Beadle's Dime Novels No. 35: East and West — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

6 THE BEAUTY OF WILLARD’S MILL. Willard’s Mill—or rather, at the dam.- The dam made back- water, and the back-water was the cause of the lots overflow- ing—if they could get the owner to take it away, matters - would be “ all right.” A delegation had gone once and offered to purchase the mill, for the purpose of destroying it, but their offer had been refused by the owner. They were very angry about it. They knew, perfectly, that they had not promised him half what his property was really worth ; and that a part of the payment was to be in town lots which he did not want; they knew the bargain would ruin him—nevertheless, they were very angry ; and they were a disagreeable and dangerous set of men to have for enemies. “The old fellow’s no business to be so obstinate,” said one, with that kind of a malicious laugh which betrayed his knowledge of the selfishness of their own proceedings. “ He ought to take what he can get, and be thankful!” “Oh, of course. If he don’t like it, he can lump it.” “ He’s got to do it!” reiterated the first speaker, with an oath. “ We'll make him one more offer and if he don’t accept it, we'll make him repent of it.” “ We'll pull down the dam.” “ And fire the mill.” es “« And run away with the miller’s pretty daughter !” Hardly were the words out of the last speaker’s mouth, be- fore a tall, sinewy-looking young man, dressed in a blouse and fustian breeches—who had been sitting quietly by the fire, apparently engaged in counting the number of blazing logs, but really listening to the conversation—sprung to his feet, and with one sudden and’ well-planted blow in the face, knocked the joker down, and strode out into the rain. “Who did it ?” gasped the victim, as he picked himself up, amid the jeers and merriment of his pitiless friends. “T think it was Nat Arnold—one.of Willard’s mill-hands,” said the bar-keeper. “I’m pretty sure it was him.” “ Oh ho! likely he considered he had the first claim on the daughter. You must be careful how you joke too freely, my friends, in a mixed company.” “ Let’s have a game of euchre,” said the sufferer, quite wil- jing to turn the subject from his misfortune. “Come, you cComicloooks.corn