Chapter I: Front Matter

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Transcriber’s Note:

This version of the text cannot represent certain typographical effects. Italics are delimited with the ‘_’ character as _italic_.

Footnotes have been moved to follow the paragraphs in which they are referenced.

Minor errors, attributable to the printer, have been corrected. Please see the transcriber’s note at the end of this text for details regarding the handling of any textual issues encountered during its preparation.

PECULIAR

_A Tale of the Great Transition_

BY EPES SARGENT

NEW YORK
CARLETON, PUBLISHER, 413 BROADWAY
M DCCC LXIV

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1863, by
EPES SARGENT,
in the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the District of
Massachusetts.

UNIVERSITY PRESS:
WELCH, BIGELOW, AND COMPANY,
CAMBRIDGE.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER PAGE
I. A GLANCE IN THE MIRROR 1
II. A MATRIMONIAL BLANK 6
III. THE WOLF AND THE LAMB 12
IV. A FUGITIVE CHATTEL 19
V. A RETROSPECT 28
VI. PIN-HOLES IN THE CURTAIN 34
VII. AN UNCONSCIOUS HEIRESS 46
VIII. A DESCENDANT OF THE CAVALIERS 57
IX. THE UPPER AND THE LOWER LAW 69
X. GROUPS ON THE DECK 81
XI. MR. ONSLOW SPEAKS HIS MIND 97
XII. THE STORY OF ESTELLE 105
XIII. FIRE UP! 148
XIV. WAITING FOR THE SUMMONER 151
XV. WHO SHALL BE HEIR? 158
XVI. THE VENDUE 165
XVII. SHALL THERE BE A WEDDING? 178
XVIII. THE UNITIES DISREGARDED 183
XIX. THE WHITE SLAVE 187
XX. ENCOUNTERS AT THE ST. CHARLES 200
XXI. A MONSTER OF INGRATITUDE 219
XXII. THE YOUNG LADY WITH A CARPET-BAG 224
XXIII. WILL YOU WALK INTO MY PARLOR? 233
XXIV. CONFESSIONS OF A MEAN WHITE 240
XXV. MEETINGS AND PARTINGS 251
XXVI. CLARA MAKES AN IMPORTANT PURCHASE 257
XXVII. DELIGHT AND DUTY 264
XXVIII. A LETTER OF BUSINESS 274
XXIX. THE WOMAN WHO DELIBERATES IS LOST 279
XXX. A FEMININE VAN AMBURGH 290
XXXI. ONE OF THE INSTITUTIONS 300
XXXII. A DOUBLE VICTORY 305
XXXIII. SATAN AMUSES HIMSELF 314
XXXIV. LIGHT FROM THE PIT 327
XXXV. THE COMMITTEE ADJOURNS 335
XXXVI. THE OCCUPANT OF THE WHITE HOUSE 349
XXXVII. COMPARING NOTES 359
XXXVIII. THE LAWYER AND THE LADY 372
XXXIX. SEEING IS BELIEVING 382
XL. THE REMARKABLE MAN AT RICHMOND 392
XLI. HOPES AND FEARS 397
XLII. HOW IT WAS DONE 430
XLIII. MAKING THE BEST OF IT 442
XLIV. A DOMESTIC RECONNAISSANCE 455
XLV. ANOTHER DESCENDANT OF THE CAVALIERS 464
XLVI. THE NIGHT COMETH 471
XLVII. AN AUTUMNAL VISIT 480
XLVIII. TIME DISCOVERS AND COVERS 489
XLIX. EYES TO THE BLIND 493

PECULIAR.