FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111  
112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   >>   >|  
Mayrant from his deplorable quixotism; and as this reflection grew with me I took increasing comfort in it, and I stepped onward toward my kettle-supporter, filled with that sense of moral well-being which will steal over even the humblest of us when we feel that we are beneficently minding somebody else's business. Whenever the arrangement did not take me too widely from my course, I so mapped out my walks and errands in Kings Port that I might pass by the churchyard and church at the corner of Court and Worship streets. Even if I did not indulge myself by turning in to stroll and loiter among the flowers, it was enough pleasure to walk by that brick-wall. If you are willing to wander curiously in our old towns, you may still find in many of them good brick walls standing undisturbed, and equal in their color and simple excellence to those of Kings Port; but fashion has pushed these others out of its sight, among back streets and all sorts of forgotten purlieus and abandoned dignity, and takes its walks to-day amid cold, expensive ugliness; while the old brick walls of Kings Port continually frame your steps with charm. No one workman famous for his skill built them so well proportioned, so true to comeliness; it was the general hand of their age that could shape nothing wrong, as the hand of to-day can shape nothing right, save by a rigid following of the old. I gave myself the pleasure this afternoon of walking by the churchyard wall; and when I reached the iron gate, there was Daddy Ben. So full was I of my thoughts concerning John Mayrant, and the vicissitudes of his heart, and the Custom House, that I was moved to have words with the old man upon the general topic. "Well," I said, "and so Mr. John is going to be married." No attempt to start a chat ever failed more signally. He assented with a manner of mingled civility and reserve that was perfection, and after the two syllables of which his answer consisted, he remained as impenetrably respectful as before. I felt rather high and dry, but I tried it again:-- "And I'm sure, Daddy Ben, that you feel as sorry as any of the family that the phosphates failed." Again he replied with his two syllables of assent, and again he stood mute, respectful, a little bent with his great age; but now his good manners--and better manners were never seen--impelled him to break silence upon some subject, since he would not permit himself to speak concerning the one whic
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111  
112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

failed

 

churchyard

 

streets

 

syllables

 

respectful

 
pleasure
 

general

 

manners

 

Mayrant

 
married

attempt

 
walking
 

Custom

 

vicissitudes

 

thoughts

 

afternoon

 

reached

 

consisted

 

replied

 

assent


impelled

 

permit

 

subject

 

silence

 

phosphates

 

family

 

reserve

 

civility

 

perfection

 

answer


mingled

 
manner
 

signally

 

assented

 

remained

 
impenetrably
 

dignity

 

widely

 

mapped

 

errands


business

 

Whenever

 

arrangement

 

church

 

turning

 

indulge

 
stroll
 

loiter

 

flowers

 

corner