Beautiful but Poor — page 28: what you’re looking at

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

BEAUTIFUL BUT POOR. | 19 And Hattie, with a graceful bow, took up the scat- tered pages, and went to her work-bench. “WW, who on earth is this prodigy? The mis- tress of five languages—for she speaks English per- fectly, and as pretty and lady-like as any woman that I ever met.”’ The proprietor almost blushed when he said: “My dear Mr. Legare, she has worked here, I be- lieve, for nearly two years, at the same bench, and . until to-day I never knew her acquirements. I have often noticed her beauty and extreme modesty, for she has avoided all intimacies in the shop, but noth- ing beyond this has attracted my notice. I never make myself familiar with my hands—seldom speak to them, except through the foreman, I am as much surprised as you at this discovery, and shall pro- mote the girl at once, and increase her wages. Our work has increased so much—private work, like yours, that as a collator, translator, and arranger, she will have enouzh to do nearly all the time. Mr. Jones, you can so inform her, and prepare a table in some quiet part of the shop, where there is little noise, and she will not be disturbed.” The foreman turned away with a bow of acquies- cence, but was recalled to receive directions as to the style of binding required by Mr. Legare for the new works. | . “This young lady—Miss Butler, I believe, is her name—will tell you what titles to put on the backs, and be sure to have the original dates of the issue of works there also. Iam very particular about that.’ “T know it, sir, and we will be very careful,” said the foreman. Ba And when the man of wealth and influence turned to leave, Mr. W—— went down the stairs with him, comichboo Ss €o nN