Gratia's Trials — page 55: what you’re looking at

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

46 GRATIA’S TRIALS. quarter before six. There were a few waiting passengers loung- ing around the little wooden platform, talking idly about chance matters, glancing at their watches, or listening for the distant whistle of the coming train. It came at last, sweeping round the curve of the woods, and in another moment Gratia was being whirled along with a speed that seemed to her almost fabulous. | She had Mrs. Homer’s address, written in pencil on a slip of paper, and thither she was determined to bend her steps the first thing. | She addressed the nearest policeman, asking for the informa- tion she required. He told her, civilly enough, and even placed her in a car tell- ing the conductor where to stop. ‘“No, — Seventh avenue! here you are!” bawled the con- ductor presently, and Gratia alighted. It was no pleasant little house, standing by itself, as Gratia fancied it might be, but one of a block of tall, cheap-looking, stucco-fronted houses, with a large fancy store bearing the num- ber. Into this store Gratia went, and humbly inquired for Mrs, Homer. ‘‘ Homer ?—Homer ?” repeated the young lady in cheap silk and imitation jewelry, who stood behind the counter. ‘‘I don’t know no such name.” ‘‘Perhaps it’s the woman that lives up on the third story,” said. another, who was sorting different colored skeins of silk for embroidery. Acting upon this suggestion, Gratia ascended the Stairs, and on the third floor her heart gave a bound of joy as, in the face of the person who opened the second door at which she knocked, she beheld the familiar lineaments of Mrs. Homer. ‘‘Dear me!” said that lady, after a minute’s unrecognizing stare, ‘‘its Gratia, ain’t it?—the farmer’s girl, up among the mountains ?” | =) Vie Eomichbooks.co