The Freemason's Daughter: A Novel — page 36: what you’re looking at

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

THE FREEMASONS DAUGHTER. 97 it afforded her dear brother pleasure—and seating herself at the instrument, she accompanied herself to the following song : I love thee more, my own fireside, Than lofty halls of stately pride; The love I meet there knows no change, The hearts around it never range, All my hopes are garnered there, For every wish and every care, Though fortune frowns or good betide, Are centred round my own fireside. There oft, too, solemn dreams will come, Of those who shared my cheerful home ; The young—the good—the early dead, Who round our hearth a blessing shed. Thoughts that wring the heart with pain, Hopes that bid us smile again, Kind looks, more dear than all beside, Are centred round my own fireside. ‘<I don’t wonder at its being your favourite song,” said Beacham. ‘The verse came from the poet’s heart, and the melody is beautiful.” «“ And Amy sang it divinely,” added her proud and gratified brother, drawing her to him, and thanking her for her compliance with a kiss, which, for the first time, his friend Henry envied. ‘‘ But how is this?” he added; ‘tears! Do you think me, then, so very ill?’? he demanded, fixing his eyes upon hers with mournful earnestness. ‘ No, Richard—no. But ”— ** But what?” COUN Goo! SS (SO