“[From Old Mortality]The woman in the picture. . . was only a ghost in a frame, and a sad, pretty story from old times.”
In this quote from Katherine Anne Porter's work "Old Mortality," she reflects on the portrait of a woman as being just a memory from the past. The phrase "only a ghost in a frame" suggests that the woman in the picture is no longer alive but remains preserved in the painting. The use of the word "sad" conveys a sense of nostalgia and longing for times gone by. The description of the story as "pretty" implies that there is a bittersweet beauty to the memories evoked by the portrait. Overall, this quote captures the fleeting nature of time and the power of art to preserve moments from the past.
“[From Old Mortality]...religion put claws on Aunt Sally and gave her a post to whet them on.”
“[From The Old Order]The Grandmother always treated her animal friends as if they were human beings temporarily metamorphosed . . .”
“...without disturbing the radiance which played and darted about the simple and lovely miracle of being two persons named Adam and Miranda, twenty four years old each, alive and on earth at the same moment: 'Are you in the mood for dancing?' and 'I'm always in the mood for dancing, Adam!' but there were things in the way, the day that ended with dancing was a long way to go.”
“The thought of him was a smoky cloud from hell that moved and crept in her head.”
“A story is like something you wind out of yourself. Like a spider, it is a web you weave, and you love your story like a child.”
“[From Pale Horse, Pale Rider]The road to death is a long march beset with all evils. . .”