Ruby's Reward — page 53: what you’re looking at

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

j SE ee RS RN ne TS | He swung the door wide open, with his best bow, only to find, standing without, a small, rural-looking man, clad ina rough though respectable suit of mixed goods, leather hoots whose soles were at least half an inch in thickness, cotton gloves, a low- ciowned bat, anda bright seat or muffler wound about his throat, while he earied a shuve cotton umbrella in one hand. His face was ruddy with health, and remarkihle for its benevolent, good-natured expression, and he smiled alfubly as the shining African suavcly appeared to invite him to enter. ‘I. Mister Whitfield, the poet, here to- night?" questionéd the stranger, nimbly stepping into the vestilule before the as- tonished usher could take breath, “Yo. sah; Mr Gorden receives for him to-night, sah,” responded Myr Coffee, draw- ing himself up with imposing dignity, and de\terously planting himoelf in the door- way lending into the hall, as if to bar the intruder from trespas:ing further. “] know ib—l saw it in the paper more’n a week ago —that he was going to give him -abiv tune, and I’ve come to have a look ab him,” and without more ade the man stepped boldly through the inner door, pushing resolutely past the astonished usher deposited his umbrella in a beautifully painted receiy er,remoy vd his hat aud gloves, unwound his gay-cvlowcd scat from his throat, and begau to look about him with curious interest, ) “Excuse me, sth” said the perplexed darkey, approaching him, ‘but did you have cards for dis reception, sah &incsects.com »