Battle of the Richmond and the Tennessee
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HARPER'S WEEKLY. [SEPTEMBER 10, 1864. 584 Richmond. Tennessee. THE UNITED STATES STEAMER " RICHMOND" ENGAGING THE REBEL RAM "TENNESSEE," AUGUST 5, 1864.—SKETCHED BY ROBERT WEIR.—[SEE PAGE 582.]voice was that I heard in your dressing-room ? Had you not a child—a daughter—years ago? She must be grown up by this time." The countess made him an ironical courtesy. " Merci du compliment, monseigneur," she sneered. " Yes, I know well enough that I am growing old. Du reste, let me inform you that I am not in the habit of bringing my fille de chambre"—she laid, perhaps intentionally, a stronger emphasis on the word "fille" than on those which followed—",and that if you will be good enough to take care of your own affairs, I shall have much pleasure in attending to mine. I come alone or not at all. Am I understood?" "Perfectly. Brava! you are quite the old countess—I beg pardon, the young countess—we used to know and call Semiramis. Come alone, if such is your will. Now, good-by until after the fire-works." He was retiring, when she recalled him.; " Stop, mauvais sujet," she cried, " have you got a billet de cent francs about you par hasard ? I want to buy some gloves. ' Sir William laughed. "You will scarcely find the Burlington Arcade at South Lambeth," he said, as searching in his waistcoat-pocket he brought out some loose sovereigns and dropped them into the woman's outstretched hand. She just nodded her thanks, and going into her room shut the door. The performances in the circus were over, and the work-people were turning off the gas. The baronet had some difficulty in groping his way to the door. " She has not changed" A bit, save in looks," he soliloquized; "what a devouring harpy it is, to be sure ! If ever the horse-leech had a fourth daughter the countess must have been the one. How hungry she used to be in the old days after money ! Madame Ernestine, on her part, was also soliloquizing. "Ah ! I am Semiramis, am I ? All ! I an asked to supper because it is thought I have a daughter. Ah ! pieces of gold are flung to me with a taunt, like pennies to a beggar. Little devil"—she said this savagely, and not to herself. "Thou art sticking, pins into me on purpose. Quick, my pink then, quick, or I shall strangle thee!" Metacomet. Selma. THE REBEL GUN-BOAT "SELMA" SURRENDERING- TO THE UNITED STATES STEAMER " METACOMET,"--SKETCHED BY ROBERT WEIR.—[SEE PAGE 582.] |
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