Neither did Celia Thaxter impress him, except in a rather
external way. He says, "We found Mrs. Thaxter sitting in a neat little
parlor, very simply furnished, but in good taste. She is not now, I
believe, more than eighteen years old, very pretty, and with the manners
of a lady,--not prim and precise, but with enough of freedom and ease."
The ideality in her face, which probably attracted her husband and is
visible in her earliest pictures, was not observed by the idealist
himself. He spent the next two weeks in company with Mr. Thaxter,
roaming about on the water, visiting different islands, and conversing
with the inhabitants. It must have been a rare occasion for young
Thaxter, and Hawthorne for once found a companion who could either be
silent or talk in an interesting manner. Hawthorne's account of it would
suffice as a guide-book for the Shoals. He tells the story of Betty
Moody, who was said to have concealed herself with her baby in a sort of
cave on Star Island in order to escape from the Indians who had made a
raid on the place while her husband was fishing out at sea. Unhappily
the child screamed, and the wretched mother is said to have murdered it
to prevent discovery. How the other wives and mothers on the island
saved themselves at this juncture is not reported; and the myth no doubt
originated from a dark red lichen growing on the rocks there which
resembles blood-stains and has a scientific name to that effect.
Pages:
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223