The Living Age Volume 121 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1874 Excerpt: ...have a special art for holding umbrellas, tidily deifying the elements; their starch keeps stiff, their garments are dry, their spirits undamped, at times when an English temper would be drenched. Perhaps in the long run the English temper might best withstand the onslaught of adverse circumstances; but certainly for brief adversities we have little patience. The procession started at last, to the peal of bells, to the barking of dogs--windows opened, the church porch was crowded, people joining in from every doorway, late recruits following as fast as they could go. The women wore clean white skirts and starched white caps with satin ribbons; the men were dressed in their usual Sunday best--flagbearers had the additional glory of a green rosette. Monsieur le Curd and Monsieur le Vicaire were both there, encouraging and marshalling their troops. They had their breviaries under their arms, they wore their beautiful muslin stoles, their octagonal caps. The choristers were also in full dress, and the church beadle, in his long flapping gown, came away from the bell which he had been ringing uninterruptedly since four o'clock in the morning. A few cap-strings joined still hot from the ironing-board where Madame Wachtel had been standing uninterruptedly labouring for twenty-four hours. Poor woman, she now sank down exhausted. She had counted upon going herself; there was her own jupe all ready, but she was too tired to move--tired she was broken, there was no other word. Ah there goes Mademoiselle de Latouche; is it possible that she walks on foot when she might drive in her aunt's carriage? Hugh, who had dressed and come out to see what was going on, now appeared in the market-place. He had seen Blanche pass his window, which was just about four feet from the...