The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-02-07


Ofsome great cannon"-JohN SterlUg.
May the devil fy away with Zoe! God bless
her !" prayed and cursed Brutus Lion, as hills
and valleys sped behind bis flying horses boofs
DrOwa Zoe for blind kitten, OF supernume-
rsry puppy What is she, little quilt-piecing,
carpet-sewing huazy, that should be worried by
her Is she huntiDg-tnife, gun or a game
bag that should wish TO possess her A shot
flask or a powder-horn, that should want her
hung about my neck7 A horn, or hound,
pointer a setter, that should need her every
hour2 Have been so used to her. that should
miss her every moment! Confound Zoe God
love her Is she either deer, fox, pigeon, or
goose, that | should be forever hunting her ?
Now this morning fine morning glorious
morning. when my blood is heaving up like the
sea at high tide-when Earthquake is champing
the bit, and paving the ground-when Thunder
and Lightning are shutting the air-when the
scent would lie so beautifully-upon this sublime
morning created for n hunter-what am | about
to do? By Nmrod! Going to school, to learn
fOn, ttfa No wonder Gertrude Iangus at me-
By thunder, isn't il; with my giant limbs, and
thick head, sitting down with my elbows
table, and Readings from Herodotusn before
me- Sink Herodotus! Come Enough Of this
nonsense Fire the old schoolmaster with his
pride and his Greekomania I'll have done with
this tomfoolery. I'll marry Zoe at once-and
Pll see who'll prevent me! Then shall have
right, as his son-in-law, or his adopted son-n-aw
to support the old man, without having to learn
lessons-devil take them! into the bargain, by
way Of saving his pride I'll marry Zoe-I nil
do II! thundered Brutus bringing his hand down
so heavily on the flank Of his horse that the beast
bounded under him. Then falling into more
thoughtful mood and slower pace, be muttercd
to himself" And Gertrude Lion, Satan fleece
her Gertrude, with her fierce blue eyes, her
rolling yellow mane-that cataract of golden
hair-and her shouts of laughter! Gertrude
LEV, with her body Of RdsmSnt md soul Of post,
with her .sperrs. scpgs and ppheliefl oh nv
God | would give half my patrimony to any
fine fellow who would win the love and break
the spirit of that sister of mine-for without
doubt it would be doing her and me a service.
But who could do it? Strong as a lion, wild as
chamois, aspiring as an eagle, and colder, hard
er. than anything that ires-cOld as an iceberg,
hard as a rock, is Gertrude Lion 4! And she will
not sympathze with me will not love my Zoe, or
agree to accept her sister! And my Zoe
will not venture to encounter her scOrn. Zoe is
proud the little wretch as if she were called
upon to be proud with me, or for me- Who, to
see Zoe about her domestic affairs, would sus-
pect the suhstratum Of selfappreciation that
forms the basis Of her character, or suppose that
she could say to me- NE, the last of the Lions
'Brutus, SIN a p'm,ile1 girl, and you million
0ircl | am n0meiess and you are Lion of the
Lair | am a founding, n child dropped from the
clouds, thrown up by the tidc-pmentless, for
saken, unclaimed You are descended from
family that dates back to the Norman Conquest!
Brutus, can never be your wife! MIR. Lion,
am your very humble serventp Think of the
irony the impudence of that Just as though
had not the power-I Brutus Lion of the Lair,
to raise any girl, however humble, into the first
rank What devil of a mistake in Zoe TO foster
proud scruples against entering naughty fam
lily against the consent of any one of its men,
bers' ANY one of its membersr meaning no
one hut Queen Gertrude. If am satisfied,
il can overlook the ohscurity of her BIRTH Zoe
should be. If / am pleased, let Others, meaning
Mistress Gertrude again, submit! And they
schoolmaster's pride ard Greek, with Zoe's self
esteem, or with Gertrudc's arrogance ! love
Zoe, and Zoe loves me and that gives me clam
to her. That lone is deed of assignment writ
ten on her heart by the hand of Nature, and it
is my warrant for taking her. Hold eh, Earth
quake! here we are ~ exclaimed Brutus bound
ing, with shock, to the ground turning his
horse loose, and striditg on TO the cottage.
He raped, for etiquette, but, without waiting
to be admitted, pushed the door OPEN and en-
tered. The same bright, clean cottage-the same
fresh gay domestic carpet-tbe same blazing wood
fre-the same gentle, busy little housewife by
its side. The only new feature WAS the pine
table in the middle of the floor, with the school
masters chair at one end, and with Greek books
piled up on it.
"What, no one here yet-where is the old
man, Zoe?n inquired Brutus, on seeing that she
was the sole occupant of the room.
"Father has not returned from Major Somer-
villc's, where he went yesterday evening But
expect him every moment; and, as you gee, his
class has not yet assembled Indeed, dear Bru-
tus,n added she, il it were not for your pune
tual attendance, our class might be said to be
broken up Britannia does not come now; she
is too busy, assisting Mrs Armstrong to prepare
for the wedding"
"What wedding?o
"That of Mr. Stuart Gordon and Miss Arm
strong"
"Those chHdra-nonsensep
" They going to be married on the 22d of
next month, the birthday of Louis and Louise"
"And how old will their reverences be then ?"
{" Louis viii be eighteen, and Louise sixteen
And T. Zoe, am twenty-four; and yOp, Zoe,
are seventeen Come, see how much time are
losing. Zoe, my darling, tomorrow is somebody's
birthday, or somebody else's; Or at all events,
some other day is, if it is not mine or yours
therefore, Zoe, 90 to church with me tomorrow
will you Say, Zoe, won't yOu7 Just do Zoe,
that's good girl viii your Pll take such
good care Of you, Zoe; and the cameo-colored
pointer and the old man, aud the tortoise-shell
kitten, too say, Zoe, speak,
"Brutus.n -'
"Brutus Well2 Ha? Brutus WHAT
"Brutus, you kaOw cannot
Cannot Oh, nonsense, Zoe Fiddestick
and the devil about cannot You caH, you nnlst
Listen Zoe / have not told you ali gel. 1t is
very comfortable at the Lair. Listen; pery for
you, and the old man, too and the tortoise-shell
kitten, and the pointer. The pointer shall take
under my protection There is quantity ofrats
for the use and amusement Of the kitten, and
such lot of old books for the schoolmaster.