Octavia's Pride; or, The Missing Witness — page 70: what you’re looking at

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

NO Sere a ae PR Rea whe Lik, cae eal dons MN eR ke hana MRS SS GR tbe oa (oli aS A ak ilies 2 : 2 1 # Ac¥k ° rey } . oo at wt var “ ¥Y ey By x pa rw hd +5 zy WAL aS rs we ' ¥ ; erat : : } cae wTes * Was ry ye ws, ‘ : n ae pO, 4 . ’ i ie +2% "or 4 60 OCTAVIA'S PRIDE. of-fact, steady young woman, that woman was Jane West. She wasted no time in ideal visions, but put her hands energetically to every practical work found before them. And it was her peculiar elasticity of disposition, her ability to fling off fretting, and make the most of what light and joy could be hunted out, that caused Doctor Morley to name her for the busy, restless little Wren. This young woman’s history was somewhat peculiar. One day Doctor Morley, in going-among the new patients, found a black-browed fellow lying on the hospital-bed groan- ing in agony, but refusing to receive any attentions of the nurse or doctor. The man seemed not only half-crazed with pain, but overwhelmed by some great mental trouble. He was a convict, a mason, and the wall of the building on which he had been at work had caved in and carried him with it. rightfully crushed and maimed, his recovery seemed the meerest shadow of a chance, and the other doc- tors were discussing whether it was of any use to attempt amputation, when Doctor Morley appeared upon the scene. Without a single word of questioning, the doctor, in that cool, magnetic way of his, stepped up to the bed and ex- amined the case thoroughly. The bright, dilated eye of the patient watched him narrowly, and the fierce impreca- tions were silenced. “Sir,” said the latter, tremulously, ‘‘ what is the word?”: ‘A pretty hard one, my poor fellow,” answered the doc- tor, in a sorrowful voice. <‘ You must suffer terribly at all events.” ‘‘ Never mind the pain. But can 1 hope to get over it? Oh, sir! if you would say that I might.” — ‘“‘ But very few things are impossible, my man. In this I should say there are ten chances against you for one in your favor.” ‘‘ And there is one then! Oh, sir, Heayen bless you!” / comicbooks.c > ba’ i> 4 oe & ‘ i ( pete fe ee : if $