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Article FATHER AND SON. ← Page 3 of 30 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Father And Son.
Truly the Porters , take them one and all , Avere a gifted family ! And now—after this long parenthesis—I return to my fireside . The old lady had been carefully installed by her daughter in a Avell-cushioned arm-chair , in Avhich her diminutive figure Avas almost buried ; I have her at this moment before meAvith her
, silver hair , smoothly banded under a cap of snow-Avhite lace , and a dress of dark-coloured silk , above Avhich Avas crossed a muslin 'kerchief , tightly fastened about her Avaist , and ornamented by a pale China rose , Aidiich had been placed there by the fond hands of her ever-Avatchful child . Jane herself sat
erect , glancing from time to time at the venerable face of her mother , and occasionally relaxing into a smile at some of my own girlish sallies . Gradually , hoAvever , the conversation became more sustained and serious , as Mrs . Porter took a larger share in it ; and ultimately she A'oluuteered to relate to us a reminiscence of
long-passed years , Avhich had , as she declared , made a deep and lasting impression on her mind . Need I say that the offer was eagerly accepted by myself ? A story , and a true story , from the lips of the venerated lady Avhom I regarded almost Avith aAve , Avas indeed a thing to covet ! So more coals were throAvn upon the fire , a shade was placed before the lamp , and Avith my
head resting upon the knees of Jane , I prepared to listen . " I had formerly a friend— " thus did the narrator commence her tale— " a man of wealth and station , Avho had once been the father of a family ; but Avho , at the period AAdien I first made his acquaintance , Avas a childless AvidoAver . He Avas a singularly fine-looking and high-bred man , still in the very
prime of life ; and , Avhen he could be induced to enter into society , Ayas remarkable for the amenity of his manners , and the correctness of his judgment ; but it Avas seldom that he appeared in the world , or made an effort to shake off his habitual melancholy . B } r the crowd this gloom was supposed to have originated in the domestic losses he had sustained , for
many still expatiated on the superb beauty of his dead wife , and the loA'eliness of the two little ones whom he had successively followed to the grave ; while , if the gossips Avere to be credited , more than one fair Avoman still hoped to dissipate his sadness . There Avas , hoivever , a deeper pang at his heart than even the sore bereavement to Avhich I have alluded could have fastened there ; nor did I learn for years the true nature of the misery and remorse by which he Avas devoured .
"By SIOAV and almost imperceptible degrees he became a Constant guest in my Avidowed home ; a community of SOITOAV had created a deep sympathy of feeling between us . We talked
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Father And Son.
Truly the Porters , take them one and all , Avere a gifted family ! And now—after this long parenthesis—I return to my fireside . The old lady had been carefully installed by her daughter in a Avell-cushioned arm-chair , in Avhich her diminutive figure Avas almost buried ; I have her at this moment before meAvith her
, silver hair , smoothly banded under a cap of snow-Avhite lace , and a dress of dark-coloured silk , above Avhich Avas crossed a muslin 'kerchief , tightly fastened about her Avaist , and ornamented by a pale China rose , Aidiich had been placed there by the fond hands of her ever-Avatchful child . Jane herself sat
erect , glancing from time to time at the venerable face of her mother , and occasionally relaxing into a smile at some of my own girlish sallies . Gradually , hoAvever , the conversation became more sustained and serious , as Mrs . Porter took a larger share in it ; and ultimately she A'oluuteered to relate to us a reminiscence of
long-passed years , Avhich had , as she declared , made a deep and lasting impression on her mind . Need I say that the offer was eagerly accepted by myself ? A story , and a true story , from the lips of the venerated lady Avhom I regarded almost Avith aAve , Avas indeed a thing to covet ! So more coals were throAvn upon the fire , a shade was placed before the lamp , and Avith my
head resting upon the knees of Jane , I prepared to listen . " I had formerly a friend— " thus did the narrator commence her tale— " a man of wealth and station , Avho had once been the father of a family ; but Avho , at the period AAdien I first made his acquaintance , Avas a childless AvidoAver . He Avas a singularly fine-looking and high-bred man , still in the very
prime of life ; and , Avhen he could be induced to enter into society , Ayas remarkable for the amenity of his manners , and the correctness of his judgment ; but it Avas seldom that he appeared in the world , or made an effort to shake off his habitual melancholy . B } r the crowd this gloom was supposed to have originated in the domestic losses he had sustained , for
many still expatiated on the superb beauty of his dead wife , and the loA'eliness of the two little ones whom he had successively followed to the grave ; while , if the gossips Avere to be credited , more than one fair Avoman still hoped to dissipate his sadness . There Avas , hoivever , a deeper pang at his heart than even the sore bereavement to Avhich I have alluded could have fastened there ; nor did I learn for years the true nature of the misery and remorse by which he Avas devoured .
"By SIOAV and almost imperceptible degrees he became a Constant guest in my Avidowed home ; a community of SOITOAV had created a deep sympathy of feeling between us . We talked