Roxy Hastings — page 58: what you’re looking at

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

/ ROXY HASTINGS. - 49 When his friends were settled in their new home, he went to Philadelphia to see the Hastings family, of whom he had thought frequently during the exciting events of the last few weeks. He found Roxana at her mother’s, very happy and greatly delighted to see him, and all were in a state of ap- parent comfort and contentment. | Emily had obtained two new puplis, her mother had all’ the work she could do, and Roxy had a nice job of em- broidery which was to command a royal price. How little, he thought, is required to help the industrious and those who are willing to help themselves, while money given to the idle and thriftless is like water poured upon the sand. With a little money and a little leisure to bestow upon her toilet, Roxy had set off her beauty to great advantage, and Charley could hardly realize that she was the same person he had seen doing servant’s work in old Rooke’s kitchen. He thought none the less of her, however, for her mis- fortunes, and she, who seemed to regard herself only as a child, felt no embarrassment on account of the admiration with which he so evidently regarded her. ‘““You have made me rich, Roxy,” he said. “Do you ever think of this?” “Vou have told me of it so often,” she replied, with a sweet smile, ‘‘that I cannot well forget it. J am sure I am — very glad. I heard one of those rascals offer Uncle Rooke a hundred dollars if he would help ‘put you through.’ ” ‘““Oh, ho! he did, hey ?” mths “Ves sir! And I have heard him tell before about the large price some one was willing to give for the Lee land, and when I heard them call you Mr. Lee I began to under- stand.” “Ves, yes. It was well for me that you had your wits about you. And then, madam, the sly way she did it. But she has told you perhaps ?” ‘‘Oh, yes; we’ve had the whole story.” They had heard something more from Roxana, which, for the credit of the family, they would not tell, and that was her firm belief that her uncle was himself the robber who had relieved Charles of his money. They would not tell that; but they permitted the young girl to caution her friend never to stop at Rooke’s house again, which he very willingly promised. When Mr. Lee was ready to go away he took out a bank- book, and giving it to Mrs. Hastings, said: | (Eo Aye] oeKe)| <S “ (ee) m