In short, the shadows of night
fell upon the rock, adding the mantle of darkness to the other dreary
accompaniments of the place.
As the light began to fail, Esther collected her younger children at
her side, and placing herself on a projecting point of her insulated
fortress, she sat patiently awaiting the return of the hunters. Ellen
Wade was at no great distance, seeming to keep a little aloof from the
anxious circle, as if willing to mark the distinction which existed in
their characters.
"Your uncle is, and always will be, a dull calculator, Nell," observed
the mother, after a long pause in a conversation that had turned on
the labours of the day; "a lazy hand at figures and foreknowledge is
that said Ishmael Bush! Here he sat lolloping about the rock from
light till noon, doing nothing but scheme--scheme--scheme--with seven
as noble boys at his elbows as woman ever gave to man; and what's the
upshot? why, night is setting in, and his needful work not yet ended."
"It is not prudent, certainly, aunt," Ellen replied, with a vacancy in
her air, that proved how little she knew what she was saying; "and it
is setting a very bad example to his sons.
Pages:
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259