Gratia's Trials — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

GRATIA’S TRIALS. . 15 ‘“‘Land’s sake !” said Mrs. Howe, ‘‘you needn’t to be so scairt, Miss Bassett—you heerd all we did.” ‘Is that all?” said Miss Almira, breathing quick and fast. ‘“‘T didn’t know but that she’d been talkin’ nonsense. Poor dear! I had just stepped into the kitchen to see about a little warm water—I couldn’t have been gone two minutes—and when I came back the doors were all open, and she was gone. Mercy, what a start it gave me!” And hurrying forward, she bent over the bed where they had laid the victim of her cruel treachery. ‘“Gratia, don’t get so close to your ma—she can’t catch her breath,” she said, reproachfully. ‘It don't matter, whispered Mrs. Waring, drawing her gently back. ‘‘Hush! don't tell the poor child yet; she'll never breathe again in this world.” So ended Mrs. Deacon Playfair’s quilting party. The windows were closed in the Kempfield farm-house ; the green paper blinds were rigidly drawn down, to exclude all the light and sunshine that was practicable ; people came and went on tiptoe, especially as they passed the room where the corpse lay, all robed in white, with a cluster of tuberoses in its cold fingers, and one watcher, sitting tirelessly beside the pillow. ‘(What makes you cry so hard, Gratia?” asked Raymond, coming in, and stroking her face with his soft palm. ‘‘Are you going to die, too? Mrs. Playfair says you will.” } ‘‘T wish I could!” moaned Gratia, the hot tears streaming down over her little brother’s hands ; ‘‘oh, I only wish I could !” ‘+ And leave me, Gratia ?” She clasped the chi!d close to her heart. ‘Vou are right, darling; I had forgotten ; I have you to live for yet. If she could speak she would tell me so. Come and look at her Raymond.” She led the little boy to the coffin. He stood on tiptoe to touch the cold temple of his dead mother, GEomicboo (eo) =)