Gratia's Trials — page 53: what you’re looking at

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

44 - GRATIA’S TRIALS. me a kindly welcome, until I can at least find something to do. I will work hard, and make a home for dear little Raymond, and then I will come after him, and we will be so happy to- gether.” Noe She had no resources, save about five dollars that had been given to her by her mother for some fancied necessity just be- fore her death, and which she had never since had the heart to spend. Besides this, there were the old gold beads, which were of some intrinsic value, and a quarter-eagle in gold that she had possessed ever since she was a child. She did pack up her things that night, but it was different from what Mr. Kempfield expected. Instead of filling the painted pine box, that constituted her only trunk, with the various de- - tails of her simple wardrobe, she took only such articles as were absolutely necessary, and rolled them into a compact bundle. She dressed herself in a plain black alpaca dress which had been part of her unpretending mourning, tied ona black felt hat, and wrapped a dyed shawl about her. It was all coarse, plain, and cld fashioned, for Almira Kempfield had persuaded | her husband that it was unnecessary to buy any new articles of dress for ‘‘a mere child like Gratia” since her mother’s death. Gliding softly, like a shadow, across the hall, she lifted the latch of the garret stair-way, and went up to little Raymond’s room. ‘‘Poor little Raymond,” she murmured to herself. ‘But I must be patient ; it will be but for a little while.” peat The child woke with a start, as she laid her cool hand softly on his forehead. ‘‘Hush, dear!” she whispered. ‘‘ Don’t be startled, Ray- mond. I have come to tell you good-by.” m He threw his arms about her, clinging to her witha convul-_ Sive shivering, which was partly terror and alarm, and partly the chill of insufficient clothing in the raw air of the ear] | y morning. ‘Where are you going, Gratia ?” Fi -ere —- Ecomicbooks.co