Gratia's Trials — page 186: what you’re looking at

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

GRATIA’S TRIALS. 177 ‘“My poor dear, you mustn’t talk that way,” she said. ‘‘ Let me ring for a cup of tea—I generally take it myself about this time of day—and you've no idea how much better it will make you feel. And then, if you don’t mind, you can tell me how it all happened.” Gratia did not dissent from this proposal ; in fact, she lacked energy either to say, yea or nay. ‘“You see,” said Mrs. Hopwith, who was a firm believer in the ‘‘cup that cheers but not inebriates,” ‘‘ you'll feel so much better after a good cup of tea, made as J make it.” OL eee eee ee ee CHAPTER XXXII, GRATIA AND THE HEIRESS. The good old woman was right. Our souls and bodies are interwoven in closer relations than we are willing to acknowledge to ourselves, and when one is famished the other cannot thrive. Thecup of tea and its relishing little accompaniments refreshed Gratia, and Mrs. Hopwith’s openly expressed sympathy also wrought its soothing effect, as Gratia told the simple story of her experience in England. ‘Well, I never!” cried Mrs. Hopwith, setting down her cup. ‘‘I add think that American woman had a face like vin- - egar and granite when I showed her over the hall, but I didn’t suppose but that she had some human feelings about her. I'd like to give her a piece of my mind, that I would. And now I'll tell you what it is, my dear. I like your looks.” ‘*Thank you,” said Gratia, smiling faintly. **T do,” reiterated Mrs. Hopwith, ‘‘and I like your modest- spoken way. If you was one o’ them bold hussies as trades on their good looks to deceive honest folks, I would have naught to say to you ; but I believe you're another sort o’ person, and I ain’t often deceived. You shall stay here with me until you Gomicbooks..ce