Word: rains
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Dates: during 1870-1879
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...Wake early, but not bright. Drizzling rain. Suggest to Freshman that we take it easy. Freshman acquiesces with ill-concealed delight. Says he has rich uncle (who dotes on him) living three miles ahead. Time to uncle's gate, two hours. Servant won't let us in; has orders to keep out tramps. Freshman implores and raves, but with no avail. Finally sends in pocket-Bible in lieu of card, and is admitted. Uncle cordial; cousins, Sophs at Vassar. Welcome breakfast. Rain increases; have to spend the day. Luncheon. Dinner. Bezique and forfeits in the sitting-room. Rain ceases. Cousins...
...begins, "Nature upon her tablet has written that silvery drops of rain must come from clouds, black and portentous," etc. The reader would here naturally expect some explanation, - what is the tablet? when was it? where was it? why and how did nature write? etc., - but no explanation is given. The writer hurries on, discovers that day is followed by night, stands beside the rivers Tigris and Euphrates, inspects the "remnant of Babylon," has a word for the Mede, another for the Persian, gets himself surrounded by the "tottering walls of the Coliseum," "hears" them crumble, notes, in passing...
...tedious interval between breakfast and the foot-race was passed by the crowd around the hotel doors in a languid discussion of "rain or no rain," and in making a few bets, just to spite the goddess of strict morality, who was said to rule the day and forbid pool-selling...
...long time before the wildly excited crowd could think of supper, the ball, or the darkness and drizzling rain. The exciting finish must be talked over again, and once in a while the enthusiasm of some knot of magenta-wearers broke out into cheers and songs...
...this immense crowd ever reached Spring-field without loss of life or limb, passing over poor roads and shaking bridges, in darkness and rain as they did, is a wonder...