A Book of Vagaries: Comprising the New Mirror for Travellers and Other Whim-whams; Being Selections from the Papers of a Retired Common-councilman, Erewhile Known as Launcelot Langstaff, and in the Public Records, as James K. PauldingC. Scribner, 1868 - 417 pages |
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Popular passages
Page 415 - Save base authority from others' books. These earthly godfathers of heaven's lights, That give a name to every fixed star, Have no more profit of their shining nights, Than those that walk, and wot not what they are.
Page 131 - Stacey had made himself useful by his skill in a variety of little arts highly estimated by the savages. In particular a friendship subsisted between him and an old indian called Naoman.
Page 132 - But will you swear?" I do swear by our Great Spirit. I will tell none but my husband. "Not if my tribe should kill you for not telling?" Not if your tribe should kill me for not telling. Naoman then proceeded to tell her that, owing to some encroachments of the white people below the mountains, his tribe had become irritated, and were resolved that night to massacre all the white settlers within their reach. That she must send for her husband, inform him of the danger, and as...
Page 99 - Masters promise : but the Master did so raile on Greene, with so many words of disgrace, telling him, that all his friends would not trust him with twenty shillings, and therefore why should he? As for wages he had none, nor none should have, if he did not please him well.
Page 132 - He proceeded to the house and returned with it. All this took up considerable time, and precious time it proved to this poor family. The daily visits of old Naoman, and his more than ordinary gravity, had excited suspicion in some of the tribe, who had accordingly paid particular attention to the movements of Stacey.
Page 131 - Stacey's wife began to think strange of this, and related it to her husband, who advised her to urge the old man to an explanation the next time he came. Accordingly when he repeated his visit the day after, she was more importunate than usual. At last the old indian said, "I am a red man, and the pale faces are our enemies—why should I speak?
Page 134 - Wilt thou name the traitor ? This is the second time." The poor mother looked at her husband and then at her children, and stole a glance at Naoman, who sat smoking his pipe with invincible gravity. She wrung her hands, and wept, but remained silent. " Wilt thou name the traitor ? 'Tis the third and last time.
Page 103 - Perse cleereth the Boate, and puts it from the shoare, and helpeth Andrew Moter in : but in turning of the Boat, I received a cruell wound in my backe with an Arrow : Michael Perse and Andrew Moter rowed the Boate away, which when the Savages saw, they ranne to their Boats, and I feared they would have launched them, to have followed us, but they did not, and our ship was in the middle of the channell, and could...
Page 416 - But it was not the deathlike calm of a winter's night, when the whistling wind grows quiet, and the frosts begin in silence to forge fetters for the running brooks, and the gentle current of life, that flows through the veins of the forest. The voice of man and beast was indeed unheard ; but the river murmured, and the insects chirped in the mild summer evening. There is something sepulchral in the repose of a winter night ; but in the genial seasons of the year, though the night is the emblem of...
Page 98 - Island, when he was fortie leagues from thence, to have sent home his Mate Robert Juet in a Fisher-man. But, being otherwise perswaded, all was well.