Nemesis

by Marion Harland

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1860 ...CHAPTER XVJII. "Where are you going so early, mamma V inquired Katherine, one morning at the breakfast-table. "I saw them getting the carriage out before I came downstairs."' ' Your father intends using it, not I," replied Mrs. Rashleigh. "It is courWay," said the Colonel. "That tiresome court-day!" uttered Katherine, impatiently. "It seems to me that it comes round every week instead of once a month. What do they do there, papa? Is it anything like the assizes in England? And do the proceedings really interest you?" "My dear! one question at a time!" gently rebuked Mrs. Holt. "Well, then, papa, why does every man and boy in the county attend court every month?" "These 'court-days' are to me a re-mar-ka-ble and interesting feature in the society and government of this State," said Colonel Rashleigh, addressing himself to the round of cold beef in front of him, and suspending the business of breakfast, that he might properly elucidate the subject. "A large concourse of people of all grades of social distinction, wealth and professions--as you, my daughter, well observe, old and young; the middle-aged and the child repair thither, with a regularity and promptness that show how they prize these occasions. Not only the court-house itself--an insignificant building, allow me to remark." The beef making no objection, he resumed, after a "I am laily more and more displeased with the crude and low state of architecture prevalent among this population. The building is incommodious--positively mean!" pausing again, with his condemnatory nod. "Entirely unsuitable for the purpose to which it is dedicated. It is crowded to excess, and upon the inclosed green s...

142 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1860

About the author

Mary Virginia Terhune (née Hawes), also known by her penname Marion Harland, was an American author. At age twenty-three she won a $50 prize from the Southern Era periodical for her article on temperance. Encouraged, she published her first novel, Alone, to great acclaim. Despite giving birth to six children and running a household, she never stopped writing, eventually publishing twenty-five novels and three volumes of short stories, as well as numerous books on travel, biography, colonial history, and domestic guidance.

Despite her successful career, Terhune was generally unsupportive of the nascent feminism of her day. Ironically, according to Susan Koppelman in the Old Maids anthology (the source of this biographical note):

She has long been dismissed as an unimportant writer, partly because of her phenomenal output (I think many critics assume that such quantity can't be of high quality) and partly because of the fact that those who cherish the ideals she advocated do not ordinarily go looking for forgotten women writers.

Terhune's three surviving children also became authors.

Reviews

[Jeffrey M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deep into the story the author still cloaks exactly which character will take on the title role.

Religious fervor jumps in a bit heavily in a couple of instances, but the characters exhibit a fervent belief that right is theirs; you well know that karma will manage to avenge the wrongs.