Octavia's Pride; or, The Missing Witness — page 34: what you’re looking at

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

O4 at OCTAVIA'S PRIDE. pair of eyes, dark, and as full of unfathomable splendors as his father’s. And the bereaved husband, like a fierce, wild animal hiding in his lair, shut himself out from the world, and devoted himself to his child, pouring out upon him all the passionate love of his heart. ‘They seem to have loved each other with the tender devotion of women, and one would judge also with something of a woman’s jealousy. I read some of tnose letters with the tears dripping over my _ cheeks, for all I sat in that musty old office of Screw & Scattergood. ‘hey were so pathetic and touching. Now, that fierce, furious old man was bound up in the life of the young ‘fellow at college, living his joys over at home, and fiercely resenting the smallest annoyance that assailed him. And the son seemed to enjoy so much, telling over his cheer- ing stories, to brighten the dreariness of that secluded home. Alack, my father, it preaches more than many a pulpit ser- mon, this going over letters of dead and one families, and sifting out their story!’ Octavia’s luminous eyes were softened by a little vail of mist. She bent down and touched her red lips to the thin hand she held. — ° “Dear father, how dreadful it would be if you and I, who love each other as devotedly as they seemed to do, should, like young Arthur and old Hugh Wainwright, fall into such a deadly quarrel.” _ “My precious one, my pride, my joy!” cried out the gen- eral, ‘‘that would be impossible. Is there anything I would deny you if it layin my power to give it?” «‘T judge not; you have always been too lavish, you gen- erous papa. but this Wainwright pride is an inexorable master. Young Arthur must have inherited his mother’s gentle nature, or he would never have contemplated that _ mesalliance which turned his father’s love to gall. Was there ever anything so stern and cutting as that letter of dismissal, wherein Hugh Wainright pronounces his bitter (e(e) com choo S)