Thrice Wedded, but Only Once a Wife — page 31: what you’re looking at

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

of THRICE. WEDDED. «Snare your praises,” he said sarcastically; ‘‘perhaps you won’t laud him so highly when you hear what I have to tell oy ae ‘ ‘Well, out with it, uncle. What has the boy done? Thrown a stone and broken one of your treasured nymphs - out yonder?” And Ralph motioned toward the grounds, which could be seen from the deep bay-window near which they sat. ‘Cease your nonsense, boy, and listen, for I have a story to tell you,” replied Squire Moulton, angrily. He paused a few moments, while an expression of pain swept over his hard face. At length, with an effort, he began; while Ralph listened, wonderingly. ‘‘When I was a boy of nineteen or twenty, I loved a beau- tiful girl. Her name was Jessie Almyr. I need not de- scribe her; my days of rhapsodies are passed. Sufficent that I loved her with all the fire of my heart. It had grown with the growth of years, for we had been intimate from child- hood, and I had almost begun to consider her as rightfully belonging to me. ‘‘] had never told her of my love; I was poor then, and would not offer her an empty hand. I had written to an uncle in the city for a situation, and was waiting for an answer, which, if favorable, I felt would then place me in @ position that would warrant my telling Jessie how dear she wasto me. | “While waiting for the much-wished for answer, a young man two or three years older than myself came to our village. He was rich, talented and handsome. He was introduced to Jessie, and, of course, loved her, too. Whocould help it that knew her? But I will not anticipate. The long- looked for letter at last arrived, telling me that I could have the situation, and offering me an ample salary, more than I had expected, and I felt that now I could support my bride tant Wild with joy, I sought her and poured ont the whole story of my love, not dreaming but that her reply would be all I could wish. She listened with downcast eyes and beating heart; I could see it throb beneath the folds of her dress. Her cheek was flushed, and I felt that I was al- most sure of my prize, when—oh, my God! I can never forget 1t——” , The squirestopped and covered his face with his hands, ie : while tears gathered in his eyes and rolled down his withered comicbooks, co