Beadle's Dime Novels, No. 11 — page 68: what you’re looking at

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

66 THE PRISONER OF LA VINTRESSE. He dreaded to read the superscription. Alas! he was doomed again to disappointment. The hand was femininely delicate ; it was post-marked New York. He threw it on the table, and turned away impatiently. “Oh, father, won't you read it? What beautiful writing id cried Jessie. . “No, I don’t want to read it. It’s an onder, likely, for fruit or butter—it’s nothing that I want to see.” “ Benjamin, Benjamin; thee must be more reconciled,” said Mrs. Goreham, who, having been brought up a Friend, used the language of that sect whenever she felt strongly ex- cited. “May I read it, father?” asked Jessie. “Yes, read it, child, read it.” Jessie opened the letter, but she had scarcely read the first dozen lines, when she uttered a great cry of joy. “(Q mother! O father! it is of Herman, after all. So wonderful ! still he’s not found; but she—oh! stop, I'll read it, you'll be so astonished—perhaps so delighted—I don’t know; it’s very sad ;” and thus, alternating from joy to pathos, she commenced what follows: Mrs. Gorenam—Dear Madam: I felt toward you the emotions of a daughter when I first heard my Herman (par- don me, but in life or death he is still mine), speak of the vir- _ tues of his sweet mother. I should not take the liberty of addressing you thus, though probably my name is not new to you, were I not driven to the direst necessity. Yourson took passage for himself and me in the bark Eagle, from Cuba; put me on board, and then returned for some important mat- ters left behind, and I have not seen him, neither heard from him from that day to this Where he is, how dealt with, God only knows! to that Great Being 1 have confided him, and await patiently the result. Iam an orphan, faraway from my family, who have conspired cruelly to unite me with a man for whom I have neither affection or even esteem, and I dare not return, for I am certain the wicked purpose that has been the aim of their lives would be put in execution. There are spies surrounding me, so that I am under the necessity of wearing a constant and disagreeable disguise, and even under = . 7 — ~ a _ bee ett Bi comichooks.com :