Fireside Tales and Sketches (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. 1864 Excerpt: ...like himself in the room, he does not scruple to make a few remarks upon what is going on. If you unexpectedly come in, you will perhaps find the whole fraternity enjoying a social laugh at something that has been read or spoken, rolling in their chairs, rubbing their elbows, and making a great flutter with the papers. Speaking is of course against the rules; but then who can challenge the old gentleman? Not the waiters, certainly, or the keeper of the room. By fretful interferences, orders, and demands, and their gruff respectable aspect, the old gentlemen have all these people cap in hand to them. What enormous bargains in reading and ordering the old fellows take for their subscriptions, while younger and busier men look in only for a minute once a day, and never think of giving any trouble. But, in fact, our conscript fathers appear as just the staff of the establishment, keeping things going between one time of frequentation and another. No wonder that the people who attend to matters begin at length to look upon them as having more than the usual right to do as they please. Besides, the old gentlemen have generally few companions to whom their talking can be an annoyance. They don't like the room at those times when others are at liberty to attend it. They cannot then get their freedom. When a tide from any cause begins to pour in, they get fussed, quit their chairs, draw to greatcoat and umbrella, and are to be seen dropping off in pairs, remarking audibly--and this after full three hours' reading--that really there is no news. A stroll through the streets, enlivened with a little shopping, will take up a large part of what remains of the old gentleman's forenoon. He calls at the market, and sends home a dinner. The old woman has perhaps given him th...