FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   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   137   >>  
lady of the manor and the wife of the lowly huntsman were both looking forward with anxious expectation to the birth of their first-born. "At midnight, on the 10th of October, 1804, an heir was given to the proud house of Moncton; a weak, delicate, puny babe, who nearly cost his mother her life. At the same hour, in the humble cottage at the entrance of that rich domain, your poor friend, George Harrison (or Philip Mornington, which is my real name) was launched upon the stormy ocean of life." At this part of Harrison's narrative I fell back upon my pillow and groaned heavily. George flew to my assistance, raising me in his arms and sprinkling my face with water. "Are you ill, dear Geoffrey?" "Not ill, George, but grieved: sick at heart, that you should be grandson to that dreadful old hag." "We cannot choose our parentage," said George, sorrowfully. "The station in which we are born, constitutes fate in this world; it is the only thing pertaining to man over which his will has no control. We can destroy our own lives, but our birth is entirely in the hands of Providence. Could I have ordered it otherwise, I certainly should have chosen a different mother." He smiled mournfully, and bidding me to lie down and keep quiet, resumed his tale. "The delicate state of Lady Moncton's health precluding her from nursing her child, my mother was chosen as substitute, and the weakly infant was entrusted to her care. The noble mother was delighted with the attention which Rachel bestowed upon the child, and loaded her with presents. As to me, I was given into Dinah's charge, who felt small remorse in depriving me of my natural food, if anything in the shape of money was to be gained by the sacrifice. The physicians recommended change of air for Lady Moncton's health; and Sir Alexander fixed on Italy as the climate most likely to benefit his ailing and beloved wife. "My mother was offered large sums to accompany them, which she steadfastly declined. Lady Moncton wept and entreated, but Rachel Mornington was resolute in her refusal. 'No money,' she said, 'should tempt her to desert her husband and child, much as she wished to oblige Lady Moncton.' "The infant heir of Moncton was thriving under her care, and she seemed to love the baby, if possible, better than she did her own. Sir Alexander and the physician persuaded Lady Moncton, though she yielded most reluctantly to their wishes, to overcome her maternal
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   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   137   >>  



Top keywords:

Moncton

 

mother

 

George

 

Harrison

 

Mornington

 
Rachel
 

Alexander

 

infant

 

health

 
chosen

delicate

 
depriving
 

natural

 

remorse

 

gained

 

recommended

 

change

 

physicians

 

sacrifice

 

huntsman


charge

 

presents

 

expectation

 

anxious

 

substitute

 

weakly

 

nursing

 

resumed

 

precluding

 

forward


entrusted

 
loaded
 

bestowed

 

delighted

 

attention

 
thriving
 

oblige

 

desert

 

husband

 

wished


reluctantly

 

wishes

 

overcome

 

maternal

 

yielded

 

physician

 
persuaded
 

ailing

 

beloved

 

offered