I Forbid the Banns! — page 43: what you’re looking at

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

ON AN OCEAN ISLAND. 33 meet wants to slight them. They have their own reasons for it.”’ “And yet you think Australia is in the front rank of Civilized countries ? ” ‘““T was afraid you were going to abuse it. I don’t like to hear strangers run it down.” ‘“You allow no one to speak ill of it except yourself ?”’ ‘Exactly so. You see, I know all its strong points as well as its weaknesses. I have a right to speak. The people are narrow-minded and full of prejudices, and I’m glad that I’m going to England.” ‘Where you will find the parent stem from which all the branches and twigs and leaves of prejudice and narrow- mindedness have spread abroad even to Australia.”’ ‘“ What, you mean to tell me that people in England are narrow-minded ?” ‘““T can assure you that you will find the parent stem a good deal thicker than any of the branches.”’ The girl looked at him steadily for a few moments. Then she gave a little scornful laugh. “T’m fond of. gardening,” said she. ‘I'll find out all about that parent stem that you talk about. I thank you very much for having taken charge of me to the top of the ladder. I'll just run down the steps to poor Aunt Hannah.”’ “Tf you will allow me I will go down by your side,” said he. , “But I thought you came up here for a purpose,” remarked the girl. ‘ For a purpose?” “T mean, I thought you were perhaps one of the soldiers—an officer—and that you were going to the fort up here.”’ “T amonly a civilian,” he replied. ‘“ But, to tell you the truth, I did come for a purpose.”’ CONMNICLOOoOKS 2(0)