Alice Wilde: The Raftsman's Daughter — page 54: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

50 | ALICE WILDE. “T would bate refused the offered happiness if, hy accepting it, I thought I should ever, by my ignorance of proprieties, give him cause to blush for mbt Af I thought my uncultivated tastes would some time disappoint him, that he would grow weary of me as a friend and companion because I was not truly fitted for that place—if I thought I was not worthy of him, I would sacrifice myself, and try to wish only for his best antics " Her eyes sank, as she ceased speaking, and the tears which would-come into them, gushed over her cheeks. “Worthy! you are more than worthy of the best man in the world, Alice! far more than worthy of me/” cried Philip, in a rapture he could not restrain. ‘“O Alice, if you only loved me in that fashion !” “You know that I do,” she replied, with that archness so native to her, smiling through her tears. | “Then say no more. There—don’t speak—don’t speak ! ” and he shut her mouth with the first kiss of a lover. For a while their hearts beat too high with happiness to recall any of the difficulties of their new relation. “We shall have small time to lay plans for the future, now. But I shall fly to you on the first breezes of spring, Alice. Your father shall know all, on our way down the river. Oh, if there was only a mail through this forlorn region. I could write to you, at least.” “T shall have so much to do, the winter will speedily pass; I must study the books you brought me. But I shall not allow myself to hope too much,” she added, with a sudden melancholy, such as sometimes is born of prophetic instinct. “ZT can not hope too highly!” said Philip, with enthusiasm. “Here comes your father. Dear Alice, your cheeks are so rosy, I betieve he will read our secret to-night.” CoOmicbooks.€c©