José — page 21: what you’re looking at

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

14 JOSE. one observed it. Her absence from the supper table excited no comment. She had gone to her own apartment, and when Joseph silently entered soon after sundown, lamp in hand, Pepita raised slowly and said: “Jose, I am ill. Ihave been dreaming of Cali- fornia again. I have a great desire to see some gold. Will you not give mea few pieces? I truly believe they would make me feel better.” The young man crossed silently over toa large wooden chest, that stood in the corner of the room, raised the lid, and took out five ten-dollar gold pieces, and handed them to his young wife with the air that one humors a sick child. Pepita drew his hand toward her, gazed at the sparkling metal, and then closed her fingers over the money. “Now, Jose,” she said, “give me a kiss,” and as he bent his head over her, she embraced him with fervid energy, kissed him repeatedly, and then leaned back upon her pillow. A look of resignation rested upon Joseph’s face as _ he extinguished the light and retired. When at early day-break he awoke, after a night’s refreshing sleep that caused him to forget his weariness and cares, Pepita’s place was unoccupied. Her early rising would have excited no surprise, accustomed as he was to his wife’s eccentric habits in all things, had the morning been pleasant, but it was raining. FHield and forest were clothed in a light fog, and presented no charms for outdoor exer- cise. Joseph leaped from his couch, and dressed with nervous haste. A;s he looked for his hat, a little white piece of paper, which was pinned upon it, met his eye. Gomichbooks (E(0) m