The digressions of V. - written for his own fun and that of his friends - by Elihu Vedder; containing the quaint legends of his infancy, an account of his stay in Florence, the garden of lost (14579765768)

Identifier: digvwr00vedd (find matches)
Title: The digressions of V. : written for his own fun and that of his friends / by Elihu Vedder ; containing the quaint legends of his infancy, an account of his stay in Florence, the garden of lost opportunities, return home on the track of Columbus, his struggle in New York in war-time coinciding with that of the nation, his prolonged stay in Rome, and likewise his prattlings upon art, tamperings with literature, struggles with verse, and many other things, being a portrait of himself from youth to age ; with many illustrations by the author.
Year: 1910 (1910s)
Authors: Vedder, Elihu
Subjects: American Art
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company
Contributing Library: Whitney Museum of American Art, Frances Mulhall Achilles Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Metropolitan New York Library Council - METRO



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of course a relative, andtook me along. The place was down the river, where the aque-duct spans the boiling rapids below. I cant tell you how grandlyhigh was the bridge, how terribly fierce the rapids; for all wason a grand scale then. A steep road leads up from the viaduct— up through arching trees to a high plateau on which was thefarmhouse, and near which yet stood the original log housewhere were born many of my branch of the family. As I havesaid, it was a strange mixture in those days: relatives who hadapostle spoons, wove rag-carpets; so you must not wonder atmy finding in the parlour of this farmhouse an old Chinese paint-ing on glass in a teak-wood frame, and other marvels. I have said that I had the kindest-hearted and best motherthat ever lived. Yet, would you believe it, when rushing to herfor comfort and help, having fallen and hurt my knee awfully, Iwas met by the heartless question, Have you torn your trousers ?That was enough. I said nothing. I had at once made up my
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A VISIT AND HURT FEELINGS 39 mind, and went behind the barn to perfect my plan. I wouldleave — steal awa\ in the night. I would make up a bundle, —such a little bundle! — and I, a little boy with my little bundle,would go on foot all alone to some distant seaport, and there,telling my story to some kind captain, beg him to take me withhim as a sailor-boy, no matter how hard and rude the life mightbe. The thought brought tears to my eyes; but getting hungryI returned to the house and found — they had never missed me. This old farmer, who must have been one of my innumerableuncles, once said to my father: See here, your boys, Alexanderand Elihu, dont keep coming round trying to curry favour withme, as all my other nephews do, and I like it in them. They aregood, independent boys, and you just wait and see how I will foolthose other young chaps. Darned if I dont leave your boys themost of my property. Now he had property. The family consisting of all kinds ofmen, Providence had o