Laura Brayton — page 67: what you’re looking at

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

S58 LAURA BRAYTON. — “Then you and I ought to be of kin. But I’m in no humor for sermons. What do you want of me?” “T want you to marry Laura Brayton at once, I have given her a week to prepare in. In that week you must do all your courting. See to it, sir, see to it, I say !” ; “T see no use in courting, when you force her on me, and me on her. No use in either of us saying a word, if, aS you say, we are in your power.” “You stumble on the truth, for a wonder,” said Sharp, with a sneering laugh. “There is no need of delay. lIonly give it for my own convenience. For mere form sake I thought you might try to render yourself a little less disagreeable to her.” “With my blood-shot eyes and the ‘shakes’ almost onme. Ihave drank untill have to keep full of drink to be anything. am a miserable drunkard, and itis all your fault, Enoch Sharp.” “My fault, fool! Did I ever place a glass of liquor in your hand?” “No, but you led me first into folly and then into - crime. Then I learned I had a conscience; that it had a terrible remorse which was eating up my very heart. I drowned it—ha! ha! I drowned my conscience in red wine and brandy, and now I have none. But the remorse! oh, Heaven! the remorse is here night and day! night and day!” : And the wretched man smote himself with his clenched hand on his great, broad chest, and groaned in mental agony. | “Good! good! You can feel yet. Now make her feel! Let her know the sleepless nights which be- — long to the watching, waiting wife of a drunkard. Do not spare her when bad luck empties your pock- _ ets. Blows and curses, curses and blows; they are comicbooks com