Geoffrey's Victory by Mrs Georgie Sheldon — page 127: what you’re looking at

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

AN INTERESTING DWELLING. ae wayside. Now and then a squirrel would spring out, chattering from some gnarled and moss-grown trunk, and dart across the path or along the zigzag Virginia fence on either hand, while occasionally a nut-brown par- tridge, startled from its covert, darted deeper into the forest, followed by its timid and clamorous mate. It was a perfect summer day, and remote froin the busy haunts of men, with thé tender blue of the sky above, and the waves of golden ligbt, that streamed softly on him between the interlacing branches over his head, Ev- eret thoroughly enjoyed his solitcry ride, and the lazy, peaceful life of bird and insect all about him. By and by he heard the rushing of the brook that fed the pond farther on, and presently he came to the ehal- low ford where, as a boy, he had often played and sailed his niiniature boats. He rode his horse into the middle of the stream, where he gave hi:: the bridle, and let him drink his fill, while he absently watched the ripples and eddies which he made with every swallow. Then he passed on, and coming up on the opposite bank, he saw not far distant the smooth, glassy pond, and the old mill still standing on its margin. Jt was an ancient and dilapidated building, black from age and neglect, but picturesque withal, for it was almost covered with a luxuriant growth of glossy, dark-green woodbine, intermingled with the deadly nightshade, whose bright purple biossums made spots of rich color here and there among the foliage. Passing this, he came to the miller’s house, which was also empty and falling to decay, while still farther on he came upon asmall cottage fairly embowered in vines, and brilliant with great clusters of the scarlet trumpet- honeysuckle and purple wisteria. This also appeared to be deserted, and there was no sign of life anywhere about it; still it was not dilapidated like the other buildings which he had passed, and it looked as if, from time to time, some careful hand kad trained and pruned the vines, and kept the place from falling to ruin. It had oriz ‘inally been painted white, with green blinds, and a neat fence surrounded the spacious garden ; but time and the elements had robbed it of its once spot- less coat, and but for the vines it would have looked naked and forlorn. __Everet rode up to the hitching-post, dismounted and tied his horse to it, unfastened the low gate and walked eo ek O Gom Eboo Ss (E(0) ne}