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Harte, Bret, 1836-1902

"The Story of a Mine"

The cold New Englander saw nothing wrong in one
or two direct and extravagant compliments, that would have insured his
visitor's early dismissal if tendered in the clipped metallic phrases of
the Commonwealth he represented.
So that in a few moments the black, curly head of the little artist and
the white, flowing locks of the Senator were close together bending
over the rack that contained the engravings. It was then that Carmen,
listening to a graphic description of the early rise of Art in the
Netherlands, forgot herself and put her shawl around her head, holding
its folds in her little brown hand. In this situation they were,
at different times during the next two hours, interrupted by five
Congressmen, three Senators, a Cabinet officer, and a Judge of the
Supreme Bench,--each of whom was quickly but courteously dismissed.
Popular sentiment, however, broke out in the hall.
"Well, I'm blanked, but this gets me." (The speaker was a Territorial
delegate.)
"At his time o' life, too, lookin' over pictures with a gal young enough
to be his grandchild.


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