Beadle's Dime Novels No. 35: East and West — page 58: what you’re looking at

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

58 THE BEAUTY OF WILLARD’S MILL. “T have called it‘ The Fawn of the Prairie,’ you see; thus, to me, it will have a meaning very precious—while to others the name will seem to refer to the pretty young deer in the foreground.” Minnie’s eyes drooped again upon the picture, from which she found it impossible to raise them. She was not altogether pleased with herself, nor with Fletcher, for the frequent recurrence of little scenes in which there was certainly an air of interest beyond that of friendship. If this, was fash- ionable breeding, to dealin this kind of insincerity, she was glad she knew no more of it. Was not Fletcher Harris the lover of tance? else, why did he linger near her when he might e away? Perhaps he thought she was silly enough to fall in love with him, because he was superior to her ordinary associates; but she was not in love with him—no, she was not! and if he did not show more respect to her cousin’s feelings, she should despise him—yes, she should! These fleeting thoughts made her cheeks burn; and the knowledge that Fletcher was observing her added to her con- fusion. She hastily put up her drawing-materials, with some murmured thanks for the labor her master had bestowed on her lessons, and was about to withdraw, when there came a roar, and a boom! then a longer roar, and then silence. “The dam! the dam!” cried Minnie, her father and mother. Out rushed every one. The moon, just risen, and strug- gling with a dark bank of clouds, showed the creek flowing on—leyel above and below where the dam had been, though dragging up from the bottom scattering planks and timbers, which it hurried away on its rushing current. The men on the other side were shouting as if shouts would restore the ruin. “Curse such luck! The devil’s in this creek! There goes a thousand dollars in labor, time and money!” ejaculated Mr. Willard. He therewith turned his back upon the scene 6f his loss, and resumed his seat by the fire, where he was silently toasting his feet again when the others followed. Fletcher thought, considering the hard work of the morn- ing, this was taking the matter very coolly. But as his host did not seem inclined to talk about the event, he avoided any unnecessary reference to it. comliclbooks.com |