The Land Claim — page 56: what you’re looking at

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

52 THE LAND-CLAIM. “Jt wouldn’t take her away from you at all, Mrs. Wyman, except during school hours. I would not propose to have her . leave your protection at present, on any account. The Judge’s wife first mentioned the matter to me, and I have since spoken to nearly all the owners of children in the town, and they will be very glad to have a school. Of course it will not make Miss Newcome rich; but may furnish her money enough to buy her dolls’ clothes—young ladies dress dolls until they are married, I believe, Miss Alicia?” Alicia smiled at her roguish “ brother” in a satisfied way, that showed she was not put out by his raillery. ~ “ Waal, I dunno; she must do as she likes, I reckon, Mary. It might take up her mind, and be a good thing, after all.” » “Oh, yes, if she wants to, she might try it when she gets © strong,’ and Mrs. Wyman brushed some imaginary dust or crumbs out of her apron with much energy. “ But, there’s no need—none at all. She’s got money of her own—plenty of it just now ; and I guess there’s more where this come from.” “Oh! dear Mrs, Wyman! J have no money. You are quite mistaken,” cried Alicia, surprised. “ Tm not mistaken, child, You don’t know as well as I do. . He told me not to say any thing about it; but he’s gone off now, and I don’t know as he’s ever coming back. I didn’t tell anybody, not eyen Silas before. But I hate secrets, and can’t keep them one bit better than the rest of my sex. A secret always makes me feel mean till it’s off my mind; so I'm going to get this off, as soon as possible. There was a man here—a real gentleman—when you was sick, and out of your head, that had a great many questions to ask husband and me about you. Then he wanted to see.you with his own eyes; and when I took him into your room—'twas just afler . your hair was cut off—he looked at you mighty sharp, but said nothing, only to touch your curls a-layin’ on the table very softly with the tips of his fingers. “ After that he showed me a picture—the handsomest thing I ever saw—and asked me if you looked like that when you was well. I told him you did, and you didn’t; that is, the picture was much the same as you in most of the features, but handsomer and prouder great deal. When he went away he wouldn’t tell me his business, but gave me a purse Gommicloooks.corn