Beadle's Dime Novels No. 20: Florida; or, The Iron Will — page 89: what you’re looking at

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

cCOMING—GOUING. 27 see how my ill-fortune affects me; but, oh! it is utterly ° useless for me to try to keep up. Virginia, I must yo, before your proud sister returns. She is ashamed of me. Iam the tly blot upon this fair company.” He spoke with such bitterness, in tones so utterly hopeless, that for a moment paralyzed Virginia, voice and wi_. “ « Parker,’ she said, when her emotion would al.ow her. “you will spoil all, the happiness this meeting has given me. L never saw you in such amood. There is surely room for you in the ranks of the world’s workers, and remember that it is always the darkest just before day.” “ An eternal night has settled upon me,” he said. “ You can not understand—oh! my God!” and he turned from her, almost writhing with his soul’s anguish; “you can not under- stand. Iam shut out from health, from occupation—and from ” you. * 7" «Parker”—she laid her hand on his feverish palm—* Par- e ker, take me with you. I will desert all for you—God will give me strength. Let me go where you go, and—” “Poverty forbids,” he cried, almost fiercely. “ What! I take you from such a home as this? I darken your young life with hardships, and curse it with regrets and reproaches ? Never! Ill die first—and.God in mercy take me soon.” “ You are cruel,” she said, half sobbing. “O, Parker! you do not know me; you treat me like a child.” “T am causing you to suffer,” he said, a tender regret in his voice. “Why am I doomed to bring misery upon all who know me? Virginia, you must make allowances; I am hardly myself now. Perhaps, perhaps, better times may come "—even as he spoke he shook his head | “They stay long at supper,” he added, attempting a smile; but there was neither life nor hope’ in it “ Parker, don’t give up yes wait— “T have waited, ia. “A ]ittle longer, Parker; you are young, S80 ala 1; some good fortune will come. Let me prophesy—there’s t. yocd time . ” . a toe but J am going !” - This impressive sentence gave a chill to the l\.cart of the young girl, that seemed as if a wave from the colu waters of . 7 comichooks.com