Roxy Hastings — page 164: what you’re looking at

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

ROXY HASTINGS, 155 for your support, mother, and Laura’s. Think how much I have already cost him.” “ Well, you are worth all you cost, Alf,” said his brother, laughing, “and I want to have my way in this matter. Don’t you enjoy travel ?” * “ Yes—everybody does, I believe.” * Well, then—you enjoy it—it will benefit your health— and we all want to get rid of you. There are three reasons for your going. As to your servant—” “Servant!” echoed Alfred, in amazement. “Why, yes; we decided that before you came in. You are feeble, Alfred, and need looking after. If Lukeis not too old—” . “sure enough, there’s Luke—we never thought of him,” added the mother. ‘‘He would be far better than a stranger. You can rely upon him, and he would be in some respects a companion to you.” “That he would,” replied Alfred; “we could talk over old times together, but—” ‘*No—no—no more ‘buts’ now. The question is settled, excepting as to where you are to go. That we will permit you to decide for yourself.” “ Abroad,” said the major; “across the ocean, of course, to see the old world.” ‘‘IT should be ashamed to go there until I had first seen something of my own country. If I could do both—” ‘‘Of course you can,” Charley interposed. ‘‘Don’t let us have any more ‘ifs’ now.” “Well, ll be blamed if I understand it,” said Alf, laugh- ing heartily, “but I'll goit. Vll spend a month seeing the great West, and then J’ll return here for a short visit be- fore embarking for Europe. I think I’ll spend the winter in Italy, and in the spring make the grand tour. Ill take Luke for a servant, if he likes to go; if not Ill find a younger man. What do you say to that?” “All right,” answered Charles. ‘“That’s the way I want to hear you talk. Ill see that you don’t lack for the wherewithal.” Luke was still in the city, where he had found a pleasant house among people of his own color, who had persuaded him not to go to Norfolk to reside until after the close of the war, lest some unlucky turn should throw that city again into the hands of the Confederates, and he should be re-enslaved. But in order to have Dinah informed of his changed purpose, Alfred had written two letters to her, in his “GComicboo cS (E(o)