Gratia's Trials — page 38: what you’re looking at

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

GRATIA’S TRIALS. 29 frame-work of slats which supported a leafless honeysuckle vine on the west end of the house, and tapped at the window. Little Raymond was cowering, all in a heap, on the middle of the floor, his bright eyes shining like a squirrel’s from the foids of the blanket that enveloped him. He jumped up with an exclamation of delight as he saw his sister's face. ‘*Open the window, dear, and reach down,” whispered Gratia, ‘‘Heres your supper. Give me the basket back, and she will never know what raven it was that fed my little Elijah,” ‘<QOh, sister, couldn't I climb down that way ?” ‘*What would be the use, Raymond ?” ‘<Then we could run away together,” whispered the little boy, his breath short and fast, ‘‘ like the Babes in the Wood, you know, sister.” Gratia smiled and sighed. ? ‘<The time has not yet come for that, dear,” she answered. ‘But, never fear, Raymond, you and I will break loose from this bondage yet.” Gratia’s remonstrance to her father had proved of no avail. Raymond was despoiled of the little room his mother had fitted up for him with such fond maternal pride, and lodged ruth- lessly in the bleak garret chamber, where the stars shone down, like freezing points of light, through the cracks in the roof, of bitter winter nights, and the child lay awake, cowering and trembling at the weird sound of loose boards flapping to and fro in the siding, as the wind howled drearily round the corner of the house. One or two nights, moved by his tears and entreaties, Gratia stole up to his room in her stocking feet, and carried him down to her own bed, where he nestled down beside her like a little frightened lamb. But Mrs. Kempfield, who always prowled round the house long after she was supposed to be in bed, soon discovered this. Eomicboo (eo) =)