Beautiful but Poor — page 86: what you’re looking at

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

BEAUTIFUL BUT POOR. — RT poor shop-girl, once adopted in a wealthy and aristo- cratic family, will not be objectionable to them, if indeed in that position she ig ever recognized as having been here. I will persuade her to accept this adoption, and then, if it be possible to persuade her to accept me as a husband, I shall be the happiest — man alive; for I cannot deny in my own heart that I love the sweet girl even where she is, and as she is, and had I only my own feelings to consult, I would teil her so, and offer her my hand within the hour.”’ Thus soliloquized M1. W——, while she who so occupied his thoughts went steadily on with her task, thinking, while so engaged, of nothing else. And he was studying whether it would do to approach her mind on this subject of adoption there in the bindery, or at home in her boarding- house, where possibly his interview, which might be lengthy, would not be so noticed as it would be if held in the shop or his office. For he knew he could not be too careful, either for her or for himself, in a world where nine-tenths of the people are censorious and full of suspicion, and the other tenth as ready to believe evil as good, no matter whence it comes. So he decided, having her address, as well as that of every other employee, on his books, to call upon her at her boarding-house. ; So he sat down at his desk and wrote these words: “Miss Hattix:—Friends who feel a deep interest in your welfare, who appreciate your clear intellect, your excellent education, your talent, and your graces of person and manner, have deputed me to make a proposition alike honorable to you and nobly generous in them—a proposition which will remove es *~ comicbook ‘ <_ : + s, ve Are ee 4 a el Wes abe "A Aree? Sat 1» Soe tee ge e's i en.) & = ae Physi %: Suen faeeae Pi p NAY est & Wy 4 tn Eee «. » mei : i ene i> ec ‘sit ,A Sg all al ay ‘er ge ; ‘ad