It was composed of
different branches of a numerous family connection, where there
were the usual proportion of old uncles and aunts, comfortable
married dames, superannuated spinsters, blooming country cousins,
half-fledged striplings, and bright-eyed boarding-school hoydens.
They were variously occupied--some at a round game of cards;
others conversing around the fireplace; at one end of the hall
was a group of the young folks, some nearly grown up, others of a
more tender and budding age, fully engrossed by a merry game; and
a profusion of wooden horses, penny trumpets, and tattered dolls
about the floor showed traces of a troop of little fairy beings
who, having frolicked through a happy day, had been carried off
to slumber through a peaceful night.
While the mutual greetings were going on between young
Bracebridge and his relatives I had time to scan the apartment. I
have called it a hall, for so it had certainly been in old times,
and the squire had evidently endeavored to restore it to
something of its primitive state. Over the heavy projecting
fireplace was suspended a picture of a warrior in armor, standing
by a white horse, and on the opposite wall hung a helmet,
buckler, and lance.
Pages:
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312