The Illegal Marriage — page 117: what you’re looking at

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

THE ILLEGAL MARRIAGE. 109 -CHAPTHRR-X. DOCTOR TRIPPE’S HORSE FOUND IN THE CREEK. The clock was striking twelve when Stannard was aroused from his heavy slumber, after the arrival of Mrs. Trippe, and told that the doctor had been some time in the house. He sprang up at once. Doctor Hamilton Pierce, or Ham Pierce, as his friends familiarly called him, was a man about Stannard’s age, of excellent family, and a phy- sician of unusual ability. With a brilliant mind, a quick, sparkling wit, and power of sarcasm, he had a personal courtesy and grace which was worthy a Bayard. His natural mental power added to his education, or, it should be said, to which a good education had been added, made him a great favorite with men of Stannard’s stamp. Yet with all his cleverness he had one failing. In a small town like Fort Valley, where the “unco good” assume the entire control of society, such failings are apt to be magnified and largely can- vassed. It was particularly so in the case of un- fortunate Ham Pierce. The son of a celebrated divine, the brother of a bishop, the leading men of the church expected him to take part in the roaring revivals which periodically excited the community. with the regu- larity of the hooping-cough or measles. But neither threats nor flattery could induce Ham to join in these meetings. Very courteously he re- GComicbooks (elo) ad » i