Beadle's Dime Novels No. 3: Myra, the Child of Adoption — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

THE CHILD OF ADOPTION. @ wife remains unpunished, I cannot acknowledge you mine, - legally, innocently mine, as in the sight of Heaven you are.” “I do not ask it. Let the world think of me as it likes. | will submit to reproach—to suspicion—any thing—but leave my child—neyer ?” “Zulima !” was the firm and almost reproachful reply ; “do you think that your reputation is separate from mine? Shall I cast a stain upon my wife which no after time can efface, and then produce her, wronged and sullied, to society ? Listen to me, Zulima; cease weeping and listen! The man is yet altve who has called you wife ”— “I know—I know!” cried the poor young creature, shud- dering from head to foot, and burying her face in the pillows; “Oh say no more! I will give up the child—but spare me that subject !” “No, Zulima. Let us speak of it this once, and then it shall be banished our lips forever. Think yon that it is not painful to me as to you ?” How painful it was might be guessed by the colorless cheeks and the quivering of that proud man’s lips while he was speak- ing. “While a mere child you became the dupe and yictim of this vile man, De Grainges. He wronged your confidence, wronged your love”— “No, no! I did not love him—I was a child—I knew not what love was!” broke in passionate murmurs from the pillow where Zulima’s face was buried. “Do not say I loved that man !”— “My poor wife! I know that you did not love him. I know quite as well that you do love me. Look up, sweet child! I would give worlds that I could speak of all this with- out distressing you thus. Bear with me only a minute longer. My only wish is to rec you, if possible, to the inevitable.” “I will listen,” reid th tortured young mother. _ “I know, Zulima, that you were deceived by this bad man— that he wedded you while his wife was living, and that you fied from his home the moment this truth was made known. Of all this I was thoroughly convinced before you became my wife; but until this man is convicted in open court and before the whole world, how can I convince society of that which to — =iocaal bes