Beadle's Dime Novels No. 131 — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

28 THE WRECKER’S DAUGHTER. “Your own father was made of finer material than that old hulk,” thought her questioner, marking the smallness of her feet and hands, and that symmetry of outline and fine texture of the skin which had at first surprised him. “ Do you never wish that you had some knowledge of your parent- age ?” he continued, aloud. “Well, yes, I do, sometimes, dream of it,” she answered, a cloud passingover her bright face. “ I sometimes sit on the sands and leok off across the wide sea, and wonder where my home was. But, what matters it? My mother is dead, for I was taken out of her lifeless arms—and it’s likely my father is, also. Joe is very, very good tome. I love the ocean— I love to fish and row my boat.” “You think you will always be satisfied to keep house for Joe in this queer little home, do you, Tangee ?” | Yesterday the girl’s answer would have come promptly from her lips fn a gay affirmative ; to-day she hesitated, cast a glance upon the face of her patient as if she saw there some- thing which awoke other aspirations, and her answer came in a low voice : “T have been a happy child always, sir.” “Was the name of. the vessel unknown?” — “Tt was an awful storm. It raged a week. When it was over she was gone entirely—sunk. They tried to raise her, but they never made out. No, sir; they did not even find out her name or port. From such of her cargo as came ashore, they made it out to be loaded with East Indian mer- chandise. A trunk was washed on the beach which is gener- ally believed to haye been my mother’s, for one of the dresses was the same in pattern as my own. I have that trunk, with all its contents, still. They'll make me a nice wedding outfit, when I’m large enough to wear them, and old enough to be married,” with a mischieyous smile and half-blusb. “Neyer destroy them,” said Mr. Wetmore; “they may be of great value yet. Can you not find me a messenger, who will ride for a doctor, Miss Tangee? I will sit here until.you return.” “I reckon I'd better go myself. 1 don’t make much of walking a few miles on a bright day, and the men are all crazy about the wreck. If you'll give him his milk punch Eomichooks.com