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908 T H E LEA D E R. [Saturday ,
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We should do our utmost to encourage the...
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PERSIAN SONG. They say that once a soldi...
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A&TT M KFSaiS ©l^iy kl I^MwMm * Tin? gen...
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.
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Christie Johnstone, And Ciiaitles Delmer...
c "Oli , Chairles , yo'll no gang to jail— -I hae the siller ! ' and she offered linn the money with both Lands , and a look of tenderness and modesty that embellished human nature . " Ere he could speak , his mother put out her hand , and not rudely , but very coldly repelling Christie's arm , said ill a freezing manner—^ " We are much obliged to you , but my son ' s own talents have rescued him from his little embarrassment . '— 'A nobleman has bought my picture , ' saidGatty , proudly . * For one hundred and fifty pounds , ' said the old lady , ' meaning to mark the contrast between that siim ami wliirt , flhristiG hnd in her hand . Christie
remained like a statue , with her arms extended and the bank-notes in her hand ; her features worked—she had much ado not to cry ; and any one that had known the whole story , and seen this unmerited repulse , would have felt for her ; but her love came to her aid , she put the notes in her bosom , sighed and said—• I would hao likeit to hae been the first ye ken , but I ' m real pleased . '— ' But , mother , ' said Gatty , 'it was very Idnd of Christie all the same . Oh , Christie ! ' said he , in a tone of despair . At this kind word Christie ' s fortitude was sore tried , she turned away her head ;—she was far too delicate to let them know who had sent Lord Ipsden to buy the picture . Whilst she turned away , Mrs . Gatty said in her son ' s ear ' Now , I have your solemn promise , do it hero , and at once ; you will find me on the beach behind these boats—do it . ' The reader will understand that during the last few days , Mrs . Gatty had improved her advantage , and that Charles had
positively consented to obey her ; the jjoor boy was worn out with the struggle—he felt lie must have peace or die , he was thin and pale , and sudden twitches came over him ; his temperament was not fit for such a battle : and it is to be observed , nearly all the talk was on one side . He had made one expiring struggle , —he described to his mother an artist ' s nature , his strength , his weakness , —he besought her not to be a slave to general l-ules , but to inquire what sort of a companion the individual Gatty needed : he lashed with true but brilliant satire the sort of wife his mother was ready to see him saddled with—a stupid , unsympathizing creature , who . se ten children would , by nature ' s law , be also stupid , and so be a weight on him till his dying day . He painted Christie Johnstone , mind and body , in words as true and bright as his colours ; he showed his own weak points , her strong ones , and how the latter would fortify the former .
" He displayed , in short , in one minute more intellect than his mother had exhibited in sixty years ; and that done , with all his understanding , wit , and eloquence , he succumbed like a child to her stronger will—he promised to break with Christie Johnstone . ' ' When Christie had recovered her composure and turned round to her companions , she found herself alone with Charles . " ' Charles , ' said she , gravely . ' Christie , ' said he , uneasily . ' Your mother does na like me . Oh I ye need na deny it ; and we are na together as we used to be , '
my lad . '—She is prejudiced , but she has been the best of mothers to me , Christie / — 'Aweel . '—' Circumstances compel me to return to England . ' ( Ah , coward ! anything but the real truth !) ' Aweel , Chairles , it will no be for lang . '— ' I don't know ; you will not bo so unhappy as I shall—at least I hope not . '— ' Hoow do ye ken that ?'— - ' Christie , do you remember the first night we danced together ? ' ' -Ay- '— ' And we walked in the cool by the sea side , and I told you the names of the stars , and you said those were not their real names , but nicknames we give them here on earth . I loved you that first night . '— 'And I fancied you the first time I set eyes on you . '— ' How can I leave you , Christie ? What shall I do ? '
