Gratia's Trials — page 37: what you’re looking at

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

28 GRATIA’S. TRIALS. ‘“He beat me,” whimpered Raymond, through his tears ; ‘che shook me, and beat me, sister—and I’m to have no sup-. per !” Gratia was silent for a moment. ‘‘What was it all about, Raymond ?” she asked, at length. ‘‘T asked her to let me carry up the birds’ nests and stones, and things that my own mamma arranged on the shelves for me, ‘cause I didn’t want Aer to touch them.” ‘¢But you did not tell her that ?” ‘“No; I only asked her to please Jet me take them up stairs in the little covered basket that Phoebe Ann gave me. And she caught them all in her apron, and said they were only rubbish, and she was going to throw them out of the window.” ‘‘And then, Raymond?” questioned his sister, breathlessly. ‘‘T ’most forget, Gratia, Il was so mad. But I tried to kick her—and I called her names—yes, I did!” owned Raymond, with what sounded like some lingering traces of compunction. ‘«And you are sorry, Raymond ?” ‘No, I amt,” sputtered Raymond ; ‘‘I ain’t one bit sorry. I wish I could have bit her old, ugly face !” “Raymond!” Raymond!” remonstrated his ‘sister, secretly — glad that the young rebel could not see the amused look in her eyes. ‘“‘J don't care! She told father, and father beat me. Oh, Gratia, my arm is so sore, and my head aches; and I’m so cold and hungry besides !” ‘“‘Reach up to the top of the big box in the corner, and get one of those woolen blankets to wrap yourself in, dear,” said Gratia, in a low voice, ‘‘and I will see that you have some sup- per.” | True to her promise, she stole into the buttery while Mrs. Kempfield “was presiding, with smiles and sweet words, over her husband’s supper, and got some bread and butter, a piece of - apple pie, and two or three seed cakes. These she put in a lit- tle basket, and going to the outside, boldly climbed the rotting comicbooks.co 3