Beadle's Dime Novels No. 33: Maum Guinea and Her Plantation Children — page 50: what you’re looking at

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

d4 MAUM GUINEA. beautiful animation to her face. She was, indeed, dangerously handsome—not handsome only, but refined, gentle, womanly» also ; touched by that pensive grace which makes the vivacity of her race so charming, by contrast with the previous moment. . ; “ A superb creature!” murmured the gentleman to himself. Yes, a ereature—a slaye—that was what that beautiful woman was. Again the gentleman danced with Miss Bell. She had met him at her father’s house the previous year, just after her first return from school. He was a stranger to many of the company, being only a visitor in the village, and was one of the most distinguished of the guests. Virginia was as naturally flattered by his attentions, as Philip was naturally annoyed. “Give my respects to your father, if you please, Miss Bell, and tell him I shall do myself the pleasure of calling upon him to-morrow—that is, to-day,” he added, laughingly ; for it was two o’clock when he bade her good-night. Philip stood by and heard it, and saw the young girl's smile; and it was, perhaps, under the influence of the pass- ing jealousy aroused, that he gathered courage, during the drive home, to decide his fate—to utter the important words, to receive the important answer. Very tired, but very happy, was Virginia, as she sought her chamber in the first gray light of the expanding morning. Her heart was in such a tumult, soul and sense so thrilled and startled by a new bliss and a new reality, that.there was 4 prospect of her not getting to sleep at all. She, who had gone forth half-trembling with a vague expectation of a crisis impenjing, had returned from the ball—engaged. Yes, “engaged,” she whispered to herself, blushing, even in the quiet of her room ; that epoch so interesting to maidenhood GComichooks.com