Roxy Hastings — page 55: what you’re looking at

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

46 ROXY HASTINGS. Before breakfast was quite over the postman came, and the great event of a letter for Mrs. Lee was announced. The widow examined the outside of it, and said: “Tt’s a strange hand-writing; looks almost lke copper- plate engraving, and it has a city post-mark.” Charley choked down a piece of roll, and looked earnestly into his teacup while the envelope was forced open and the letter taken out. Part of a minute more elapsed, and then came a start and exclamation from the mother. “Good heavens! Charles! Laura! Hither some one is playing a trick upon us, or—here is a wonderful blessing. Look, Charley, you can tell; is that—that good for any- thing ?” The certificate fluttered in trembling fingers as she spoke, and passed it over to her son. “Five thousand dollars!” exclaimed Charles. ‘“ Why, yes, mother, this is certainly a regular bank certificate of deposit, and is good for that amount of money anywhere. Where does it come from ?” Laura and the white-haired major were, in the mean- time, crowding up to see it, with their separate exclama- tions of wonder. | Mrs. Lee, who had been glancing over the letter, replied : “Why, that is the most wonderful part of it. Listen to this letter : ‘¢¢Drar Mapam:—Your husband was my best friend, my earliest and my life-long benefactor. To his widow, in adversity, I send this token of my gratitude, asking no return except an entire forbearance from all attempts to penetrate the mask which conceals your friend.’” “Oh, mother!” said Laura, with a joyous yet anxious look, “do you feel certain that it is genuine? Let Charles run with it to the bank, (what bank does it say?) and make sure. How terrible if it should be a hoax!” “Why, Laura, we should be no worse off than we wer before.” ; “I will satisfy you,” replied Charles, seizing his hat. ‘‘It is not necessary to go clear up to the bank which is- sued the certificate, for that is too far up town. Any of the city banks will cash it if it is good. I will take it to the Fulton, where they know me. Just write your name across the back of it, mother.” She did so, and the young man ran out, and after about fifteen minutes’ absence came back almost breathless, shouting : comicbook (ele)