Beadle's Dime Novels No. 20: Florida; or, The Iron Will — page 28: what you’re looking at

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

96 FLORIDA; OR, THE IRON WILLS. “T don’t know whether I can do that ironing alone,” g¢ last fell on Virginia’s ear. She looked up anxious and wist. ful, so anxious and wistful that Florida half smiled, yet con- temptuously. “TI suppose you want to go to school,” she added. “TI should like to, very much,” said Virginia, timidly , “it is such a drawback to lose a lesson here and there.” “ And to lose some other things,” said Florida. blushed and looked vexed, but answered n “Well, I will leave the ruffling to you, then, for I haye sewing that must be done, so you can get away earlier at noon, and earlier at night ; but, what are you going to do for school when you get into the city ?” “Or! I can’t think about it at all—I can’t think about it at all,” said Virginia, hurriedly, the tears brimming up to her eyes, | “Your pictures of the city are dolorously framed, I see” said Florida, a wicked light in her eyes; “well, perhaps if you can’t think of it at all, you can get some thoughts, some suggestions from others—your consumptive teacher, for instance.” “ Consumptive !” cried Virginia, her eyes flashing through tears and indignation, while she tried to keep down the chok- ing that filled her throat. “Florida, how cruel you can be !” - “IT will prove to you by-and-by whether I am cruel,” said Florida, her tones lighter. “When I see you in the magnificent house I have planned for you—wealth at your command— some nobleman of nature, not to be despised because he has q fortune, willing to surround you with all that your heart can desire—then you will say to me, ‘ Florida, I thank you that you kept me from a miserable fate—I acknowledge that you knew best what was good for me.’” a said nothing ; not that there were words wanting, but the sense of her dependence, the overbearing exaction of her sister’s character, and, besides that, the grief at her unkind reference to the schoolmaster, prevented her from speech She arose silently from the table, yet not without bending a glance that reproached her sister more eloquently than coul¢ the language of keenest reproof. comliclooks. com