The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. I., No. 5, January, 1835Various
History
The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. I., No. 5, January, 1835
Various
American literature -- 19th century -- Periodicals
consciousness, I was seated on a rock near shore, and the person to
whom I owed my life was standing by--it was my old schoolfellow, George
B----. I muttered something about gratitude, when he cut me short by
telling me he would have saved the life of a drowning dog with as much
alacrity as he had saved me, and that he would, he thought, deserve my
gratitude more for advising me not again to be fool enough to venture
into deep water until I could swim. This, I thought, was rather taking
a liberty; but he had just saved my life, and I said nothing more while
we were dressing ourselves. Then slowly walking towards the city, we
chatted about schooldays and schoolfellows. From that day we gradually
became better acquainted, until in a few weeks we were intimate
associates. It was but natural that I should be attached to a person
who had rescued me from a watery grave, yet I could not but see that
with many very admirable qualities of heart and mind, there were some
glaring defects and vices about him. He was generous and liberal to
excess, and to the necessities of the indigent his hand was never
closed; he was a true friend, but a bitter, unrelenting enemy; he
cherished revenge as food fit for gods, and therefore the more
delightful to men; no Indian was ever more unforgiving. In person he
was tall and spare; his face was not remarkable for comeliness, though
the features were good; but his eyes gave the charm and power to his
dark pale face; they could fascinate and charm as well as threaten and
command. With a fine and highly cultivated taste, and a strong
well-informed mind; simple in his habits and addicted to no species of
intemperance or dissipation; and with a fortune which placed him out of
the reach of want, yet not enough to dissuade him from exertion, George
B---- seemed destined to play with honor and success the part of a man
among his fellows.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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