Beadle's Dime Novels No. 35: East and West — page 57: what you’re looking at

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

A PICTURE. 57 nothing further to do were gathered in the mill-room, smoking or card-playing. As Fletcher entered, the scene struck his critical eye as being worthy of Hogarth. The mill-room, with its wide, uncurtained windows, now gray with the gloom of a cloudy evening ;—the slouching fig- ures of the tired carpenters, who smoked in silence, leaning their elbows on their knees;—the mill-hands playing a “ cut-throat” game of euchre, three-handed—two of them heavy, stolid-looking fellows, with a decided air of “ fader-land ” parentage in their fair, flat faces, and sturdy build ,—Nat— pure American—light, tall, active and handsome. A lighted lantern, on the rough bench around which the a: were grouped, struggled to assert itself against the li day- light, and with indifferent success. “ Why didn’t you play a spade, John ?” asked Charley, see- ing they were going to be beaten by the more expert Nat. “ How I know what you got in your hand 2” retorted John ; “Vink I shmeli ‘em ?” This surly wit, and the relapse of John into the “ fader-land” dialect, caused a general laugh,in the midst of which the men beheld Fletcher, in silent enjoyment of their fadleau. His errand was soon explained. All bands turned out to execute the order, or to take observations of the condition of affairs about the place in reference to its safety. mn A rope was stretched across the creek, the passage of the flat-boat and freight accomplished, the horse turned loose to g0 home, and the family settled for the evening. “ We have a little more to do, yet,” said Fletcher to Minnie, 43 lights were brought. “I must finish that sketch I promised you, and you are to take one more lesson.” Constance read “ Alton Locke,” and especially the lyric referred to. Mr. Willard toasted his feet at the fire— for the evening was chilly—and his wife thoughtfully darned 8Ome mittens for the hands of the woodmen. Thus the slipped by that the family usually spent together. -~ “My picture is done,” said Fletcher, in a low tone to Minnie ; “will you see it ?” She took it eagerly—to her its value was great ;—a real finished drawing, and all her own! “TI shall prize it so much !” she murmured ; “ it és beautiful !” a comliclbooks.com