Boys and Girls From Thackeray

Boys and Girls From Thackeray

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Dickinson Sweetser
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Title: Boys and girls from Thackeray
Author: Kate Dickinson Sweetser
Release Date: November 17, 2003 [eBook #10111]
Language: English
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Boys and Girls from Thackeray
By Kate Dickinson Sweetser

Pictures by GEORGE ALFRED WILLIAMS
1907

PREFACE
William Makepeace Thackeray--the name is dear to all lovers of classic
fiction, who have wandered in enchanted lands, following the fortunes
of Colonel Newcome, Becky Sharp, Henry Esmond, and a host of other
familiar characters created by the great novelist.
To an unusual degree, Thackeray dwells on the childhood and youth of
the characters he depicts, lingering fondly and in details over the pranks
and pastimes, the school and college days of his heroes and heroines, as
though he wished to call especial attention to the interest of that portion
of their career.
That Thackeray has so emphasised his sketches of juvenile life,
warrants the presentation of those sketches in this volume and as
complete stories, without the adult intrigue and plot with which they
are surrounded in the novels from which they are taken. The object in
so presenting them is twofold: namely, to create an interest in
Thackeray's work among young readers to whom he has heretofore
been unknown, and to form a companion volume to those already given
such a hearty welcome--Boys and Girls from Dickens and George
Eliot.
K.D.S.
NEW YORK, 1907.

CONTENTS
HENRY ESMOND
THE VIRGINIANS

BECKY SHARP AT SCHOOL
CUFF'S FIGHT WITH "FIGS"
GEORGE OSBORNE--RAWDON CRAWLEY
CLIVE AND ETHEL NEWCOME
ARTHUR PENDENNIS
CAROLINE

BOYS AND GIRLS from THACKERAY

HENRY ESMOND
[Illustration: HENRY ESMOND AND THE CASTLEWOODS.]
When Francis, fourth Viscount Castlewood, came to his title, and,
presently after, to take possession of his house of Castlewood, County
Hants, in the year 1691, almost the only tenant of the place besides the
domestics was a lad of twelve years of age, of whom no one seemed to
take any note until my Lady Viscountess lighted upon him, going over
the house with the housekeeper on the day of her arrival. The boy was
in the room known as the book-room, or yellow gallery, where the
portraits of the family used to hang.
The new and fair lady of Castlewood found the sad, lonely little
occupant of this gallery busy over his great book, which he laid down
when he was aware that a stranger was at hand. And, knowing who that
person must be, the lad stood up and bowed before her, performing a
shy obeisance to the mistress of his house.
She stretched out her hand--indeed, when was it that that hand would
not stretch out to do an act of kindness, or to protect grief and
ill-fortune? "And this is our kinsman, I believe," she said; "and what is

your name, kinsman?"
"My name is Henry Esmond," said the lad, looking up at her in a sort of
delight and wonder, for she appeared the most charming object he had
ever looked on. Her golden hair was shining in the gold of the sun; her
complexion was of a dazzling bloom; her lips smiling and her eyes
beaming with a kindness which made Harry Esmond's heart to beat
with surprise.
"His name is Henry Esmond, sure enough, my lady," says Mrs.
Worksop, the housekeeper; and the new Viscountess, after walking
down the gallery, came back to the lad, took his hand again, placing her
other fair hand on his head, saying some words to him which were so
kind, so sweet that the boy felt as if the touch of a superior being, or
angel, smote him down to the ground, and he kissed the fair protecting
hand as he knelt on one knee. To the very last hour of his life Esmond
remembered the lady as she then spoke and looked: the rings on her fair
hands, the very scent of her robe, the beam of her eyes lighting up with
surprise and kindness, her lips blooming in a smile, the sun making a
golden halo round her hair.
As the boy was yet in this attitude of humility, enters behind him a
portly gentleman, with a little girl of four years old. The gentleman
burst into a great laugh at the lady and her adorer, with his little,