Gratia's Trials — page 56: what you’re looking at

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

GRATIA’S TRIALS. 47 ‘Yes, itis I, Mrs. Homer,” said Gratia. ‘‘ May I come in? I’m very tired, and have had no breakfast.” © Mrs. Homer was a tall, uncompromising looking female, ‘ with pale blue eyes, scanty fringes of curls hanging down on each side of her face, and lips so thin as to resemble a mere gathering thread in her face. | ‘‘ Ves, you may come in,” said Mrs. Homer, rather coldly. ‘«Sit down. I haven't a thing in the house to eat, but I sup- pose I can send out for a few rolls or something. How is your mother ?” ‘‘My mother is dead,” said Gratia, with a quivering lip. ‘‘Dear me! you-dont tell me so ! Well, she always was sickly looking, and we've all got to die.” ‘‘ And,” pursued Gratia, beginning to weep, ‘‘ my father has married again, and I am very unhappy, and—and I’ve left home.” ‘¢There, don't cry, for pity’s sake!” said Mrs. Homer, ‘‘I bd hate a scene. I never was one of the crying sort myself, and I» don’t like to see it in others.” All this time she had not asked Gratia to remove her things, but stood before her, as if expecting that her stay would be of the shortest. ‘¢ And as for your father marrying again:” she added, after a moment or two of cold silence, ‘‘I dare say it was the best thing he could do.” ‘¢But do you know the woman he has chosen ?” gasped Gra- tia, the sickly chill of disappointment beginning to steal over her heart. ‘‘I would sooner die than endure her tyranny.” ‘Humph!” commented Mrs. Homer. ‘‘It's easy to talk of dying. And what do you calculate you are going to do?” ‘Mrs. Homer,” began Gratia, with some spirit, ‘‘you have found a home at our house for weeks ata time, and you have frequently invited us to return your visits. I thought you would let me stay with you for a little while until #1 ‘< As for that,” broke in Mrs. Homer’s hard, measured tones, Gomicboo cS (e(@) >