Beadle's Dime Novels No. 14 — page 35: what you’re looking at

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

AT THE BREAKFAST TABLE. 83 her standing, a vision of loveliness, at the well, unless for one still more favorable. Lovers do not seek to analyze why they love; so Pennon was, perhaps, only asking himself why he was so strangely interested. Beauty combined with modesty, youth with dignity, amiability with intellect, fresh unsullied tastes and sympathies with sense and discretion, innocence with a certain degree of. wisdom—these were enough to form his excuse without recalling the arch smile, the sweet fire of the soulful eye, the joyous mirth, the lovely tinge of senti-’ ment, the sweet behavior to her parents, the quick sense of duty. These two latter might be old-fashioned virtues, scorned by many of the sex he had been most accustomed to asso- ciate with, but they were charms more fascinating to Pennon than refined and voluptuous indolence and selfishness. “ Ob, just and merciftil Heaven !” he murmured, looking up to the calm sky, “ why didst thou choose to smite such an one as this? Why did thine arrows of fire fall upon the innocent ¥” He remained .absorbed in. thought until the bell called him to the dining-room. He went to the table more to meet the family and inquire after the invalid than because he felt it: possibfe to eat. The appetites of all had vanished—still ex- tepting Julien Percy’s, who fasted somewhat for appearance sake—and the breakfast was a sad contrast to the merry meal of the previous evening. Mrs. Percy informed Pennon that Clematis appeared quite well, was perfectly in her right mind, and had answered all her questions as well as she was able by looks and questions; said she did not suffer; had put her arms about her and kissed her with a bright smilé, as much as to ask her not to grieve herself on account of her accident. All similar cases that any of the party had heard of, were discussed, At one moment, hope was—raised as one told of paralysis which had only lasted a day or a week; again it was depressed when Others were mentioned where it was lasting. Some one told of a case where a woman was struck by lightning and made dumb for a number of years, but had suddenly recovered her speech during a severe thunder storm. This gave rise to a great deal of talk about electricity, and the use of the mag. netic battery, and the ete Bs of the physician having re- course to it, comliclbooks.com