Beadle's Dime Novels No. 131 — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

TANGEE’S STORY. 27 “Tm a pretty good nurse, sir. When father was down with the typhus the doetor said I carried him through.” “ That was bravely Gone, for one of your years. ‘Who is your father ?” en | “Hardy Joe they call him, sir. A big man, with a gray beard. Perhaps you saw him as you come in, I believe his name is Joseph Van Horn; but it’s so long since I was told so, I would hardly like to swear to it. He’s an old Jersey- man, born and bred’ He’s smoked through and through, and pickled with salt water, till he’s like a dried salmon, I tell jrim, when I want to tease him,” and she laughed very softly “And you pretend to say that that great, burly fisherman, who goes about like a bottled nor-easter, is your father ?” “About the same thing, I reékon. He’s full as good.” She patted her foot decisively, and looked up at him with a flash of her eyes, as if something in his tone had cast oppro- brium on one she loved. The merchant begun to be amused by his spirited little hostess “Then I suppose I am to call you Miss Van Horn ?” She laughed more merrily than before. . . “ Really, I can not tell you, sir. Nobody ever called me ee 5 orn ; “By what name shall I address you, then ?” “ Most folks call me Tangee.” ' “'Tangee ?” e “Ji’s a strange name, isn’t it ? and T came by it strangely. You must know, sir, ’m nothing but a waif, myself, and the poorest prize, I reckon, that Hardy Joe ever brought ashore. He picked me up, as he did this young gentleman, sir, out of just such a storm. I was about’a year and a half old then, and when I begun to cry and complain, T said, all the time, ‘Tangee—Tangee)? so they called me that. Joe’s wife was alive then ; bitt- she’s dead now, and Im all he’s got to keep the Jolly Jack trim for him.” “ Was no oné else saved Out of the ship with you ?” “ Not a soul, so they say, sir.” ' “ And you do not know your country, name, nor lineage ?” _“] know nothing but that ’m Hardy Joe’s adopted daugh- ter, and love him with all my heart.” comicloolks.comn