Author Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1882 edition. Excerpt:... difficult section of "The Pickings among the Picts," could hardly spare five minutes from his work. In fact, the great history was so near completion, that he thought of going to see a publisher in Edinburgh about the beginning of October. With slippers down at the heel, and a beard a week old, he sat day after day scribbling, scribbling, scribbling. So absorbed in his book as to have no idea that the damsel who poured out his morning coffee and evening tea, and whom he still regarded as "wee bit bairnie," had entered that enchanted region where Cupid reigns supreme, and where, if mortals do not literally eat angels' food, beer tastes as sweet as nectar, and roast mutton like ambrosia. Almost three years Harry's junior, Ella was more consciously in love than he, breathing an ecstatic atmosphere, relishing it physically as she would have enjoyed the taste of some luscious sweetmeat, or the aroma of a subtle perfume. As the old proverb says, "You can't make a silken purse of a sow's ear." There is first love and first love. That of the Manse missie was largely adulterated with sensuous selfishness, while the same fairy glamour which shone around Sara and Captain Jenner twenty-two years before on board the Sylphide was now glorifying Ella and every stick and stone about Sandrift in their son's eyes. Harry's last evening was spent at the Manse, where all the Jenners had an extempore tea to celebrate the arrival at Finis of the minister's book--a consummation which, although he expected it, took him at the last by surprise. Sitting that day, after dinner, with his stubbly chin in his palms, and a pen between his teeth, casting about for the opening sentence of a new chapter, it all at once struck him that to add...