Part 36 (1/2)
”'Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth,'” pursued the old ive!
But it is the old tale of hu My son,” he added i his hand on Pownal, ”behold these furrows on a withered face They are the traces of unrestrained passion I forgot my Creator in the days of my youth”
He turned and walked away, but presently retraced his steps and took up the train of thought he seeot not reat way off my Father saw me, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on my neck, and kissedupon er, and shoes uponcondition of Holden's mind as the vessel approached the port of New York, which it reached the nextindubitable promise of what it has since beco its present splendor and nificence, which entitle it to vie with the most brilliant capitals of the world Even then the shi+ps of all nations were to be found at its wharfs, but the taperinto the sky, formed not a cordon so immense as that which now, like a forest stripped of its leaves, girts it round Nor from even its most fashi+onable portions, the residence and resort of the wealthy and the gay, had all the huin, disappeared Alongside of the modern brick, or occasionally stone mansion of four stories, that style of architecture, dear yet to the heart of a genuine Knickerbocker of which Holland boasts, if not the invention, at least the perfectioning, reared its pointed gable, and rose like Jacob's ladder with parapeted roof into the sky But slightly injured by weather in a cliularly clear and pure, under a sky untarnished by the dismal clouds from bituminous coal fires, which enshroud less favored lands, the brave little Dutch bricks held their oith a sturdiness becoe have alenuity they exhibited, and the taste of which they were the specimens, are likely soon to be ree
But, however the fashi+ons of rand features of nature reht then as now sparkled in the light of the May lorious bay, unrivalled but by one, while little boats and pinnaces darting about in all direction like sea-birds, gave animation to a scene, which without the accompaniment would have possessed peculiar interest to one who, like Holden, had lived so long in seclusion As the vessel turned around Castle Garden to seek her berth in the North River, and his eyes ran over the islands and Jersey shore, and up the noble streanized the objects he had seen in his youth, it see to life, and nature re-assuarb which she once wore
But, independent of the causes that made the scene peculiarly attractive to our traveller, it is i absence without excites full of life, and instinct with its hopes, and fears, and joys, and sorrows, and passions, acts like a stilorious, but the object of deepest interest to s he sees reflected his own interior world, a world of mystery and marvel, whence any news is welcoht and shade, its harmonies and discords He cannot stand outside, a looker-on, separate and apart, having no portion therein: he is in it and of it, an integral ato which cannot be isolated if it would
The packet, after some delay, occasioned by the occupation of her berth by a casual trader, was finally able, by advancing one vessel, and pushi+ng another back, and shoving a third on one side, to approach the wharf at the foot of Courtlandt street, and land her passengers
A coach was presently procured, and Holden, who had been invited by Pownal, acco friend The distance up Courtlandt street, and down Broadway to the house of the elder Pownal, which was near the Battery, was short, and therefore even had the carriage proceeded more leisurely, and the Recluse been disposed to observation, he could have seen but little, and that in an unsatisfactorythe ie city upon one who for so many years had excluded himself from the crowded haunts of men, and therefore watched his companion with no little interest; but Holden, as if he divined his thoughts, and was displeased at the discovery, or for so, or conduct, but was as i around hi any ee, and shut his eyes as if desirous to exclude objects of which he was regardless, or which only annoyed hi man knew not exactly how to interpret the other's conduct, but was too much accustoreatly to desire to intrude into anything he wished to conceal
The carriage stopped before a fine, large brickthe Battery, and, of course, coreensward of that beautiful spot, of the blue water, and islands, and the Jersey shore sweeping away in the distance Fashi+on, always capricious in her movements, has deserted the lower part of Broadway and the Battery, by far the rate to a part of the island on which New York is built, more remote from the marts of trade Immense warehouses occupy the sites where once stood the abodes of elegance and hospitality, and the chaffer of traffic has succeeded to social welcos of conviviality
The black servant who ca of the bell, stared with astonishure of Pownal's companion, but if disposed, as is the habit of his class, to be deficient in respect to one not bearing the conventional sta er, to say nothing of the latter's natural air of authority, soon restored his courtesy and usual obsequious attention It was, therefore, with a gracious expression of countenance and polite bow, that Mr Johnson ushered the two gentlemen into the parlor
”Where is Mr Pownal, Johnson?” inquired the young man
”He is out of town, sir, with the whole family I believe he went to Albany, sir”
”Is Mrs Corning in the house?”
”Mrs Corning is just coo”
”Say, I would like to speak to her”
In a fewwoe,the young reat affection, and by whoard
The family, she said, in reply to the questions of Pownal, had been absent, at Albany, where they were, on a visit to some relatives, for three weeks, but were daily expected home She was _so_ sorry they were absent They were all well, and would be so glad to see hi better
There was nothing like country air to paint the cheeks
Pownal thought this a good opportunity to commend his friend to the favorable consideration of the housekeeper, and said--
”That I aentleHolden to the lady
”Your friends, Mr Tho to Holden, ”will always be welcome in this house But, tell me, have you been sick?--I'm sure, you don't look so--or some accident, or”----
”I will tell you all about it, by-and-by At present, a cup of coffee”
”My! what a thoughtless creature I aain, put all idea of breakfast out of , if you had had any But, it shan't be long before thatbustled out of the roohts intent, and, in a short time, the substantial co on the board Pownal partook of it with the liberal appetite of high health and youth sharpened by his little voyage, while Holden hireater moderation, was not unmindful of the viands before him His achievements, however, did not seem to satisfy the housekeeper, who vainly pressed her delicacies upon hih observation of his character at meals, expressed her wonder, to Pownal, whether the effect of a long beard was not to diminish the appetite!