Gratia's Trials — page 60: what you’re looking at

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

GRATIA’S TRIALS. 51 and I dare say you'll suit. I almost wish I was going to live out myself, Aunt Homer is so trying.” With difficulty Gratia summoned sufficient nerve to pull the -door-bell, and her heart throbbed violently as answering foot- steps resounded along the marble-paved floor of the hall beycnd. As the broad doors swung noiselessly inward on their silver- plated hinges, Gratia found herself confronting a smart maid, with a flounced alpaca dress, and pink ribbons in her hair. ‘‘What do you want?” sharply demanded this personage. CHAPTER X. THE MATERNAL HOME. ‘<I came tosee Mrs. Moultrie. Miss Perry sent me,” faltered Gratia. ‘*My missis can’t be disturbed now,” said the maid, with a toss of her pink-ribboned head ; ‘‘she’s got company.” ‘¢Then I will wait,” said Gratia, with a resolution which had its origin in simple desperation. Presently two ladies, richly dressed, came out of an inner apartment, and a tall, portly personage, with blue eyes, an ex- — quisitely fair complexion, and a quantity of lustrous, pale brown hair, accompanied them as far as the threshold. Her dress was of bright blue silk, and she wore a blue velvet house basque, trimmed with swan’s-down, rosetted slippers, and rich jewels, that made a jingling sound as she walked ; and, moreover, Gratia had plenty of time to observe all these details. She had a soft, gracious manner, and lisped slightly in her speech. ‘‘Then you may expect them next week,” said the taller ‘of the two ladies, Gomicboo ; (e(0) =)