Christian life -- Fiction; Frontier and pioneer life -- Ohio -- Fiction; Physicians -- Fiction
Even as translated the speech was full of eloquent passages. He spoke
in the strongest terms of the friendly relations existing between
the whites and the Indians; said they were brothers, and that the
Indians would never violate their treaty. He hoped both parties would
abide by it forever, and the peace and brotherly love between them be
as lasting as time. A shaking of hands followed the speech, and the
throng quietly dispersed.
CHAPTER XIX.
The Indian sachems departed, and life in Chillicothe fell back into
its accustomed grooves.
Captain Bernard left for his Virginia home, but Lyttleton remained
a boarder at the General Anthony Wayne, a self-appointed spy upon
Kenneth's movements, and very frequent visitor to the hospitable
dwelling of Major Lamar.
He continued to be a favorite with Clare, but found scant favor with
Nell, whose politeness was sometimes freezing, while at others she
would be only tolerably gracious. She was constantly comparing him,
and always to his disadvantage, with Dr. Clendenin.
Lyttleton was handsome, polished, and an accomplished
conversationalist, but Kenneth was fully his equal in these respects,
and oh, how much more noble, brave and true; what an earnest,
unselfish, useful life he led; how different from that of this gay
idler who seemed to have no thought of anything but his own ease and
pleasure!
She had about made up her mind that Lyttleton was a coward, too,
remembering how pale he had turned on his first sight of Wawillaway,
and having heard that he showed great agitation at the roll of the
drum which so frightened the women and children with its false alarm
that the Indians were almost upon them.
And nothing else so excited Nell's scorn and contempt as cowardice in
a man.
Besides he now and then indulged in some remark disparaging to
Kenneth, insinuating that he was of low birth and connections,
less highly educated than himself, unskillful in his profession,
pharisaical in his religion, and wanting in ease and refinement of
manner.
All utterly false, as Nell knew; and she never failed to retort with
cutting sarcasm, stinging rebuke, or a panegyric upon Dr. Clendenin
so warm and earnest that she recalled it afterward with burning
blushes.
What if her words should reach Dr. Clendenin's ears! What would he
think of her, for with a sore heart she was compelled to acknowledge
to herself that eloquently as his eyes had spoken once and again,
his lips had never yet breathed one word of love to her; and not for
worlds would she have him think she cared for him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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