Gratia's Trials — page 191: what you’re looking at

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

182 GRATIA'S TRIALS. were So expeditious about it, too. You area perfect pearl of hair-dressers. ” ‘‘Only an amateur,” said Gratia, smiling. ‘‘ Last month I was a governess, three months since a companion to a lady, and before that ” Here she checked herself for an instant, and then resumed: ‘‘And in the future, nobody knows what I am to be.” ‘You shall be my maid, if you will come,” Alicia Melworth cried, enthusiastically. ‘‘I’ve been tired of Marguerite’s shuf- fling French ways this long time, and nothing on earth but my natural indolence has debarred me from making a change. Can you read aloud well !” ‘*T think so.” dye Ba ro Alicia put a volume of Tennyson’s ‘‘Idyls of the King” into her hands, and opened the passage where the ‘‘Sweet Elaine ” breaks her heart for love of. Sir Launcelot. ‘The deep crimson rose to Gratia’s brow; she was familiar with the poem, and it suggested an analogy to the secrets of her own heart. No wonder, then, that she read it with a beauty and pathos of ex- pression that fairly electrified Miss Melworth. ‘“‘Splendid !” she cried. ‘*‘ What an actress you would have made! I couldn't endure Marguerite’s drawling accent after that. Now for the more practical question—can you take care of lace, and India shawls, and jewels, and ermine, and all that sort of thing ?” — €*Certainly I can.” _“* And are you very patient and much enduring? Because I warn you, honestly, that I’m a terrible trial to my maids,” ‘*I shall endeavor to endure you,” said Gratia, with a gravity that made Alicia laugh ; while Mrs. Hopwith stood looking on _ beamingly, convinced that the golden goblets of fortune had fallen into her young friend’s grasp. ‘‘And how much wages do you expect? Marguerite calls it salary.” | ) : EComicbooks.co