There were times when he was so
much dejected as to be unable to endure even the presence of his little
Menie, in whose infant countenance he could trace the lineaments of the
mother, of whose loss she had been the innocent and unconscious cause.
"Had it not been for this poor child"--he would think; but, instantly
aware that the sentiment was sinful, he would snatch the infant to his
breast, and load it with caresses--then hastily desire it to be removed
from the parlour.
The Mahometans have a fanciful idea, that the true believer, in his
passage to Paradise, is under the necessity of passing barefooted over a
bridge composed of red-hot iron. But on this occasion, all the pieces of
paper which the Moslem has preserved during his life, lest some holy
thing being written upon them might be profaned, arrange themselves
between his feet and the burning metal, and so save him from injury. In
the same manner, the effects of kind and benevolent actions are
sometimes found, even in this world, to assuage the pangs of subsequent
afflictions.
Thus, the greatest consolation which poor Gideon could find after his
heavy deprivation, was in the frolic fondness of Richard Middlemas, the
child who was in so singular a manner thrown upon his charge. Even at
this early age he was eminently handsome. When silent or out of humour,
his dark eyes and striking countenance presented some recollections of
the stern character imprinted on the features of his supposed father;
but when he was gay and happy, which was much more frequently the case,
these clouds were exchanged for the most frolicsome, mirthful
expression, that ever dwelt on the laughing and thoughtless aspect of a
child.
Pages:
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73