The Land Claim — page 55: what you’re looking at

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

A SCHOOL FOR ALICIA. 51 “ She don’t like to accept it, she says, because her father - wouldn't be pleased if he knew of her doing so; but I tell her there’s nothing wrong about getting some cordial sent her when she’s sick.” “ Pshaw!” said the constable, “not a bit. Keep it and drink our health in it, little girl.” “ Let me open it for you,” Allen said, reaching across for the bottle. As he took it from her hand he smiled in a way that showed her she was restored to his good opinion. From this episode the dinner went off gayly, the healths of each being drahk in Mr. Mauvais’ cordial, the last drop having dis- appeared before they left the table. “ Your little girl, here, has been so kind as to give me a brother’s place in her heart,” said Allen, mischievously, to the constable, as he reseated the invalid in her rocking-chair by the parlor window, “and I have presumed upon the favor to use a brother's privilege. I have been thinking that when Miss Newcome gets well, as she will very shortly, she would like something to do better than to “ look pretty and eat well,’ which she says is all that Mrs. Wyman requires of her at present. There are a few children here in Fairview; enough for quite a respectable school, and I propose to have them put under Miss Newcome’s instruction. I calculate you can teach school, if you come from old Connecticut ?” he added, turning to the surprised Alicia, and mimicking the nasal twang of real Yankeedom. Alicia laughed, but did not express any opinion on the subject. “ T reckon she could,” said the constable, “ but she needn’t. There’s enough here for all of us. Just let her stay with us and keep my wife company; she’s a-most too young to be a doin’ any thing for herself.” “ What’s that you're saying in there ?” asked Mrs. Wyman, stopping in her “ clearing up” to look in at the parlor door. “Why Allen, here, is wantin’ to make a school-marm of the little girl. What do you say to that, Mary ?” “Say to that? I say it’s all nonsense, and I don’t see what put it in your head to think of such a thing, Mr. Allen !” “If you please, I should like it very much,” put in Alicia eagerly, though with evident trepidation. ‘ COMIcCOOKS.COMM me 4