Swallow Barn, Or A Sojourn in the Old Dominion |
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amongst animal Apple-pie arrived began Bel Tracy Bel's Brakes brought called Carey Catharine CHAPTER character Chub cousin Craney Island cried curricle dear Prudence devil dogs door Edward Hazard exclaimed eyes face Fairbourne fell Flying Fish followed Frank Meriwether give grand uncle ground hand Harry Davenport Harvey Riggs hawk head hear heard heart horse hour interrupted James River ladies land laugh Littleton look Lucy manner matter Mike Brown Mike's mind minnesinger Mistress morning nature Ned Hazard Ned's negro never night observed occasion old gentleman opinion opossum parlor party person Philly Wart porch Prudence remarked replied Hafen river Sandy Walker seat seemed seen sentiment side smile sometimes soon spirits stood Swallow Barn swamp Swansdown tell temper thing thought tion told tone took turned Virginia voice walked whilst whole window words
Popular passages
Page 457 - And though that he was worthy he was wise, And of his port as meke as is a mayde. He never yet no vilanie ne sayde In alle his lif, unto no manere wight. He was a veray parfit gentil knight.
Page 456 - A KNIGHT ther was, and that a worthy man, That fro the time that he firste began To riden out, he loved chevalrie, Trouthe and honour, fredom and curtesie.
Page 24 - ... if he has been in the Legislature, or better still, if in Congress. Such a person caught within the purlieus of Swallow Barn, may set down one week's entertainment as certain— inevitable, and as many more as he likes— the more the merrier. He will know something of the quality of Meriwether's rhetoric before he is gone. Then again, it is very pleasant to see Frank's kind and considerate bearing towards his servants and dependents. His slaves appreciate this, and hold him in most affectionate...
Page 421 - ... who thronged the doors of the huts, full of idle curiosity to see us. And, when to these are added a few reverend, wrinkled, decrepit old men, with faces shortened as if with drawing-strings, noses that seemed to have run all to nostril, and with feet of the configuration of a mattock, my reader will have a tolerably correct idea of this negro-quarter, its population, buildings, external appearance, situation and extent.
Page 26 - But for unextinguishable pertinacity in argument, and utter impregnability of belief, there is no disputant like your country gentleman who reads the newspapers. When one of these discussions fairly gets under weigh, it never comes to an anchor again of its own accord ; — it is either blown out so far to sea as to be given up for lost, or puts into port in distress for want of documents, — or is upset by a call for the boot-jack and slippers — which is something like the previous question in...
Page 174 - ... brings him out from the ranks of his fellow-men in strong relief. His habitual conversancy with the world in its strangest varieties, and with the secret history of character, gives him a shrewd estimate of the human heart. He is quiet, and unapt to be struck with wonder at any of the actions of men. There is a deep current of observation running calmly through his thoughts, and seldom gushing out in words : the confidence which has been placed in him, in the thousand relations of his profession,...
Page 424 - Their fondness for music and dancing is a predominant passion. I never meet a negro man — unless he is quite old — that he is not whistling; and the women sing from morning till night. And as to dancing, the hardest day's work does not restrain their desire to indulge in such pastime. During the harvest, when their toil is pushed to its utmost — the time being one of recognized privileges — they dance almost the whole night. They are great sportsmen, too. They angle and haul the seine, and...
Page 11 - At a most respectful distance behind me trotted the most venerable of outriders — an old free negro, formerly a retainer in some of the feudal establishments of the low countries. His name was Scipio. His face, which was principally composed of a pair of protuberant lips, whose luxuriance seemed intended as an indemnity for a pair of crushed nostrils, was well set off with a head of silver wool that bespoke a volume of gravity.
Page 455 - Tragabigzanda, when I was a slave to the Turks, did all she could to secure me. When I overcame the Bashaw of Nalbrits in Tartaria, the charitable Lady Callamata supplyed my necessities. In the utmost of many extremities, that blessed Pokahontas, the great King's daughter of Virginia, oft saved my life.
Page 24 - Men who are isolated from society by distance feel these wants by an instinct, and are grateful for the opportunity to relieve them. In Meriwether, the sentiment goes beyond this. It has, besides, something dialectic in it. His house is open to everybody, as freely almost as an inn. But to see him when he has had the good fortune to pick up an intelligent, educated gentleman — and particularly one who listens well...