' I ken what I shall do , ' answered Christie , coolly ; then bursting into tears , she added , ' I shall doe ! I shall dee ! ' — 'No ! you must not say so ; at least I will never love any one but you . '— ' An' I'll live as I anv a' my days for your sake . Oh , England ! I hae likeit ye sac wcel , yc suld na rob me o' my lad—he ' s a' the joy I hae !'— ' I love you , ' said Gatty . ' Do you love me ? ' All the answer was , her head upon his shoulder . 'I can't do it / thought Gatty , ' and I wont ! ' Christie , ' said he , ' stay here , don't move from here' And he dashed among the boats in great agitation . He found his mother rather near the scene of the late conference . ? Mother , ' said he , fiercely , like a coward as he was , ' ask me no more , my mind is made up for ever ; I will not do this scoundrelly , heartless , beastly , ungrateful action you have been pushing : me to so long . '—' Take care , Charles , tako care , ' said the old woman , trembling with passion , for this was a new to ne for her son to tako with her . ' You had my blessing the other day , and you saw what followed it do t
notempt mo to curse an imdutiful , disobedient , ungrateful son . '— 'I must take my chance , ' said he , desperately ; ' for I am under a curse any way ! I placed my ring on her finger , and hold up my hand to God and swore she should be my wife ; she has my ring ami my osith , and I will not perjure myself even for my mother . ' ' Your ring ! Notthorub yrin ^ Jgavcyouiromyourdcad father ' s finger—not that ! not that !' * Yes ! yes ! 1 tell you yos ! and if he was alive and saw her and knew her goodness , he would have pity on me , but 1 have no friend ; you S ( . how ill yon have made me , but you have no pity ; I could not , have believed it ; but since ' you b-ivc no mercy on me , I will have the more mercy on myself ; I marry her to-morrow and put an end < o all this shuMing and maiiuuivring against an angel ! I nni not worthy of her , but I'll marry her to-niorvow . ( lood bye . '— ' Stay " ! ' . said the old woman , in a terrible voice ; ' before you destroy me and ' all I have lived for and fluttered , and pinched for , hear me ; if that ring is not oil ( h ( . husscy's finger in " half an hour , and you my sou again , 1 fall on this sand and - ' ' Then ( Joel h-ivc mercy upon me , for I'll sec the whole creation losl eternally , ere I'll wrong the only creature that is an ornament- to the world . ' lie w ,, s desperate , and the weak driven to desperation , an ! nioro furious than the strong . It , \ vnri by Heaven ' s mercy that neither mother nor . son had time to speak again . ' As they iaeed ' oacli other with flaming eyes and tncv . fi , all self-command tfonu , nbout to utter hasty words and ' l : iy up regret , perhaps for all their lives to come , in ; ,, mouent , as if she ' had started from tho earth , Christie . Johnstone stood between them ! Gatty ' s words , and . still more , his hesitation , had made her cniick intelligence suspect : she had resolved to know tho truth ; tho boats oilered every facility for listeuino- H \ M \ Ml \ iuninl ( . . word . . i . ' . ' ^ " She stood between the mother and son . " They were confused , nbashed , and the hot bloodbegan to leuvo their faces " She . stood erect like a statue , her cheek pale as ' ashen , her eyes {•• lilt . erini / like basilisks ; she looked at lueit her of them . " She slowly raised her left ; hand , nho withdrew a , ruby ring from it , and dropped the ring on the sand between the two . " She turned on her heel , and was gone , as she hud come , without , u word spoken " They looked at one Jinother , . stupilied at fii . st ; alter a considerable pause tlui . stern old woman stooped , picked up tho ring , and in spile of a certain chill that the youii tf woman ' H majestic Borrow hud given her , auiil , placing it on her own fhuror TliiM ia for your wife !!! ' b '
" * It will be for my coffin , then / said her son , so coldly , so bi tterly , and solemnly , that the mother ' s heart began to quake . » . . . so "' Mother / said he , calmly , ' forgive me , and accept your son's arm /— - IVll my son !'— ' We are alone in . the-world now , mother // ' ' ' "We will not cruelly spoil the novel reader ' s interest by narrating how matters were finally arranged ; there are some people who never foreiv such impertinent information ! , : g e Charles Delmer has reached a second edition before we have fount ! space to squeeze in a notice of it . This , and the very loud laudations of our contemporaries , would seem to imply that the work had tinnsnnl
attractions ; but we must honestly confess we have not discovered them It is written by one who has obviously ten times the brain of ordinarv novel purveyors , but who has not their art de confer , such as it is , nor their means of beguiling a languid attention , It is a political novel , full of ex cellent writing , and nevertheless tedious . Lord Palmerston and DTsraeli are more amusing in reality than in these pages . The political discussions have' a leading article tone . Charles Buller ' s friends will recognise the portrait , but not the likeness . Polities are interesting , leading articles are interesting , sketches of public men are interesting ; and they have been used before now as ornaments to inferior novels ; but they cannot be made the staple even of inferior novels , and this is the mistake of the extremely clever author of Charles Delmer .
