Beadle's Dime Novels No. 20: Florida; or, The Iron Will — page 96: what you’re looking at

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

& FLORIDA; OR, THE IRON WILL. CHAPTER XII. . “a STRICKEN AND AFFLICTED. Wuen Parker went from the party that night, his blood was boiling.” Florida, both by manner and speecl, had insulted him, and.Wirginia—could she deceive him? He could not believe that; what Florida had said was but to wound and mislead him. Walking rapidly on, almost without thought or purpose, he knew not whither, only that he must go, a sudden sense of utter prostration came upon him. He leaned for a moment against the railing of the bridge which he had gained, _- with the impressién that he was dying. If so, he could wel- ~ come death, for he was weary of the long struggle against fate. Growing fainter as he stood, he gradually slid down upon the wooden planks. It was midnight, but just over him a lamp sent down a dim ray, sufficient to disclose him, should a chance passenger go by. The cold wind blew from the river, and lifted the damp locks from his white forehead, but he knew it not. His hands hung nerveless, his face looked blue and ghastly in the wavering light. Some minutes elapsed, but the stillness was unbroken by the” © foot of man. A little gurgling ripple told that the waters were rising to cover the weedy beams beneath. Mingled with this came the rumble of slow wheels. A teamster who had taken advantage of a good bargain to visit the theater, was making his way homeward. Full of the startling scenes that had passed before him, he was not a little frightened, as he entered on the pridge, to see, as he thought, a dead body lying not two feet from his cart. At first he was for applying the whip and driving on; but a feeling of humanity impelled him, upon second thought, to get down and see if there was life there, or if the man had been foully dealt by. He went cautiously for- ~ ward, then, with a spring and a bound, he was at the side of the fallen man. comnicloolks.conn