The Chainbearer; Or, The Littlepage Manuscripts

l, I am sent to bid y

rice, I thank yo

more pains for

thank me; if it

not ha

o About

reception of us was just what I had ever found it; warm, affectionate, and gentle. She called my father, the general, Corny, even when she spoke to him in a room full of company; though, for that matter, I have heard my mother, who was much more of a woman of the world, having lived a great deal in society, do the same thing, when she thought herself alone. I have read some priggish book or other, written no doubt by one who knew men only through pages like his own, decry such familiarities; but I have generally found those the happiest

o get your sister." Yet I liked the fellow's manner. There was no grasping of the hand, and coming forward to rush into an intimacy at the firs

our sister States; for it is certainly not a New York custom, except among intimates; and it is a bad usage in my opinion, as it destroys one of the best means of graduating feelings, and is especially ungraceful at an introduction. But alas! there are so many such innovations, that one cannot

n truth a charming girl, with fine dark eyes, glossy hair, a delicate and lady-like form, and a grace of manner that denoted perfect familiarity with the best company of the land. Kate and Pris embraced each other with a warmth and sincerity that spoke in favor of each,

ousness of having, on some idle occasion, heard her own name intimately connected with mine. Perhaps Ka

ose who had so lately been strangers to me, even by name. As for Bayard and my sister, they were in the best of humors from the start, and I felt satisfied their affair was a settled thing in their own minds; but Miss Priscilla was a little under constraint for an hour or two, like a person who felt a slight embarrassment. This wore off, however, and long before we left the table she had become entirely herself; and a very charming self it was, I was forced to admit. I say forced; for spite of all I had said, and a cert

been very instrumental in forming a connection that had been as happy as her own. The recollection, or the fancy of this success most probably encouraged h

f walking at her side, but fell behind a little, and got into discourse with her brother. Nor was I sorry to have this early opportunity of sounding the party who was likely soon to become so nearly connected with me. After a few minutes, the conversation turned on the late revolution, and the manner in which it was likely to influence the future fortunes of the country. I knew that a portion of the family of my companion had adhered to the crown, losing their estates by the act of confiscation; but I also knew that a portion did not, and I was left to infer that Tom's branch belonged to the latter division of his name, inasmuch as his father

on must, sooner or later, have occurred? It is impossible that two countries should long have common rulers when they are divided by an ocean. Admitting that

painful, Major Littlepage; when ac

ays happen. If not in thi

ploringly, "that we might have got along with our diffic

to those of England? A great deal may be said, that is reasonable, in favor of kingly power; that I am ready enough to allow; but very little that renders one people subject to another. This thing called loyalty blinds men to facts, and substitutes a fancied for

d at finding that Kate entered rather more into her admirer's views of such subjects than comported with the true feelings, as I fancied, of a Littlepage, after all that had passed. Still, as I should have liked the woman I loved to agree with me in opinion as much as possible in everything, I was not disposed to judge harshly of my si

ld begin to look at things of this nature with the eyes of the man she had made up her mind to marry; but it looked far more like management in her friend,

he only been a little less of a whig, and a good deal more of a tory; her eyes sparkling and flashing, at the same time, as if she felt all she was saying from the very bottom of her hear

d this. The early history of all great nations fills us with admiration and interes

s been one of which any na

from the rest of the party, under the pretence of looking for shells. My sis

h whig, Major Littlepage," co

the Bayards excessively neutral,

ig. There is Tom, now, rather moderate in his opinions, while the father and mother are wha

! She was, then

their first coming out do very little of their own thinking. For the last three years, certainly, or since she was seventeen, Pr

ll that belongs to her sex-gentle, femini

d Kate, in triumph, "I shall live t

ough it will not be by the marriage

e immediately joined our companions, and by one of those crossings over and figurings in, that are so familiar to the young of the two sexes, we were soon walking along the sands again, Tom at

d, "to hear me express myself so warmly in favor of this country, as some o

st on those who were quite inoffensive, while most of our active enemies have escaped. Still it is no more than

ar to me, my public virtue has been able to resist private feeling. My

neutral;' and they, I have thought, always in

t him in your good opinion. Too much depends on that, for me not to be anxious on the subject; and being the onl

plicity of a sister who feels even more than she expresses, and is certainly one of the loveliest creatures I ever laid eyes on! I must not let her see how much I am on my guard, but must meet management with management. It will be singular, i

d, for one talks surprisingly fast to himself; but that which I said to my fair c

of the matter, as the young lady herself had thrown into her own pretty countenance, thereby doing myself infinite credit, in my own conceit; "though I am far from judging any man se

mpanion, with one of the sweetest smiles woman ever bestowed on man. "It will make T

ertinacity of a man who was determined not to be taken in. That smile haunted me for a week, and it was a long time before I fully comprehende

rd?" I asked, as soon as I was ready to say anything. "To preven

ith a little surprise. "One has only to look at the couple before us, to comprehe

, walking together; the gentleman appearing to admire the lady, I will confess; and we are a young couple wa

t is giving her quite as good as I re

st creature I had ever laid eyes on. She shook her head very much as my sister had done n

e friend of your only sister, and because you are the only brother of my intimate friend. There, however," and she now spoke with emphasis, "our interest ceases, never to be increased beyond a friendly regard, that I trust will grow up out of our respective merits and respective discernment. It is very, very different with the couple before us;" here, a

l in the brother or sister. Next, I proclaim Kate Littlepage to be her own mistress, so far as her brother Mordaunt is concerned, and lastly, I announce that I see or know nothing in the character

have had some little apprehensions on the subject of Tom's political opinions

much importance, when Kate has a father, a mother, and a grandmother

he had commanded a company, and Captain Littlepage the regiment. Mr. Littlepage defers to Mordaunt's taste, and Mordaunt's opinions, and Mordaunt's judgment, even in housekeeping and hemstitching. Kate is forever saying, 'my brother says this,' 'my brother writes that,' 'my brother does

had spirit and humor enough, was very apparent; and for a moment I doubted whether both were not accompanied by the most perfect simpl

I shall not easily forget it. What renders it the more lively and pointed, and the more likely to be relished by

ld, nor are we at all likely ever to be the world to each other; I wish you particularly to understand that, which is the reason I am so frank with you on so short

d, did I thin

w we will say no more on the subject; for my mind is easy

winning party is commonly the least rancorous, and success will make us whigs forgiving. I give you my honor, no objection will be raised against your brother,

d, as I made this remark; but she did not answer it. It seemed to me she was now desiro

was easy to see that her brother, my sister, my grandmother, and, as I fancied, the parents of the young lady herself, were anxious that I should be on as good terms as possible with Pris, as they all called her; though I could not fathom her own feelings on the subject. It would have been unnatural not to have loved to gaze on her exceeding beauty, or not to have admired her extremely graceful and feminine manner, which was precisely all that one could wish it to be in the way of ease and self-possession, wi

better than plausible distrusts; while, on the other hand, where confidence exists, testimony is only too apt to be disregarded. Women, in particular, are peculiarly apt to follow the bias of their affections, rather than of their reasons, in all cases connected with guilt. They are hard to be convinced of the unworthiness of those who belong to them through the affections, because the affections are usually stronger with them than their reasoning powers. How they cling to their priests, for instance, when the cooler heads and greater experience of men condemn, and