The Project Gutenberg eBook, Queechy, Volume I, by Elizabeth Wetherell

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Title: Queechy, Volume I

Author: Elizabeth Wetherell

Release Date: June 26, 2006 [eBook #18690]

Language: English

***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK QUEECHY, VOLUME I***

Susan Warner (1819-1885), Queechy (1852), Tauchnitz edition 1854

Produced by Daniel FROMONT

COLLECTION

OF

BRITISH AUTHORS

TAUCHNITZ EDITION.

VOL. 311

QUEECHY. BY ELIZABETH WETHERELL .

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. I.

TAUCHNITZ EDITION

by the same author,

THE WIDE WIDE WORLD 1 vol.

THE HILLS OF THE SHATEMUC 2 vols.

SAY AND SEAL 2 vols.

THE OLD HELMET 2 vols.

QUEECHY.

BY

ELIZABETH WETHERELL

AUTHOR OF "THE WIDE, WIDE WORLD."

IN TWO VOLUMES.

AUTHOR'S EDITION.

IN TWO VOLUMES

VOL. I

LEIPZIG

BERNHARD TAUCHNITZ

1854

"I hope I may speak of woman without offence to the ladies."

THE GUARDIAN.

CONTENTS

OF VOLUME I.

Chapter I. Curtain rises at Queechy

II. Things loom out dimly through the smoke

III. You amuse me and I'll amuse you

IV. Aunt Miriam

V. As to whether a flower can grow in the woods

VI. Queechy at dinner

VII. The curtain falls upon one scene

VIII. The fairy leaves the house

IX. How Mr. Carleton happened to be not at home

X. The fairy and the Englishman

XI. A little candle

XII. Spars below

XIII. The fairy peeps into an English house, but does not stay there

XIV. Two Bibles in Paris

XV. Very literary

XVI Dissolving view, ending with a saw-mill in the distance

XVII. Rain and water-cresses for breakfast

XVIII. Mr. Rossitur's wits sharpened upon a ploughshare

XIX. Fleda goes after help and finds Dr. Quackenboss

XX. Society in Queechy

XXI. "The sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel"

XXII. Wherein a great many people pay their respects, in form and substance

XXIII. The Captain out-generalled by the fairy

XXIV. A breath of the world at Queechy

XXV. "As good a boy as you need to have"

XXVI. Pine knots

XXVII. Sweet in its consequences

QUEECHY.

VOL. I

CHAPTER I.

A single cloud on a sunny day,
When all the rest of heaven is clear,
A frown upon the atmosphere,
That hath no business to appear,
When skies are blue and earth is gay.
BYRON.

"Come, dear grandpa! the old mare and the wagon are at the gate all ready."

"Well, dear! responded a cheerful hearty voice, "they must wait a bit; I haven't got my hat yet."

"O, I'll get that."

And the little speaker, a girl of some ten or eleven years old, dashed past the old gentleman, and running along the narrow passage which led to his room soon returned with the hat in her hand.

"Yes, dear, but that ain't all. I must put on my great-coat and I must look and see if I can find any money "

"O yes for the post-office. It's a beautiful day, grandpa. Cynthy! wont you come and help grandpa on with his great- coat? And I'll go out and keep watch of the old mare till you're ready."

A needless caution. For the old mare, though spirited enough for her years, had seen some fourteen or fifteen of them, and was in no sort of danger of running away. She stood in what was called the back meadow, just without the little paling fence that enclosed a small courtyard round the house. Around this courtyard rich pasture-fields lay on every side, the high road cutting through them not more than a hundred or two feet from the house.

The little girl planted herself on the outside of the paling, and setting her back to it, eyed the old mare with great contentment; for besides other grounds for security as to her quiet behaviour, one of the men employed about the farm, who had harnessed the equipage, was at the moment busied in putting some clean straw in the bottom of the vehicle.

"Watkins," said the child presently to this person, "here is a strap that is just ready to come unbuckled."

"What do you know about straps and buckles?" said the man rather grumly. But he came round, however, to see what she meant; and while he drew the one and fastened the other, took special good care not to let Fleda know that her watchful eyes had probably saved the whole riding party from ruin; as the loosing of the strap would of necessity have brought on a trial of the old mare's nerves, which not all her philosophy could have been expected to meet. Fleda was satisfied to see the buckle made fast, and that Watkins, roused by her hint, or by the cause of it, afterwards took a somewhat careful look over the whole establishment. In high glee then she climbed to her seat in the little wagon, and her grandfather coming out coated and hatted, with some difficulty mounted to his place beside her.

"I think Watkins might have taken the trouble to wash the wagon, without hurting himself," said Fleda; "it is all speckled with mud since last time."

"Ha'n't he washed it!" said the old gentleman in a tone of displeasure. "Watkins!""

"Well."

"Why didn't you wash the wagon as I told you?"

"I did."

"It's all over slosh."

"That's Mr. Didenhover's work he had it out day 'fore yesterday; and if you want it cleaned, Mr. Ringgan, you must speak to him about it. Mr. Didenhover may file his own doings; it's more than I'm a going to."

The old gentleman made no answer, except to acquaint the mare with the fact of his being in readiness to set out. A shade of annoyance and displeasure for a moment was upon his face; but the gate