Ruby's Reward — page 96: what you’re looking at

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

‘ST am sure I shall feel better satisfied with myself in the end than if Uncle Ralph had left me a portion of his fortune, It might have made me both selfish and in- dolent ; and such people,” he concluded, with a smile, ‘do not amount to much in the world.” | “T think ibis very brave of you to take ‘that view of the matter,” Ruby replied, | thoughtfully. _ My mother used to tell me when I was a little boy,” Walter went on, won to speak more confidentially by the young girl's in- terest, ‘to learn to depend upon myself, for there would come a time in life when I should need all the strength of character that 1 could cultivate. She used to en- treat me, too, to strive to become a thoroughly good man, never to be guilty of an ignoble act, but to strive to make my- self respected and honoured by good men and women. I thought her ali that was pure and perfect while she lived, and I have tried to treasure and practise her precepts ginee she died ” Ruby thought him very noble as she listened to this carnest speech, and she could not help drawing an unfavourable comparison between him and the man who, she believed, had done him a great wrang. Edmund Carpenter seemed very inferior to’ this strong, true man, who had bent all his_ cnergics toward making the most of himself and the not very flattering prospects that had becn his during the last two years. “Your mother must havo been very lovely,” she said, in @ low, moved tone. ‘She was, both in person and character,” Walter returned, a tender light coming into his eyes. ‘I have a picture of her as she was at twenty; and some time, if you care to see it, I will show it to you. She has eyes and hair very mucletmvymagy