Beadle's Dime Novels No. 20: Florida; or, The Iron Will — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

WAKING TO SAD. THOUGHTS. 33 CHAPTER IV. UNCLE BARBY’S PHILOSOPHY. “Srop—it was a dream—no—no—it ceuld not be, after all There she stood, her long, dark hair in her hands, the rich gloss gleaming out here and there as she said it.” Virginia strained her eyes through the blue gloom of the dawn. Then she sat up, and, drawing herself together, began to think. Her .mother still slept, with heavy breathing. Florida was up, as Virginia knew by the bustle below stairs. “To go from here,” murmured the young girl—‘ to leave my dear-home, the place where I was born—to leave Kennie —and—and—Parker! What a fearful feeling it gives me—as if I were dying!” and, pressing her hands to her face, she shivered. “It’s very hard to have such a sister, and she not my own, yet taking my destiny in her hands,” she went on, murmurously, ‘“ Well—if I must, I must; but, I know I shall die there—I know I shall!” Slowly and with little spirit she performed the duties of her toilet and hurried down to help Florida. At sight of her glowing face, and large, shining eyes, she shuddered, and then she thought of what the young schoolmaster had likened her to—an electrical machine. She felt her influence, as the steady eye, now cold, bent fully upon her, and obeyed her motions an automaton. “You must milk, this morning, Virginia,” Florida said, hurrying about her work.. Her dark dress was not becoming, Save that it sat closely and displayed her beautiful form—and the sleeyes were turned up far above the elbows, showing ey ae flashed whitely as she moved them to and Virginia took the milking-pail and went out to the barn. The old cow gave a low cry of recognition, at which the gentle heart of the girl swelled again. comiclooolks.conn