The Works of Thomas Hood (Volume 9 ); Comic and Serious, in Prose and Verse with All the Original Illustrations - Softcover

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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1872. Excerpt: ... The Novel of "Our Family"--unfortunately only a fragment--was the latest literary undertaking of my father. Overflowing with fun and humour as they are, the majority of the chapters were dictated from what he knew was a bed of death. Cheerful to the last, he toiled on, as long as life remained, not so much for Fame, to ensure which he had already written more than enough, as to do what he could, while he could, for those dear ones whom he was so soon to leave. In February, 1845, he wrote the Stanzas with which the volume practically closes,--the Appendix containing Notes, andpapers which should have been contained in previous volumes.--From that time until his death, except to write farewells to his friends, he laid his pen aside. OUR FAMILY. A DOMESTIC NOVEL. CHAPTER L WE ARE BORN. The clock struck seven But the clock was a story-teller; for the true time was One, as marked by the short hand on the dial. The truth was, our family clock--an old-fashioned machine, in a tall mahogany case, and surmounted by three golden balls, as if it had belonged to the Lombards--was apt to chime very capriciously. However, it struck seven just as my father came down stairs from the bedroom, rubbing his hands, and whistling in a whisper, as his custom was when he was well pleased, and walking along the passage somewhat more than usual on hia tiptoes, with a jaunty gait, he stepped into the sitting-room to communicate the good news. But there was nobody in the parlour except the little fairy-like gentleman, who walked jauntily to meet him, rubbing his hands, and silently whistling, in the old mirror,--a large circular one, presided over by some bronze bird, sacred perhaps to Esculapius, and VOl. ix. 18 therefore carrying a gilt bolus, attached by a chain to his beak. Frcm ...

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