Gratia's Trials — page 81: what you’re looking at

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

722 @RATIA’S TRIALS. ability and talent. As Robert Falconer depended on his Uncle Ralph for the advancement of his future fortunes, so Alberta had been educated to scheme and maneuver for a rich husband as the goal of all her hopes. Mrs, Falconer had brought her only daughter up in extravagant habits and tastes, and her only hope of ever being ede to indulge them Bola iv was through the ‘‘ coming man.’ . **Hugo is always preaching economy, and Uncle Ralph is shamefully stingy !” declared the young lady. ‘‘But if I can only marry as I mean to, /’7/7 show them !” Alberta was simply fine-looking. Her eyes and hair were black, but her features were rather coarse, her complexion poor, and her teeth too large for her mouth. All that art could achieve or dress secure to atone for these deficiencies, was, how- ever, brought to the rescue, and Miss Falconer had the satisfac- tion of making a sensation wherever she went. And this was the family into which Gratia Kempfield was now introduced as the chosen attendant of Colonel Falconer’s motherless little daughter. Ida, an impulsive and affecticnate child, spoiled by every one, and allowed her own way to a ruinous degree, in consequence of her lameness, became de- votedly attached to the new nurse, and would notice or obey no one else. ‘Come, darling,” said Mrs, Falconer, in a honeyed voice, one bright morning, ‘‘go with the other little girls down to dig 37 sand. Here is your pail and spade. Papa thinks you stay too i much indoors. Come, sweet !” Ida, who was coiled up on a cushion by the window, with a nest of pillows at her back and a book in her aD looked up, ‘I sha'n't !" said she, independently. ‘‘Don’t tease, grand- mother.” “Come,” insisted Mrs. Falconer; ‘you really ought to go out this charming morning.” But Ida still shook her jetty curls. EComichbooks:co