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Taylor, Bayard, 1825-1878

"Beauty and the Beast, and Tales of Home"

Our lives must conform to her sacred law. Why can't we
strip off these hollow Shams,' (he made great use of that word,)
`and be our true selves, pure, perfect, and divine?'
"Miss Ringtop heaved a sigh, and repeated a stanza from her
favorite poet:
"`Ah, when wrecked are my desires
On the everlasting Never,
And my heart with all its fires
Out forever,
In the cradle of Creation
Finds the soul resuscitation!

"Shelldrake, however, turning to his wife, said--
"`Elviry, how many up-stairs rooms is there in that house down on
the Sound?'
"`Four,--besides three small ones under the roof. Why, what made
you think of that, Jesse?' said she.
"`I've got an idea, while Abel's been talking,' he answered.
`We've taken a house for the summer, down the other side of
Bridgeport, right on the water, where there's good fishing and a
fine view of the Sound. Now, there's room enough for all of us--at
least all that can make it suit to go. Abel, you and Enos, and
Pauline and Eunice might fix matters so that we could all take the
place in partnership, and pass the summer together, living a true
and beautiful life in the bosom of Nature.


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