Beadle's Dime Novels No. 20: Florida; or, The Iron Will — page 82: what you’re looking at

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

80 - FLORIDA; OR, THE IRON WILL quarrel, as they say singers do nowadays Let me see: there was Mary Alder, she was second treble; Gerusha Shepherd, "she was counter—and such a voice! why, for clear tones, like a bird’s, she astonished everybody. I sung first treble; and I could sing, then, Jenny. At my right stood first base; that was old deacon Rider—such a severely good man that every- body was afraid of him! Then came Thomas. Dear! dear— little I thought, when I first saw him—and how nice he did look, in that blue suit with bright brass-buttons!—little I thought that he would be my own dear husband. You don’t know how handsome he was, Virginia. You look like him, child—I mean when he was young; for hard work made Thomas old before his time. Well, what good times we used to have in singing-school! You know we met in the school- | house, and the seats were very low and small. I expect t’was a funny sight, child, to see us all sitting there, old and young; for the old folks went to keep us in order. I used to boil up chestnuts and eat them on the sly, with somebody to help. O! dear—I can seem to see old deacon Possom’s snow-white head. We used to call him granny Possum; he had a face that you might almost light a candle at, and—and—well— where was J; child?” and her glances traveled wearily, pain- fully around. “ But what were you singing, just now, mother ?” “Why, don’t you know Corinth, child? You ought to; you’ve been sung to sleep hundreds of times by Corinth. I do hope they sing in heaven, for I should like to hear that old tune sung once as it ought to be. It came the nearest to @ in old Greenwich meeting-house.” Virginia had hidden her face in her hands. Her mother took no heed, but mused on in silence for a time. “I'm sure I never thought to live in such a fine house as this. Florida is wonderful smart, Jenny, and I’m certain she tries to be kind to me; but fur all that, there’s a want of some- thing—I wonder what it is ?” “ It’s love, mother, real love and tenderness. Florida knows everything—or it would not take her long to, if she wished; but—” a heavy sigh told more than words. “ Jenny—ain’t you happy, dear? You don’t look yourself, same way, of late. I've noticed it now and then, but it’s gone comiclooolks.conn