Cooper's Works Author:James Fenimore Cooper Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: eluded in the category by courtesy, if not of right, was more cordial than Eve had expected to witness, for each really entertained a respect for the other, in r... more »eference to a merit of a particular sort; Mr. Bragg esteeming Mr. John Effingham as a wealthy and caustic cynic, and Mr. John Effingham regarding Mr. Bragg much as the owner of a dwelling regards a valuable house-dog. After a few moments of conversation, the two withdrew together, and just as the ladies were about to descend to the drawing-room, previously to dinner, Pierre announced that a plate had been ordered for the land agent. CHAPTER II. " I know that Deformed; ho has been a vile thief this seven year he goes up and down like a gentleman." Much Abo About Nothing. Eve, and her cousin, found Sir George Templemore and Captain Truck in the drawing-room, the former having lingered in New-York, with a desire to be near his friends, and the latter being on the point of sailing for Europe, in his regular turn. To these must be added Mr. Bragg and the ordinary inmates of the house, when the reader will get a view of the whole party. Aristabulus had never before sat down to as brilliant a table, and for the first time in his life, he saw candles lighted at a dinner: but he was not a man to be disconcerted at a novelty. Had lie been a European of the same origin and habits, awkwardness would have betrayed him fifty times, before the dessert made its appearance ; but, being the man he was, one who overlooked a certain prurient politeness that rather illustratcil his deportment, might very well have permuted him to pass among the oi polloi of the world, were it not for a peculiar management in the way of providing for himself. It is true, he asked every one near him to eat of every thing he could himself reach, an...« less