Gratia's Trials — page 69: what you’re looking at

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

60. GRATIA’S TRIALS. as a fine-looking, middle-aged man crossed the threshold— ‘it’s such a relief to see you here, Dear little Flora’s very poorly.” The doctor sat down beside the crib, felt ie child’s pulse, and examined her crifically. ‘‘Doctor,” cried Mrs. Simmons, ‘‘ you don't think ‘‘T think she is very ill—much more so than you have any idea of,” said the doctor. ‘‘ You should have sent for me be- fore.” Hannah, the chambermaid, was standing on the threshold of ‘the up-stairs nursery, with the tears running down her cheeks, as Gratia came toward it. ‘“VYou needn’t tell me what-the doctor said,” she broke out, passionately. ‘‘I know well enough that Flora’s going to die —little merry-hearted Flora, that was the flower of the whole flock. They’ve killed her, between ‘em—that’s what they’ve done! Don’t Z remember what she was when she first came here, with that pious, canting old grandmother of hers, ‘that couldn't spare time from camp-meetings and church-going to bring up her own flesh and blood. It’s murder, that’s just what it is, and poor little Aleck’s worse off yet !” ‘‘ Why do you stay here then ?” Gratia asked, gravely. ‘* Because I can't help myself—that’s why. I’ve been in sore need of money once or twice, and Mrs. Moultrie’s lent it to me, and now I am in her toils for good and all. But I warn you to take my advice and clear out as soon as ever you decent- . ly can.” “And leave these poor little ones ?” | ‘That's been one thing that’s kept me here,” cried Hannah, throwing her frilled white apron over her head. ‘‘ It’s little I can do, anyway, but once in a while I get a chance to help the poor things, in an underhand way, and that’s a sort of comfort tome. Qh, poor little Flo! she was like a daisy when first she came here, but no one would know her now.” ‘‘ Perhaps she may get better,” said Gratia, soothingly, 33 ‘comichbooks:com