Gratia's Trials — page 28: what you’re looking at

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

‘GRATIA’S TRIALS. | 19° ‘“Gratia,” said he, ‘‘what does it mean to have a new mother ?” ‘*A new mother !” ‘“Yes. How can we havea new mother? Our mother is dead.” ‘‘Of course she is, Raymond. What do you mean ?” ‘‘T] heard Mrs. Playfair whisper it to Miss Pemberton at the funeral.” ‘‘Whisper wha/, Raymond ?” ‘‘Why, ‘she said I should have a new mother pretty soon. How can I, Gratia ?” | Gratia felt a cold chill run through her veins that was not the frosty sweep of the evening wind rustling the vine-leaves at her side. Miss Almira was at the door when the two children returned, and through the open portal they could see the cheerful gleam of the firelight as it played on the glass and china of the ready- spread tea-table. ‘They've come at last,” said she to Ira Kempfield, who sat inside, staring thoughtfully at the fire. ‘‘ Gratia, dear, you shouldn't have that child out so late, with his tendency to croup. ” ‘Tt will-not hurt him,” said Gratia, shortly. ‘‘You don’t know that,” said Miss Almira, reproachfully, drawing the little boy to the fire. ‘*‘Merey, me! how cold his precious hands are! He shall sit on Cousin Almira’s lap and warm them.’ Gratia turned away. She could not bear tosee Raymond in- folded in the caresses of the woman she most disliked of any one on earth. But Mr. Kempfield’s gaze rested admiringly on the tableau. ‘‘T’m sure I don’t know how we shall ever pay you for all your kindness to me and the children, Almira,” he said. Comichooks (ele) =)