Geoffrey's Victory by Mrs Georgie Sheldon — page 133: what you’re looking at

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

AN OCTOGENARIAN INTERVIEWED. 129 think anybody ought to be happy there,” the old lady ob- served; “and I’m sure,” she added, with an appreciative glance, “it was very good of you to call upon your father’s old friend. Ido not see many young people nowadays.” Everet colored slightly at this reference to his visit, and it made it a trifle awkward for him, since he did not like to tell her outright, after that, that a selfish interest alone had brought him there. He bowed, and murmured something about being par- tial to elderly people; and then, after chatting a while longer upon indifferent topics, he asked her, casually, if she had known the Dales, with whom the Maplesons were distantly connected. “Bless your heart! yes; I knew them as well as I knew my own brothers and sisters,” replied Miss Southern, her eyes lighting with interest. “I suppose you are more par- ticularly interested in Robert Dale, who was to have had the whole of the Mapleson fortune if your father and mother had not married according to the conditions of Ja- bez Mapleson’s will,” “Well, yes. I am interested in him; but he had a brother named Henry, hadn't he?” Everet asked. ‘“‘Yes; Robert and Henry Dale were brothers, and were left orphans when they were about twelve and fourteen years of age. After completing their education, they both started in life with a comfortable fortune, for their father died arich man. Henry was all business, and went af once to speculating, determined to increase his patrimo- ny; while Robert, who was a great student, settled quietly down to his studies, content with what he had. But, unfortunately, both fell in love with the same girl, Nannie Davenport, and she was about the sweetest girl that I ever knew. She, however, preferred the gay, dashing Henry, and Robert never forgave neither his brother for being his successful rival, nor her for marry- ing him. It just ruined his life, for he withdrew from all = society, made a recluse of himself, in fact, and finally ended his days in a little stone hut not far from your own house, young gentleman.” “Yes, so I have been told,” Everet replied, ‘‘and I in- tend to visit the place some ‘day soon. But what became of the other brother ?” “Poor Henry was unfortunate in his speculations; he lost every dollar of his money, and though he struggled along for a few years, he finally died, broken- hearted, leaving his wife and child almost destitute.” (E(o) =) (E(0) micooo S