_ merely, Tony would only
express his astonishment, and say, "Why then did you give me such
encouragement,--why did you look in that way?" Look in that way! Now
the fact is, no matter which way Catherine might have looked, it would
have been all the same to Tony. If she looked mild and placid, or
fierce and acid; if she had been pensive and musing, or laughing and
romping; had she looked out of her right eye athwart her nose, or out
of her left athwart her shoulder, or had she not looked at all, "like
Paddy, when he shut his eyes to peep in the glass, to see how he
looked when asleep," Tony would have discovered ample cause for
indulging in hope in each smile, frown, curl of the lip, or play of a
muscle. But though, continuing in the same hopeless condition, he
always consoled himself by saying,
"She gaz'd as I slowly withdrew,
My path I could hardly discern,
So sweetly she bade me adieu,
I thought that she bade me return."
Time still moved onward. And Catherine still attracted and received
the admiration of all who beheld her. One day, as she was seated alone
in her parlor, in a somewhat melancholy mood, (for it was a rainy,
dreary day,) with a book in her hand, her back to the door, and her
head leaning against the sash of the window, she began to hum to
herself a little song a friend had lately given her. She would sing a
line or two, and pause,--and then again would raise her mellow voice.
"If he return not, ah, she said,
I'll bid adieu to Hope to-morrow."
And this was sung with so much feeling, you could plainly see her
heart had given utterance to its inmost sentiments. Her singing was so
sweet, we might truly say,
"It was the carol of a bird;
It ceased, and then it came again,
The sweetest song ear ever heard."
The notes however died away, and Kate still sat in a seeming reverie.
When we are fairly in one of these musing moods, we will sit for
hours, without being able to tell upon what object our eyes or
thoughts have been so keenly rivetted. Our senses seem to be closed
against ordinary impressions. At any rate, while Catherine continued
thus leaning, some one walked lightly into the room, and discovering
he was not noticed, gently placed his hands over her eyes without
speaking.
"Now, cousin Tony," said Kate, "none of your tricks; I am not in a
humor for trifling to-day." Tony was not satisfied with feeling cousin
Katy's eyes, but turning her head gently back, was feasting on the
face, which a little vexation had slightly ruffled. "I'll pay you for
this, Tony," she said, in a sprightlier tone, "I know it is you, so
let me go." Tony had often played this trick before. "I thought, after
what passed," said Kate, and she was about saying something harsh, but
checking herself, she added, "Never mind, Tony." "Indeed, Kate, it is
not Tony," said the gentleman, releasing his prisoner.
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