Beadle's Dime Novels No. 142: The Sagamore of Saco — page 29: what you’re looking at

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

UNCHARITABLENESS. 81 “T think thy thought, dame.” bw , The younger women started; but Mistress Higgins con- tinued : . “ I saw her even now, as I came in, worrying a snake, and truly it was a rare sight to see the docility of the beast.” — “ Whist ! my lady is at the door!” exclaimed one of the younger women. Mistress Vines entered, with her pretty, courtly manner, . curtesying right and left, after the fashion of the times, and then instinctively seated herself beside the young matrons, who blushed and smiled at her pleasant greeting, while the elders gravely bent their heads and pursed up their mouths in a pious way. A silence of some minutes intervened, for the Lady Joanna was no unimportant personage to be present, and was well known for a smart dame, with ready wit, and sharp repartee, and though in her absence it might be politic to treat her with indifference or contempt, she being present altered the case; and even Mistress Bonyton, habituated to com- mand, and accustomed to lead off her satellites in a free and easy manner, found herself inconveniently awed in her prese ence. At length Mistress Bonyton, in a solemn voice, and with intermitting groans, grasping the Bible and closing her eyes, ¥ “ We have appropriated this afternoon for the especial pur- pose of praying for the conversion of that pleasant (groan) but ungodly%groan) man, Sir Richard Vines.” & Mistress Vines started ; her wifely face reddened with sur- prise, not unmingled with anger, and she replied promptly, with her bright eyes surveying the group: “TJ thank ye, good dames, in that ye will pray for my noble lord ; but, in what way has he earned the right to be called ungodly ?” “Our oceasion is for the holding forth of prayer, not to discuss carnal questions,” responded Mistress Bonyton. “But indeed, good dame, let me know his offenses, that I may the better join in your prayers.” “Tt is not meet that we talk,” interposed Dame Higgins ; — art holding a chosen vessel, gifted in prayer} from the COMIC DOOKSsCOLN