Witch Hazel; or, The Secret of the Locket — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

our dear little one, but ft am very giatetul for the precious boy who was sent to us in its place, and whom T love as fondly ak if he were, mabed, our very own. »Yes, Charlie.is a dear boy, and Jie loves us de- vyotedly, T lope he will never know that he does not really belong to us,” replied Mrs, Harwood, wiping her tears and striving to overcoine her grief for her husband's sake, “He never will know it,” said Sir Henry, positively, “for no one save ourselves antl the wiatron of that asylum ever so mMuGh as suspected his adoption.” “Oh! but Ido so wonder aud yearn to kuow what our own boy would have. been like—my mother's eld longs for its owz,’ murmured the woman, with a sob. Sir Henry folded her still closer aud pressed his lips to her shiniug lruir, while a tear from bis own eyes vlittered among its folds, “God knew dest, Ada,” he said, reverently, “and | Wwe intust not question His wisdom." Ten years ago that very night Sir Henry Haw oot! nnd bis faiv young wite were returning to England from America, where they had been traveling tor nearly two years. A’ few months previous to their return a beautiful boy had been born to them, and they were filled with joy in the possession of this sift so long coveted.. Tt seemed as if their cup of happiness was filled to the brim, a8 alter a prosperous voyage the shores of their native land once more loomed up before them. But that very vight a fearful storm overtook them, and in the midst of it the steamer sprang aleak. To add to the horrors of the situation, a fire broke out in the first cabin, and the paxseuzers were driven to the deck to escape death by autfovrtion, Sir Henry v took his wite to as sheltered a spot as le could find and lashed her to the yessel’s side and left her there, with her babe clasped in her arms, while he hurried below and worked with the vigor of three ordinary men to help extinguish the fiendish flamer. While he wa. this employe. there came a terrible shock that made the steamer tremble