Beadle's Dime Novels No. 35: East and West — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

EAST AND WEST; OR, THE BEAUTY OF WILLARD’S MILL. CHAPTER I. “HE STAKE IS WILLARD’S MILL.” “ Wat do you say to making the old man pull down his mill ?” “T say he’s got to do it—that is, the dam. If we get rid of the dam, I guess the mill will take care of itself” “T say, d—n the dam !” The group laughed at this rough witticism ; it was a reck- less-looking set of men, who were talking around the tavern fire—not so coarse as they were lawless, with that air of ad- venture and bravado, which spoke of a new country and a half- civilized way of living. It was an evening in early spring, chilly and wet ; the wind whistled around the newly-erected building, and found plenty of ingress through unplastered walls and ill-fitting windows. It caused every lounger on the one street of the new “ town,” who had no home of his own, to seek the light and warmth of this tavern bar-room, where there was a roaring fire and abundance of liquor for his comfort. Lawyers left their little shanties, dignified by the shingles which marked them as “ offices ”” land-agents, the two young doctors of the place, . teamsters, boatmen, and ene or two new-comers thronged the room, making business lively for the bar-tender. Half a dozen of this company were discussing the subject of Wiilard’s Mill. They had bought lots in the new “ city ;” and now that the spring rains were falling, they found their lots under water; and the smooth, persuasive land-agents had convinced them that the mischief lay all at the door of EComicbooksrcom