908 T H E Lea D E R. [Saturday ,
908 T H E LEA D E R . [ Saturday ,
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We Should Do Our Utmost To Encourage The...
We should do our utmost to encourage the Beautiful , for the Useful encoura ^ pa itself . —Goethe . k
Persian Song. They Say That Once A Soldi...
PERSIAN SONG . They say that once a soldier , on a dark and dreary night , Kept watch upon the palace of a Persian King of might : The ground was thickly cover'd o ' er with hail , and sleet , and snow , And bleakly bitter did the blast o ' er that poor soldier blow . The monarch , cloth'd in folds of fur , upon the terrace stroll'd , And chane'd to see the sentinel , all quivering in the cold . His heart was moved to pity , when his eyes beheld the sight , And sorely did he feel for those who watch'd on such a night . " Brave soldier , stay ! " the monarch cried , " who guardest thus rny life , And fight ' st my cause in battle fields , with dread and danger rife , A cloak of fur I'll bring to thee , 'twill shield thee from the blast , And be to thee a faithful friend , till winter ' s storms have pass'd . " The king , within the inner halls , in eager haste , retired , To search him for the cloak of fur the sentinel requir'd , But ere his search was ended , lo ! his eyes beheld a girl , More stately than the cypress and far fairer than the pearl . She rose . Around the monarch ' s neck she threw her ivory arms . . The monarch trembled , gasped , and sighed , while gazing on her charms . With passion , mute and motionless , the monarch to the spot The syren chained . The sentinel was suddenly forgot . In ccstacies of blissful joy the monarch passed the night , No clouds of sorrow cross'd his brow , to clash with his delight ; And when his eyes grew weary , and love ' s vigils ceased to keep , By beauteous slaves , on bed of down , the King was sung to sleep . Next morn the mighty monarch rose , and sought the halls of state , He asked his courtiers , each and all , " What tidings to relate ?" They ansvvcr'd nothing " new or rare ; the snow still hides the ground " , And the guard who kept the watch , last night , frozen to death was found . " John La no .
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A&Tt M Kfsais ©L^Iy Kl I^Mwmm * Tin? Gen...
A & TT M KFSaiS © l ^ iy kl I ^ MwMm * Tin ? general avidity to benefit by the temporaiy Gallery of Art ™ } h ° distinctive ) featnro of the Industrial Exhibition . From whence the lovo of art in Dublin has arisen , or by what secret agency it Iiuh been fostered , it ia difficult to imagine . The annual exhibitions have been mediocre ,, mui one display of the ancient masters in tho year of famine , to rai . so a /» " « for tho poor , has constituted the extent of opportunity accordou t <> Ireland . Out of tho daily ten thousand visitors , nine thousand assenibi" f ] j Courts of Art , until tho concluding concert calls the fashionable to ""> promenade . A few mny l > 0 seen clustered round Hunt and Mo ^ cdl s cMi _ , marking how the diamond workers have followed every fibre of the h >\ »» or tho drooping petals of the ( lowers . Some seek a place in < l > ° ( j , " „ to / east the ear with the organs in the magnificent Logbe . sang , or tlie ;< ' < r passion of . the Irish airs . Homo glad their eyes with Hi" » 'tf ° ! " „ wavering crowd , the playing fountains , the aisles > oni the hangup m ""' . of China to the little philosophical section where tlio banner oi * ' droops , with the soinowhat garisli background ofthe Zollverein alU'J hi ) or turn a glance to tho ] ,, Hs inviting manufacture of Britain , wJJ /' '" ' shuttles and looms endeavour to make their busy nmsio heard . l ' ' \ only at the close of the day . During the day tho scene is varied—K ' / . ^ . Irish in its aspects . Ladies may bo neon " with lorqiieUcs ; dainty . L and gold-pencils , diligontly taking notes , gentlemen marking their \ Joguos for purchase , and " fashionable" people with gold fi laflSO $ 1 ° V nnror imgora seeming languidly iudiJIbrojut , but whon eomo favoured iu >«*
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Sept. 17, 1853, page 20, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_17091853/page/20/
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