-
Articles/Ads
Article THE BEAUTIFUL HAND. ← Page 2 of 8 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Beautiful Hand.
' There is no such person staying here , Sir . " This ansAA-er at once told me it Avas a boarding house , and I asked "Who keeps this house ? " "Mrs . Parker , Sir . " I examined the man ' s face to see if he Avere a subject for bribery ; but he Avas evidently a true Yankee , and it AA'as not my policy to risk . to her
HOAV Avas I see ?—this Avas the question , and I set my ino-enuit y to Avork to solve the difficulty , as I Avalked thoughtfully home ; for ' so one calls even the abode of an " hour , in that most cheerless habitation , a boarding-house in a strange land . I took a seat at the parlour windoAV , and filled with the idea of the lady Avith the beautiful hand , I insensibl y began to examine each o-raceful looking ladthat passedAvith the extreme and ridiculous conceitthat
y , , she might be one of the living current that moved sloAvl y along the pavement ; for here every very genteel street is a promenade for ladies . My landlady sat opposite to me , talking leisurely to an old boarder ; and itstruck me that she could , in all probability , give some desirable information . She Avas a fat , round , good natured looking old body , and belonged , evidentl y , to that class of amiable beings Avho treasure up eA'ery thinohear of bod
they every y , for the express purpose of giving out then stores whenever occasion offered . Putting all the respect and suavit y I could muster into my manner , I began a very circumlocutory set of questions , Avhich eA'entuall y led to the great enquiry : "Do you , Mrs Briggs , knoAV Mrs . Parker , AVIIO hVes in Street ?"' "Parker ; Parker ; Street ! Mrs . Parker ?" "Yes , Madam . "
" Well IIOAV , let me think ; I certainly do knoAV Parker did you say , Sir 1 " "Yes , Madam , Mrs . Parker , AVIIO keeps a boarding-house . " "Oh ! ah , me ; I knew , " said she with a smile of satisfaction , "the name Avas in my mind . Oh yes ; that is , I am not acquainted with her , but I knoiv there is such a house—one of the most select in the City ! HaA'e you a friendor any acquaintance stopping there ? " she asked ivith
, the extremest complaisance . "No , not at present . " "Ah ! you expect some one there , then ?" "It is possible . " "Because , I could send up , and enquire for you , if you choose . " " No , thank you , it ' s of no manner of consequence at this time . " And so ended this effort .
Suddenl y I recollected that I had a letter of credit and introduction to an old merchant ; and my path lay all smooth before me . I ordered a 'hack ' , and aAvay I Avent to his counting-house . He Avas not there , but , his clerks expected him back very soon ; to me the time seemed very long , though he did return in a tew minutes . After the usual colloquy on such occasions , I informed him that I Avished to change my quarters , to Mrs . Parker ' s boarding-house . I Avas very sorry that he did not
know this , to me , important personage . " Oh , never mind , " said he , "it is just the same , if I don ' t knoAV her , she knoAA's me . " "Ah , that indeed , " said I , extremel y rejoiced ; "She " Bless me , yes , that she does ; there is ' nt a boarding-house in all NeAV York , that does not knoAV about particular men of business in this street ; especially us old bachelors . " "I am very anxious to go fo thai house , and shall be especiallyobliged fo you to place me there . " VOL . u . ¦ )
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Beautiful Hand.
' There is no such person staying here , Sir . " This ansAA-er at once told me it Avas a boarding house , and I asked "Who keeps this house ? " "Mrs . Parker , Sir . " I examined the man ' s face to see if he Avere a subject for bribery ; but he Avas evidently a true Yankee , and it AA'as not my policy to risk . to her
HOAV Avas I see ?—this Avas the question , and I set my ino-enuit y to Avork to solve the difficulty , as I Avalked thoughtfully home ; for ' so one calls even the abode of an " hour , in that most cheerless habitation , a boarding-house in a strange land . I took a seat at the parlour windoAV , and filled with the idea of the lady Avith the beautiful hand , I insensibl y began to examine each o-raceful looking ladthat passedAvith the extreme and ridiculous conceitthat
y , , she might be one of the living current that moved sloAvl y along the pavement ; for here every very genteel street is a promenade for ladies . My landlady sat opposite to me , talking leisurely to an old boarder ; and itstruck me that she could , in all probability , give some desirable information . She Avas a fat , round , good natured looking old body , and belonged , evidentl y , to that class of amiable beings Avho treasure up eA'ery thinohear of bod
they every y , for the express purpose of giving out then stores whenever occasion offered . Putting all the respect and suavit y I could muster into my manner , I began a very circumlocutory set of questions , Avhich eA'entuall y led to the great enquiry : "Do you , Mrs Briggs , knoAV Mrs . Parker , AVIIO hVes in Street ?"' "Parker ; Parker ; Street ! Mrs . Parker ?" "Yes , Madam . "
" Well IIOAV , let me think ; I certainly do knoAV Parker did you say , Sir 1 " "Yes , Madam , Mrs . Parker , AVIIO keeps a boarding-house . " "Oh ! ah , me ; I knew , " said she with a smile of satisfaction , "the name Avas in my mind . Oh yes ; that is , I am not acquainted with her , but I knoiv there is such a house—one of the most select in the City ! HaA'e you a friendor any acquaintance stopping there ? " she asked ivith
, the extremest complaisance . "No , not at present . " "Ah ! you expect some one there , then ?" "It is possible . " "Because , I could send up , and enquire for you , if you choose . " " No , thank you , it ' s of no manner of consequence at this time . " And so ended this effort .
Suddenl y I recollected that I had a letter of credit and introduction to an old merchant ; and my path lay all smooth before me . I ordered a 'hack ' , and aAvay I Avent to his counting-house . He Avas not there , but , his clerks expected him back very soon ; to me the time seemed very long , though he did return in a tew minutes . After the usual colloquy on such occasions , I informed him that I Avished to change my quarters , to Mrs . Parker ' s boarding-house . I Avas very sorry that he did not
know this , to me , important personage . " Oh , never mind , " said he , "it is just the same , if I don ' t knoAV her , she knoAA's me . " "Ah , that indeed , " said I , extremel y rejoiced ; "She " Bless me , yes , that she does ; there is ' nt a boarding-house in all NeAV York , that does not knoAV about particular men of business in this street ; especially us old bachelors . " "I am very anxious to go fo thai house , and shall be especiallyobliged fo you to place me there . " VOL . u . ¦ )