Catherine Parr

“ During Parr's administration of nine years from 1782 to 1791, the welfare of the people was his study and care. His name will be ever associated with the coming of the Loyalists to Halifax and the province in 1783. His deep solicitude for their relief, welfare and settlement should never be forgotten by their descendants. He was not brilliant, but was the very man to suit the time he lived in, a plain, upright soldier, who prided himself on his attention to duty, and who endeavoured to discharge the obligations of a distinguished position with integrity and honour. ”

“ She gave me various instructions, which she trusted I could accommodate to varying contingencies.”
“My girl,” said the king leaning towards her, “you do not speak like a serving-maid. What is your name?”
“I have been a gentlewoman, sire,” she answered simply, “but women, alas, cannot control their fortunes. My name is Catherine. I will now forward to Doune, and wait for you at the further side of the new bridge the tailor has built over the Teith. ”

“ He was very sociable, and loved his dinner as well as Johnson. He smoked all day, and told with pride how the prince regent joined him in a pipe at Carlton House; and he used to make the youngest lady present give him a light till his friends persuaded him to give up the practice (Field, ii. 115–16) . Parr's library, consisting of about ten thousand volumes, was sold by auction at Evans's in 1828.
Parr was regarded as the whig Johnson. They had some acquaintance, as appears by references in Parr's correspondence with Charles Burney and Langton ”

“ Her level glance met the dark brown eyes for an instant; she felt a queer clatter, as if she had struck metal. Aloud she said, "Won't you have dinner with us, Miss Partridge? I should enjoy hearing your side of all these new schemes."
"That's it." Charles was hearty, insistent. "Let me take your wraps."
Elegant, slim, in soft taupe tailor-made, close-fitting velour hat. She gets herself up well; Catherine was aware suddenly of her own appearance in rough tweed coat and last year's hat with its bow of ribbon rather wilted. Not so hasty, she warned herself ”

“ The child lay in his narrow bed at her feet, but the father had a wider one far beneath. Catherine now approached and was folded in a silent embrace; then she gave her that small packet which Sir Thomas had left, and begged her to open it on the spot. It was a legal deed, making over to Mary H——, in free gift, the ground on which she stood—a broad strip from the tip of the hill to the waters of the lake. The widow's tears rained fast upon it.
"Both God and man are very good to me," she said; "I am lonely but not forsaken. But, Catherine, it is you to whom I must speak. ”

“ Some say he loved her in secret for many months, while that sot of an Andoche declares that he was caught in a trap.”
“She is not the wife for him, that is certain.”
“Be that as it may, he has been captured by the fair Catherine. How—nobody knows.”
“Ah, but somebody knows,” insists Parjeau, with emphasis.
“Who?”
“Why, Andoche, to be sure. He is coming this way. Shall I call him?” ”

“ Lady Katherine, unlike her sister Jane, was not blessed (or cursed) with a mother-in-law, for Anne Parr, only sister of Queen Katherine Parr and mother of Lord Herbert, had died some months before her son’s marriage and her husband’s accession to the rank of earl. The young “bride’s” father-in-law, however, must have been the reverse of a pleasant companion—his selfishness, craft, and brutality, like his enormous wealth, were common talk. ”

“ Katherine Howard was in most things her very opposite, in taste for dress as well as in observance of duty; and Katherine Parr, the sixth wife, was superior to both. The first Protestant Queen of England and preserver of Cambridge University was not only a scholar but a “very woman,”—in which phrase I recognize one with a whole string of virtues and accomplishments. She was a perfect mistress of the needle (Queen Adelaide herself was not a greater) ; and her taste in dress was shown by her uniting magnificence of material with simplicity of form. ”

“ The doorbell rang and Inga came in with a big parcel for Catherine with Grandma Hopkins’ compliments. Catherine opened it, wondering, and the others dropped their work.
“A cake! Did you ever in your life? And I already have Mrs. Graham’s jelly, and Mr. Graham’s bag of nuts, and old Mrs. Hitchcock’s jar of preserves! Mother, how can I ever thank them all?”
286“How can you ever get them all transported to Dexter, is what I’m wondering! Do they always send girls off to school with food for the term, Catherine?” asked Hannah. ”

