Inez

Inez, by Augusta J. Evans

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Title: Inez A Tale of the Alamo
Author: Augusta J. Evans
Release Date: March 26, 2005 [EBook #15470]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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INEZ
A TALE OF THE ALAMO
BY
AUGUSTA J. EVANS

Author of "Beulah," "St. Elmo," "Infelice," "Macaria," Etc.
NEW YORK
THE FEDERAL BOOK COMPANY
PUBLISHERS

TO THE TEXAN PATRIOTS, WHO TRIUMPHANTLY
UNFURLED AND WAVED ALOFT THE "BANNER OF THE LONE
STAR!" WHO WRENCHED ASUNDER THE IRON BANDS OF
DESPOTIC MEXICO! AND WREATHED THE BROW OF THE
"QUEEN STATE" WITH THE GLORIOUS CHAPLET OF "CIVIL
AND RELIGIOUS LIBERTY!" THIS WORK IS RESPECTFULLY
DEDICATED BY THE AUTHOR.

INEZ: A TALE OF THE ALAMO.
CHAPTER I.
"But O, th' important budget! Who can say what are its tidings?"
COWPER.
"There is the bell for prayers, Florry; are you ready?" said Mary Irving,
hastily entering her cousin's room at the large boarding-school of
Madame ----.
"Yes; I rose earlier than usual this morning, have solved two problems,
and translated nearly half a page of Telemaque."
"I congratulate you on your increased industry and application, though
you were always more studious than myself. I wish, dear Florry, you
could imbue me with some of your fondness for metaphysics and
mathematics," Mary replied, with a low sigh.

A momentary flush passed over the face of her companion, and they
descended the stairs in silence. The room in which the pupils were
accustomed to assemble for devotion was not so spacious as the
class-room, yet sufficiently so to look gloomy enough in the gray light
of a drizzling morn. The floor was covered with a faded carpet, in
which the indistinct vine seemed struggling to reach the wall, but failed
by several feet on either side. As if to conceal this deficiency, a wide
seat was affixed the entire length of the room, so high
"That the feet hung dangling down, Anxious in vain to find the distant
floor."
There were no curtains to the windows, and the rain pattered drearily
down the panes.
The teacher who officiated as chaplain was seated before a large desk,
on which lay an open Bible. He seemed about twenty-four, his
countenance noble rather than handsome, if I may make so delicate a
distinction. Intelligence of the first order was stamped upon it, yet the
characteristic expression was pride which sat enthroned on his
prominent brow; still, hours of care had left their impress, and the face
was very grave, though by no means stern. His eye was fixed on the
door as the pupils came in, one by one, for prayers, and when Florence
and Mary entered, it sunk upon his book, In a few moments he rose,
and, standing with one arm folded across his bosom, read in a deep,
distinct tone, that beautiful Psalm, "The Lord is my shepherd." He had
only reached the fourth verse, when he was interrupted by two girls of
twelve or fourteen, who had been conversing from the moment of their
entrance. The tones grew louder and louder, and now the words were
very audible:
"My father did not send me here to come to prayers, and Madame has
no right to make us get up before day to hear him read his Bible!"
Many who coincided with them tittered, others stared in silence, while
Florence's lip curled, and Mary looked sorrowingly, pityingly upon
them--hers was the expression with which the angel multitudes of
Heaven regard their erring brethren here. The chaplain turned toward

them, and said, in a grave yet gentle voice, "My little friends, I am
afraid you did not kneel beside your bed this morning, and ask God to
keep your hearts from sinful thoughts, and enable you to perform all
your duties in a humble, gentle spirit. In your present temper, were I to
read the entire book instead of one Psalm, I fear you would receive no
benefit."
The girls were awed more by the tone than words, and sat silent and
abashed. The reading was concluded, and then he offered up a prayer
earnest and heartfelt. Instead of leaving the room immediately, the
pupils waited as for something, and taking a bundle of letters from the
desk, their tutor distributed them as the direction indicated.
"My budget is not so large as usual, and I regret it for your sakes,