Roxy Hastings — page 232: what you’re looking at

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

ROXY HASTINGS. 923 “Really! You are growing polite, my son. I don’t think Miss Hastings can find it in her heart to go after such a cordial invitation as that. “Now, mother, what have I done?” asked Charles, roused by this ironical speech to a sense of being some- how in the wrong. ‘“ Roxy knows that I want her to stay ; and I will undertake to induce her mother to come and spend the summer with us, too, if she will remain.” “Ah! that sounds something like. Whatsay you now, my dear ?” Miss Hastings laughed now, and said they made her of quite too much importance, and she was sure she was of no use to anybody; but if her mother would come and make a visit she would certainly stay until Alfred and Laura returned from England. So it was managed that Laura should go; and Miss Blythe, after an almost affectionate leave-taking of the family, who hoped, they said, to count her henceforth among their most intimate friends, went her way, and was soon opening her budget of good news to Mrs. Holden and her daughters. CHAPTER XLITI. WHAT’S IN A NAME, Lieutenant Lee did not sail in the first steamer for Eng- land, as he had intended. Indeed, nearly a week elapsed before hig departure, much to his sister’s surprise, as well as relief, for the delay enabled her to make better prep- aration for her journey. What extraordinary business it was that was thus allowed to retard his impetuous movements,no one was allowed to know; but that he was in a very excited and happy state of mind during this interval, was apparent to all. “Better get ‘a good ready,’ ” he said to Laura, “for we shall want to take a look at Paris, and parts of Switzer- land, and perhaps take a run down into Italy, and up into Germany and Holland. It-won’t do to go so far without some ‘sight-seeing.’ ” é Their voyage was remarkable for nothing excepting a few very agreeable acquaintances made on the way; one of whom, a young gentleman, was introduced to Alfred and Laura by the captain of the vessel, on the quarter- — deck, on the morning after leaving the harbor. Comicboo cS (Go) m