Beadle's Dime Novels No. 20: Florida; or, The Iron Will — page 40: what you’re looking at

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

es , FLORIDA; OR, THE IRON WiLL er confusion for some moments. “Is your ming If so, as our good father Burdick says, ‘speak out, sist ing may relieve you’ At any rate, ’m go ing to have the company,” she said, after a pause, “and if you wish me to invite Parker Welliston, say so.” “ I—I should like it,” said Virginia. “ Well, write the note of invitation yourself—he is your teacher.” The request did not need to be repeated. Florida went out in the afternoon and invited several neighbors, while Virginia dispatched a neatly-written note to the teacher. She had not met Parker since the hour of the ceremony that had so eventfully changed her fate, and the certainty of seeing him threw her into a tremor of anxiety and expectation. How should she meet him, all eyes upon her? what should she say to him ? It was impossible to accost him in the cold, calm tones of friendship—her very voice would betray her, _especially under the scrutinizing glance of her sister. Since then he had been in the city, and had probably returned on this very morning, with, perhaps, news that would justify her in announcing her Florida’s exclamation that she had not seemed like was true. She had, indeed, for the last week, appeared a different being. An air of timid — sadness hung over her—her cheeks were unusually pale and her manner hurried and somewhat nervous. She could not employ herself with any continuous work, but went restlessly ‘ from one occupation to another, oftener standing in an absent, listless way and thinking, than doing any real business, saye when Florida was near. Then she seemed to feel the neces. sity of employment to divert her sister's ever watchful eyes, and labored with a will. She could not tell, with her utmost vigilance ever on the alert, whether Florida suspected the truth. If she did, surely never more consummate actor than she. If she did not, Virginia dreaded the revelation. “Madge Spicer had busied herself in circulating the most injurious reports of the schoolmaster, and her father threatened him with expulsion. Mr. Spicer was a power in the place His wealth was enormous, and, being an uncultivated. man, he was not over courteous in his wrath. If it haf not been that the majority of the citizens, who heard the true version comichbooks.conn ™