“ Some people, however, are peculiarly affected by the influence of that wind; and they tell a story of Dr. [Pg 415] Parr—for the truth of which I will not vouch, but which probably has some foundation in fact. When a young man, he is said to have had an attack of ague, which made him dread the east wind as a pestilence. He had two pupils at the time, gay lads, over whose conduct, as well as whose studies, he exercised a very rigid superintendence. When they went out to walk, Parr was almost sure to be with them, much to their annoyance on many occasions. ”

“ The moon will be full, and the boys have all the plans made. There! They’re beginning to leave.” And Catherine went forward to help her mother’s guests find hats and scarfs.
“I never heard Catherine talk so much at once 266 before,” said Frieda lazily. “She looks beautiful to-night, too,–to boot!” She had just heard that phrase and though a little uncertain as to its exact significance, took pleasure in inserting it here and there in her speech.
“She’s a darling dear,” assented Alice, “and so is Dr. Helen, to boot! Now let’s help Inga clear things away and go to bed.” ”

“ She always feels stronger after her clothing. She feels that the world is behind her."
The Reverend Mother reflected that perhaps it would be better for Catherine's sake and for Peter's sake—indeed, for everyone's sake—if she were not to tell Catherine of Pat Phelan's visit until after the clothing. She might tell Catherine three months hence. The disadvantage of this would be that Catherine might hear that Peter had left Maynooth. In a country place news of this kind cannot be kept out of a convent. ”

“ He plays the knives are men, and the forks their wives and the spoons the little children.”
“O, so did I, always,” cried Catherine. “And it used to worry me dreadfully not to know positively that the proper couples were together. Once I tied them all neatly with different colored silks, but Mother didn’t approve. Through with the nuts so soon, Frieda? Then you can begin on the sandwiches.”
“Ach! The butter is too difficult!”
“Cream it, then. So!” and Alice illustrated. “I’ll go to work on these, too, while Hannah puts away the dishes, for I don’t know where they belong.” ”

“ Do hurry. Karl asked me to give you this as soon as we got here. Did Catherine show you your bath-room? You have one all to yourself; isn’t that lovely? It’s the most beautiful house, anyway. O, what dear roses on the dressing-table! Wasn’t it just like Catherine to put them there? Hurry up. Dr. Helen will be here pretty soon, and Polly Osgood and Dot Winthrop are coming over to see us. I’d put on that white poplin skirt and the waist with the blue butterfly bow at your throat. You look awfully fetching in that. Yes, Catherine, I’m coming,” and she flew out, tossing a kiss to Frieda. ”

“ Henley is going away, you know, and I’ve been asked to take her class.”
“O, I do hope you will,” cried Polly. “You would have a civilising influence on Perdita, and she needs it. Peter keeps her in order so well she never does anything very bad, but she is potentially a little terror.”
“She always seems very mild when I see her,” commented Catherine, patting her piles into straight lines. “But you can’t always tell about people by looking at them. I, for instance, have all my life been expected to be lady-like, just because when I was little I hadn’t strength enough to be naughty. ”

“ All three sons went into the army, and the youngest, John, is the subject of this memoir.
John Parr, the future Governor of Nova Scotia, was born at Dublin, 20th December, 1725, and , after a moderate course of study at Trinity High School, he was on the 26th May, 1744, gazetted Ensign of the 20th Regiment of Foot (Kingsley's and Wolfe's Regiment) . Parr was then in his nineteenth year, early in life, to enter upon a career of military activity, when the great powers of Europe were at war, and when a soldier's life was one of arduous and uninterrupted service. ”

“ D'Israeli, in the ‘Quarrels of Authors,’ and Mathias, in the ‘Pursuits of Literature,’ refer to a story, partly countenanced by a passage in Parr's own dedication, that Hurd had spoken contemptuously of Parr's ‘long vernacular sermon.’ It is also said (Works, i. 396) that Hurd had shown coldness to Parr personally (see Field, i. 377; De Quincey; Parriana, i. 417–18, and ii. 310 seq., where there is a long discussion of the case) . Such excuses only make matters worse. ”

