"The world's great men have not commonly been great scholars, nor its great scholars great men. The Hebrew patriarchs had small libraries, if any; yet they represent to our imaginations a very complete idea of manhood, and I think if we could ask Abraham to dine with us men of letters next Saturday we should feel honoured by his company."
A Growing Romance
"I should like to make a few intimate revelations relating especially to my early life, if I thought you would like to hear them."
The schoolmistress turned in her chair and said, "If we should like to hear them—we should love to."
So I drew my chair a shade nearer her, and went on to speak of voices that had bewitched me.
"I wish you could hear my sister's voice," said the schoolmistress.
"If it is like yours it must be a pleasant one," said I.
Lately she has been walking early and has brought back roses in her cheeks. I love the damask rose best of all flowers.
Our talk had been of trees, and I had been comparing the American and the English elms in the walk we call the Mall. "Will you walk out and look at those elms with me after breakfast?" I said to the schoolmistress.
I am not going to tell lies about it, and say that she blushed. On the contrary, she turned a little bit pale, but smiled brightly, and said, "Yes, with pleasure." So she went to fetch her bonnet, and the old gentleman opposite followed her with his eyes, and said he wished he was a young fellow.