Ruby's Reward — page 180: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER XXII. RUBY BECOMES A TEACHER. Ruby was a trifle disappointed that she was not al- lowed to be housekeeper in their new home. She knew that her brother could ill afford the expense of an added member to his household, not to mention the matters of waste and wages, and she was anx- ious to lighten his burden in every possible way. But Mr. Gordon was inexorable; he was sure that she would soon break down beneath the unaccus- tomed cares of housekeeping, and he was still as careful as ever to shield her from every ill. But she helped him in many other ways. It was the greatest comfort to him to see her bright face opposite him every morning at breakfast, She was always fresh and beautiful in her simple wrapper, with a dainty cap perched coquettishly upon her glossy head, which she claimed was simply to cover the awkward crimping-pins, and to protect it from the dust when she swept their small parlor, At the same time, however, the little lady knew thut it was vastly becoming, and that she mude a pleasant pic- ture for her brother's eyes as she sat behind the urn und poured out his coffee, Eatelle never came down to breakfast, and it would have been ® dreary meal to the heart-burdened man but for the presence of his sister and her cheerful chatter about the news of the day; while his face was always brighter and his step more elastic as he went away to his business, for her breezy ‘‘Good- morning, Robert,’ and the loving kiss she gave bim at parting. comicbooks.com