The Land Claim — page 83: what you’re looking at

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

THE TRADER’S LIGERALITY. — 79 CHAPTER XI. THE STORY OF A NIGHT. Two months had elapsed, and Alicia was still at Mrs. Wy- man’s. The effects of the poisoning, and her continued deli- cate health, together with her anxiety to remain in Fairview until after her father’s trial, had caused an order from her physician that she should be allowed to follow her own desire in this matter. Yet the preparations for a year at school were going on, and the little parlor of the constable’s house was like a fancy bazaar,.so great was the profusion of pretty colors and fine fabrics which the trader's generosity had supplied. “T declare it seems just like getting ready for a wedding !” Mrs. Wyman exclaimed as she stood with upraised hands in the midst of muslins, silks, shawls and laces, which Alicia was unfolding from a package brought up by the last steamer. Mr. Mauvais was in St. Louis, and had sent these presents to his ward. Alicia did not smile as most young girls would at such an allusion; she did smile however, just to please the kind woman who took so great interest in all her affairs, and presented each article anew for her admiration. “ Jt’s strange you don’t seem to care much for these pretty things,” continued Mrs. Wyman. “ When I was a girl, such a lot of handsome presents would have set me wild. Mauvais is a generous man, if he has faults.” Mrs. Wyman always spoke well of the trader; partly be- cause she seldom spoke ill of any one; and more, perhaps, be- cause he had been a liberal friend of her husband when they first came to the new country. “But I wish things was 4 little different. Now, if Mr. Mauvais was your uncle, or some relation to you, and these was your wedding-clothes, and you was going to be married to young Mr. Allen, it would be nice! If Allen was my own son, I couldn’t feel much worse about his disappointment than I do; for I like bim better than any young man I know. comicldookksS.e@© Lin) ~~ *