Stella Rosevelt — page 112: what you’re looking at

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

106 FILTHY LUCRE. much account in this world without plenty of the filthy lucre. If I had come here as I used to, with plethoric pockets instead of an empty purse and shabby attire, no one would have been sweeter or more delighted to see ‘dear Uncle Jacob’ than Ellen Richards. And it was just the same with Henry and his family. When I could make them costly presents and shower favors upon them—when I was ‘Jacob Rosevelt, the millionaire ’—-no trouble was too great, nothing too good for me. It isa cold- hearted, selfish world; o one is to be trusted. But it is a little hard on an old man to find that he must go down to his grave and feel that he is regarded with affection by nobody. Talk of ‘Divine dispensations,’ of ‘tempering the wind to the shorn lamb’—there is no divinity about it, for the adverse winds of the world never blew so coldly on me as at this moment,” he concluded, bitterly; and bowing his head upon his hands, he seemed to lose himself in troubled thought. ‘‘May I come in?” asked a gentle voice behind him, after a few minutes; and turning, he saw two blue eyes gleaming at him from beneath soft curls of sunny hair, a pair of red lips smiling upon him, while a slight, graceful figure, daintily clad ina pretty blue lawn gown, stood in the door-way, waiting for his permission to enter. Jacob Rosevelt’s sad face involuntarily brightened at the sight of this attractive picture, and he said, hastily: ‘Well, well, child, I believe you are rightly named, for you come like a veritable star into the gloom of my life. Star Gladstone—it is but an index to your character, for you both brighten and cheer. Of course you may come in.’ ‘‘Thank you,” Star said, laughing, and advancing to his side. ‘‘I did not expect to be so highly complimented when I came out. I have brought you this lovely spray of oleanders which the gardener gave me from the conservatory,” and she held up her little vase containing the bright, fragrant blossoms. ‘And here,” she continued, ‘‘is a dish of the most delicious rasp- ~~ om GEomicbooks:c¢o