Roxy Hastings — page 53: what you’re looking at

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

Ad ROXY HASTINGS. rented to a low family, who were noisy and intemperate— who held late orgies at night, with music and dancing, and who had besides commenced a series of petty annoyances against the Lees, which seemed to be prompted only by spite and ill-will. Then Grandfather Todd had fallen down three steps and sprained his ankle so severely that he could not go out, and there was little likelihood of his being able to resume work for a week. He might even be permanently lamed. The young man did not seem as much cast down by the mishaps as had been expected, for he maintained a very cheery countenance, although he by no means proclaimed his own remarkable fortune. He had some purposes to serve by secrecy, and he resolved that his family should profit by his rising fortunes, without knowing at present to whom they were indebted. . He evaded answering their inquiries as to the cause of his absence, or only answered jocosely. “As to the house,” he said, ‘‘ we must do something about that, and as to grandpa, why—” | “We must do something about him, too, I suppose,” re- plied Laura, laughing. “Yes, that’s it exactly. You see, it’s all easy enough. But here’s a little money, mother—as much as four weeks of grandpa’s earnings would come to, and we can afford to | let him lie by awhile. You see, I did not go for nothing.” The widow took the twenty-five dollars which were ex- tended to her, with evident surprise and pleasure. “Why, what have you been doing, Charley?” she said, “to earn so much in so short a time ?” “Ah, there it is again! Wait a while, and maybe I won't tell you!” On the next day Charles received the money on Mr. Ogilvie’s note, and on the day after the sale of the property -was completed, and the balance of the purchase money was paid into his hands. He deposited nearly ten thousand dollars in an up-town bank, where no one knew him, and took out a certificate for five thousand in his mother’s name. With this he hur- ried home, and, while passing to his room, was intercepted by his sister, whose face was all aglow with wrath and vexation. | “'They’re building a pig pen in the yard,” she said, “and that dirty little Joe says they’re going to have two pigs to- morrow. Just come and see; it’s in sight of the parlor window,” Eomicbooks co