Roxy Hastings — page 247: what you’re looking at

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

238 ROXY HASTINGS. CHAPTER XLVI. “IrwAaAS DE ANGEL OF DE LORD.” While these events had been occurring on the ocean and in a foreign land, Charley Lee and Roxana at home, with hearts really firmly knit to each other, had been the victims of a strange misunderstanding which had well-nigh ship- wrecked the happiness of each. | That Roxy did not love him Charles was well assured, for she had always acted as if she were afraid of him, and since Alfred’s departure she had been more shy than ever. Miss Hastings, on the other hand, argued that Charley could never have labored so earnestly to bring about an engagement between her and his elder brother if he had cared for her himself. While this silly couple were thus making themselves very miserable old Major Todd, meeting the little beauty alone one morning in one of the parlors, said to her, with the freedom of old age: “If you and Charley could only ‘make it up, now, Roxy, how nice that would be.” “Oh, major!” exclaimed Roxy, blushing deeper and deeper and deeper still, and vainly trying to hide her face from his observation. “T’d much rather hear you call me grandfather than major,” continued the old man, “and I don’t see any reason why it shouldn’t be so.” ‘ Really you must not talk like that,” said Roxy, dread- fully abashed, and scarcely knowing what she said. “Why, why? Wouldn’t you have him? Hey?” “Why, he has never asked me, major, and never will. He’s much too good for me, and far, far above me, every way. There now, let me go, and pray do not say a word to any one else of what you have said to me, or I ghall cer- tainly have to break my promise, and go home.” “There, there, Birdie, don’t ery ; don’t be offended at old grandpa. I did not mean to hurt your feelings.” | Roxy passed out, glancing her forgiveness at the major, ' with moist eyes and her usual sweet smile. | The old gentleman went straight to Charley’s room, comicbhoo cS rae 5. t* om Ss . ’ ~~, » E 2