Richard Forrest, Bachelor — page 40: what you’re looking at

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

“GOOD-BY, BEST AND KINDEST UF SISTERS.” 31 CHAPTER IV. ‘*GOOD-BY, BEST AND KINDEST OF SISTERS.”’ One night, when Florence had appeared duller and more silent than ever she declared her intention of going to her room early. She had scarcely touched her supper, although Nora, like her mistress, had lately been bending every effort to tempt her appetite. ‘It beats all what do ail Miss Florence,’’ she complained to her admirer, Mr. Robert Veale, the butcher, ‘‘she don’t eat nothing I cook and is like aghostaround. It’s my hum- ble opinion something is gone wrong.’’ And she shook her head with all her ten years’ experi- ence in the Delmar household. Rose suggested sitting with her a little while before go- ing to bed, but Florence declined the offer, saying she wished to retire at once, and kissing her with unusual affection she quietly closed and locked her door. With a sigh, Rose entered her own chamber and slowly undressed. She could hear Florence moving around for some time and was half tempted to force her to let her in and make her talk—anything to rouse her out of this hor- rible apathy which was fast becoming unbearable. But again she restrained herself. It was long before sleep visited her eyelids that night. She threw on a wrapper and made herself comfortable ina big arm-chair in front of the fire with a couple of books be- side her on the table. A great reader, she gradually became so ahatinhed in one of them that she was not reminded of the fleeting hours (E(0) im COMMCELIOO<S