“ Catherine grinned at him. She was at ease again, confident, the sense of nonentity gone.
"Oh, Stella Partridge, of course. Fine person, isn't she! No nonsense about her. Mind like a man's."
"Is it?" Catherine stacked the dishes in the sink.
"Has the qualities which are conventionally labeled masculine. Like that better?"
The clatter of the garbage pail cover served for Catherine's answer.
"Bill's a queer duck, now, isn't he?" Charles lolled against the table, his long body making a hazardous oblique angle. "Never can make up my mind whether it's shyness or laziness." ”

“ Merrily chimed the bells of all the steeples of London, announcing to the people the commencement of that holy ceremony which sacredly bound Catharine Parr to the king as his sixth wife. The people, ever fond of novelty and show, crowded through the streets toward the royal palace to catch a sight of Catharine, when she appeared at her husband’s side upon the balcony, to show herself to the English people as their queen, and to receive their homage in return. ”

“ The rattling of the latch, as the door closed, dispelled the dream of delight, and Catherine instantly arose, and prepared to follow her friend, whom she had in vain called after to return. Miss Falconer had already left the house, and long before Catherine reached her, she saw that she had found her way to the memorable bush of fern. ”

“ She rose. But though her voice had recovered all its energy, her attitude, her look was still tenderness, still yearning itself.
‘Religion does not fill up the soul,’ said Rose slowly. Then she added carelessly, a passionate red flying into her cheek, against her will, ‘However, I cannot imagine any question that interests me personally less. I was curious what you would say.’
And she too got up, drawing her hand lightly along the keyboard of the piano. Her pose had a kind of defiance in it; her knit brows forbade Catherine to ask questions. Catherine stood irresolute. ”

“ In 1785, for some reason unknown to his biographer, Parr resigned the school at Norwich, and in the year following went to reside at Hatton. "I have an excellent house, (he writes to a friend,) good neighbours, and a Poor, ignorant, dissolute, insolent, and ungrateful, beyond all example. ”

“ Parr narrowed the gap between himself and his prey.
And they turned a corner. Parr crossed the street, drew still closer, in time to hear the girl say, laughing, "... slumming once before I go back."
The crowd thickened and Parr found himself sidestepping passers-by. He was almost near enough, and his hand was moist on the focus gun. ”

“ Wish you were going to Wellesley.”
“So do I. It would be delightful, with you there and Karl and Hannah so near. But my parents decided for me. Karl will go to see you, though.”
“That’s nice. Really, Frieda, you will find it’s lots easier at a small college than a large one at first. And you can come on East afterward. Dexter is fine, and you’ll have such a start, going in as Catherine’s friend.”
Frieda grimaced.
“If every one there is as beautiful and–apart as Catherine is, I shan’t get on very well. Catherine is like a saint. She could never understand wickedness as you and Hannah do.” ”

“ The flour mills at Sackville were kept at work night and day, to provide bread. Parr worked steadily, and methodically, as he had done all his life and being a seasoned veteran, it is said, was able to work at times twenty out of the twenty-four hours at the task of providing and arranging for the subsistence of such a host. The great problem was how to have them housed, before the severity of winter set in. The troops came by shiploads, and the vivid experience of Halifax at the declaration of war was repeated. Every shed, outhouse, store, and shelter was crowded with people. ”

“ Open the door behind you, Isabel, go down the circular stair, and at the postern step you will find the rope ladder [Pg 65] by which I ascended. Get you to the courtyard and there wait for me, saying nothing.”
“Catherine, Catherine, the king will pardon you. He will surely forgive what you have done in exchange for his life.”
“Forgiveness!” cried Catherine, her eyes blazing again. “I want no forgiveness from the king of Scotland. Pardon! The tiger would pardon, till once he is free again. The king must die.” ”

“ Catherine brought in the huge green bowl, filled with crisp, curling leaves, and Spencer followed with the plates of cheese and crackers. As Catherine poured the dressing over the leaves and stirred them, her hands moving with slow grace, she picked up the threads of the talk. Miss Partridge thought a family must be illuminating; you could watch instincts unfold. And Charles—"I tried Spencer, to see if he had that prehistoric monkey grip, and Catherine thought I was endangering his life. But you're so busy keeping them fed and happy that you haven't time to experiment." ”