Geoffrey's Victory by Mrs Georgie Sheldon — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

THE LITTLE STRANGER ADOPTED, 19 She invited them to be seated, and then entered at once upon the object of their visit. “J have appointed an interview with you in preference to all other applicants,” she said, ‘‘because of the real interest and feeling evinced in your lettertome. But before we decide upon the matter under consideration, I would like to know something about you and your pros- pects for the future.” Mr. August Damon, a fine-looking young man of per- haps twenty-five years, frankly iniormed the lady that their home was in Boston; that he was a clerk ina large wholesale boot and shoe house; his salary was a fair one, and there was a prospect that he might become a me.nber of the firm at no very distant date, if all went well with the business. He said that both he and his wife were very fond of children, and had been almost heart-broken over the loss of theirown child. They had resolved, if they could find one to whom their hearts turned, to adopt another, and bestow uponit, as far as might be, the love and care that their own child would have re- ceived if it had lived. They had seen her advertisement in the Transcript, and had Getermined to respond to it, hoping thus to succeed in their object. “ Nothing could be better,” Mrs. Marston eagerly said, inreply. “This is just the opportunity that 1 desire. I feel sure that you will give my little one the kindest care, and I shall relinquish her to you most willingly. I shall expect you will do by her exactly as you would have done by your own; that you will give her your name, educate her, and give her such advantages as your means willallow. This must be your part in our contract, while mine will be to renounce all claim upon her, and make over to you the amount which I specified in my advertisement.” August Damon never once took his eyes from the face of that proud, beautiful woman while she was speaking. They burned with a strange fire, an indignant flush mantled his cheek, and an expression of contempt curled his fine lips. His wife viewed the apparently heartless mother with _ Speechless wonder, her eyes fastened upon her i in a sort of horrible fascination. Her sweet, delicate face was colorless as the snowy - ruffle about her white neck, and she trembled visibly as she listened to her abrupt and apparently unfeeling dis- posal of a human soul. Bonichoolce - 3 ] —