The Old Country House Author:Elizabeth Caroline Grey General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1859 Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million book... more »s for free. Excerpt: CHAPTER II. ". Aa when a soul laments, which hath been blest, Desiring what is mingled with past years, In yearnings that can never be expressed By sighs, or groans, or tears." -- Tenntson. " Airy, fairy Lilian, Flitting, fairy Lilian." -- Idem. What a strange change of scene, circumstances, and companionship, appeared the still life into which, as if by enchantment, I had been transported, from that restless, buzzing, glittering movement in which I had so lately mingled ! But to me the metamorphose was comparative Elysinm, and the cofiee having speedily worked a most soothing influence both upon my head and spirits, I was able, not only to feel a passive enjoyment of my situation, but some lively interest and curiosity in the scene surrounding me. I inwardly admired the old-fashioned style of the apartment; and the clock ticking so steadily in the corner, and the monotonous clicking of my companion's busy needle, were sounds much more pleasing to my ear than had been the tones of laughter and singing I had lately heard. But, principally, the living object before me gradually attracted my attention. Under other circumstances she might have seemed little worthy of remark ; but, seated there, plying her homely task -- so still, and apparently so abstracted and insensible to the excitement and hilarity of which, at so short a distance, crowds of her fellow-creatures were partakers, she particularly struck my fancy, and I was reminded at the time of that favourite feature in the nursery story, when the heroine, wandering over some ancient castle, finds an old fairy spinning in a distant turre...« less