Beadle's Dime Novels No. 20: Florida; or, The Iron Will — page 21: what you’re looking at

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

¥FUORIDA’S VOW. 19 been subject to this ambitious, erratic Florida. The second bnsband, however, loved as devotedly as the first ; and on his Jeath-bed extracted a faithful promise from his own child—a Promise that, in its nature and amid its surroundings, partook of the character of an oath—that she would never desert his Widow or her child. At that time Virginia was ten, and Florida eighteen; so it was six years previous to the com- mencement of my story that Florida, on her knees, in tears, and filled with the most passionate grief, had given hervow. From that time she took every thing into her own hands and man- aged the little property admirably. The widow meeting with an accident that made her an almost helpless cripple, affairs were thrown more completely on her, and she ruled Withont let or hindrance. Still, the girl, possessed of a powerful and original mind, did not feel satisfied with her lot. She thirsted for knowledge, fame, and a high station. If she could not compass these by the power of her own intellect, she determined to obtain them by resolution, will and management. At the head of some- thing she would be—whether of a district-school, a college, or & splendid establishment, time should determine. Virginia, With her sweet, fresh bloom and beauty, she looked upon as & rival, already. She felt that the might of her simple good- hess was greater fJhan any combination of forces or attainments in her own character; and, knowing her influence upon the gentle girl, she wished to subordinate—to absorb her as it were, and.so keep her restricted to the bounds of her own desires and intentions. At last, as she sat reading, Florida turned her eyes toward where Virginia lay, as she had thought, asleep. They encoun- tered the innocent look of Virginia, fixed full upon her as it had been since she had first sat down. _“ That is what has made me so uneasy,” she said, aloud. “My looking at you ?” one | ¥ “Yes—and I, trying to forget myself, could not. You Virginia turned a rosy red, but to hide her confusion she “ What are you doing?” comiclbooks.conn a