Healey (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1875. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XIV. 1 The goddess Calamity is delicate, and .... her feet are tender-- "Her feet are soft," he says; "for she treads not upon the ground, but makes her path upon the heads of men."' --Shelley's Banquet of Plato. S this true, Louis, about Wilfrid being engaged to that girl?' So demanded Mrs. Kay one morning of her son, about ten days after that afternoon on which Sara H olden had signalized herself by fainting and other things. 'If not, he ought to be, ' said Louis, 'for he has been spooning with her to a most tremendous extent.' 'So I should fancy; he does most things thoroughly. If he should reform, it would be no half-and-half measure. Do you>think there is any prospect of his mending, Louis?' 'Since his flirtation with Miss Meredith, he has been exemplary in all respects, ' returned her son, rather indifferently. 'If I could live to see him happily married, with children brought up in a Christian manner, how glad I should be ' sighed Mrs. Kay. 'I am sure I hope you will be preserved to that desirable period, madre mia; but your days will indeed be long in the land in that. case; you would have to live many hundred years.' 'Then you don't believe in his turning out a respectable member of society?' 'Under given circumstances he might, but those circumstances will never come to pass.' 'He might be such a fine fellow ' she lamented. 'I scold Katharine for giving way to him as she does, but, upon my word, I am not so much surprised at it after I have been talking to him for five minutes.' 'Katharine shall not sacrifice herself to him for a day after she is my wife, ' said Louis, frowningly. 'Don't tell her so beforehand, or she will not have you.' 'Oh I shall not alarm her, ' laughed he. I would not talk so largely of what Katharine shall do and...