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FIRST AND LAST. 105
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
Harhieteldest Daughter Of Squire Wycherl...
introduce the late _g-reat contest ; she did not understand her mother's better taste .
Effie looked forward to the time after dinner to see more of Mr . Mortimer , but the piano was opened directly coffee was finished ,
and dancing- began . A little wild thought crossed her mind , " "Will he ask me ? " No , it was Julia , who danced like a sylph ! The two
looked very well together . No one asked Euphemia , who had , thereforelenty of time for observation . She watched her cousin ' s
and , artless p manners with Mr . Mortimerher merriment so genial gay and infectious . "OhI wish I had Julia ' , manners , " thought
she , " they are so much more , appropriate than mine . " She wondered what the two were talking of together . Such bursts of
merriment on Julia's part , while Mr . Mortimer seemed quite to lose himself in the spirit of the evening , keeping all the time close to
Julia . " Have you had a pleasant evening , my dear ? " asked Mrs . Selby ,
as they retired that night to their room , " I hope you had , my love . Was your hero , Mr . Mortimer , what you expected ?"
" Oh yes , mamma , Mr . Mortimer was all I fancied he would be , " rep " lied I like Effie him , languidl very much y . , I am glad to find he is to stay here a
little time , " pursued Mrs . Selby . " I wishmamma , I knew more what people generally talk about , "
, said Eine , wistfully . " What things , my dear ?"
" Oh , I don't know , the opera , and singers , and that sort of thing . " " And those sort of thingsmy love , you know your dear papa
, and I have found ourselves obliged to avoid for you from prudence : but I am sure you have a great deal of better kind of conversation ,
Erne , my dear ! " And her mother's warm kiss sent a balm through the daughter ' s heart .
And now came a dangerous period for Effie , the period of Mr . Mortimer ' s visit . Thrown into a new existence , idle and dull for the first
time in her life , she found in him , and heard in his conversation , all that she so missed in her present circle . In him she 'felt relieved
from the night-mare influence of minds that could never understand her ; and he , besides , could bring her new food , new delight : and yet ,
there was a constant torment in her mind—there was no answering fancy on his part . Somehow , where we sympathise very much , and
thoroughly understand , we feel we ought to have an answer back againwe have invested a right in that person , though offered most
freely , on our parts , without thought of debtor and creditor account _. Yet she saw she could not please ; her dear mother could please Mr .
Mortimer , but she could not : ' Effie suffered very much : she was giving her mind intensely to a dangerous sort of observation ,
she was falling in love . Her fancy was playing with everything about Mr . Mortimerhis ancient race , his high principles , his
gallant career . Nay , she was even glad to think his name wa _« vox ,, ii .. I
First And Last. 105
_FIRST AND LAST . 105
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Citation
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English Woman’s Journal (1858-1864), Oct. 1, 1858, page 105, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ewj/issues/ewj_01101858/page/33/
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