Gratia's Trials — page 137: what you’re looking at

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

128 GRATIA’S TRIALS. — Marianne, the house-maid, hurried in, all unmindful of her delinquencies, and the crash of breaking china on the staircase was the first thing that reminded her of the tray, as Robert Falconer rushed down stairs and into the room. ‘«My stars!’ ejaculated Marianne, ‘‘ there goes that painted china that Mrs, Faleoner’s so awful set on.” ‘Stop !” shouted young Falconer, as the footman was about to help Scipio lift up the prostrate form. ‘‘ How is this? What has happened? Be careful how you handle him; this may be a paralyue fit.” | ‘‘No, sah, no,” said Scipio, sorrowfully. ‘‘He’s dead as a door-nail—he is so, Mass’ Robert. Jes’ feel his poor hand, sah —cold as marble.” Robert drew back with a shudder. ‘‘How did this happen?” he asked, in a low tone. ‘‘ All I knows, sah,” answered Scipio, ‘‘is dat I came in as usual wid de coals for to kindle de fire, and I see him a-lyin’ straight on the floor afore me,” ‘‘ Don't tell my mother suddenly,” said Robert, in a husky voice. ‘‘It might kill her,” : But his caution had come too late. Mrs. Decker, the house- keeper, had rushed shrieking across the hall. ‘Oh, get up, ma’am, get up!” screamed Decker, as soon as she could catch her creat ‘for we shall all be murdered in our beds!” Mrs. Falconer started from a fevered slumber into which she had fallen toward daylight. “Mr. Miller, ma’am !” gasped Decker, in answer to her mistress’ look of blank atone and dismay, ‘‘he’s lyin’ dead in the library, in a fit, ma’am.’ At the same moment Alberta came into the room from : a pate entrance. ‘“Mamma, what is it?” she cried, ‘*What does all this screaming and confusion mean ?” | comicbhooks.com