When his host stood erect, and, in a voice that was
accustomed to obedience, he called on his family to join, in behalf of
the reckless ruler of the land of their fathers, in a petition to him who
alone could soften the hearts of Princes, he also arose from his seat.
But even in this act of devotion, the stranger bore the air of one who
wished to do pleasure to his entertainers, rather than to obtain that
which was asked.
The prayer, though short, was pointed, fervent, and sufficiently personal.
The wheels in the outer room ceased their hum, and a general movement
denoted that all there had arisen to join in the office; while one or two
of their number, impelled by deeper piety or stronger interest, drew near
to the open door between the rooms, in order to listen. With this singular
but characteristic interruption, that particular branch of the discourse,
which had given rise to it, altogether ceased.
"And have we reason to dread a rising of the savages on the borders?"
asked Content, when he found that the moved spirit of his father was not
yet sufficiently calmed, to return to the examination of temporal things;
"one who brought wares from the towns below, a few months since, recited
reasons to fear a movement among the red men.
Pages:
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70