Beadle's Dime Novels No. 13 — page 93: what you’re looking at

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

A DECLARATION OF LOVE. G5 Winter passed and summer came again. The war was virtually at an end, and though the city was still retained by the British, yet no blood had been shed for some time. . It was a moonlight evening in July, and a pleasant breeze swept softly through the branches of the old pear-tree which stood near the dwelling of Mrs. Vale. On a seat under the tree sat Nat Ernshaw and Catherine Vale; at their fect an old friend, the dog Lion, who appeared to regard the two with a look of grave curiosity. © Sitting under the tree there, with the pale light of the moon shining down upon them, the three made a picture. Nat HErnshaw, with his fine, manly countenauce, weather-beaten and marked with a single scar upon his brow, and that more than -half- hidden by his hair; Catherine Vale, with her fair face, golden hair, and loving eyes; Lion, huge as he was, looking pleasant as he gazed up into the face of his mistress. Tenderly taking the hand of his companion, Ernshaw, after a momentary silence, said: . “There is something, Kate, of which I have long wished to speak, but the distracted state of the country prevented my doing so. For years—almost from the hour of our first ac- quaintance—no true man could say that his head sat firmly upon his shoulders. Life has been, at the most, held on slender tenure, and hearthstones have been desecrated on short notice. Now it is, I think, otherwise. The struggle for freedom is-all but ended; independence is placed within our grasp, and with an assurance which I could not otherwise feel, I can speak my feelings and wishes. I love you, Kate. Not with a fierce passion, but with a hopeful, manly, lasting love. We have known each other long and, I think, well. Such as I am yousee me. I profess not to be free from faults, nor to be wholly made up of virtues. From the fullness of an un- checked spirit I have done things which to others might seem wrong; but they were sins of the head, not of the heart. I can offer you a hand, a home, and a heart. Knowing me as you do, having tried my affection as you have, will you be mine ?” | ‘For some moments Catherine did not. reply, but sat gazing on the ground. Though she had often done so before, she wished again to analyze her heart, and scrutinize closely, Conniicloooks.com