Vashti's Fate — page 226: what you’re looking at

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

‘¥ . La . . % et ee i % Op ee a er ee A WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING. 221 **The mistress said something in reply that I could not catch the meaning of; she seemed to be crying. Miss Dale answered her in the same cross voice : ‘*<There, don't go and worry yourself sick. Now, Im sure I haven’t slept for a week, for waiting on you with that last spell. If you don’t want to sign it, say so, and Ill burn the thing up. As I've said a great many times, I made up my mind long ago, that I should probably die so poor I _ should have to be buried at the public expense. ’ ‘«¢Tf it would relieve you so much,’ I heard the mistress say, ‘I will sign it. I can’t write all that, though—I’m too sick to do it.’ ‘“<¢Tt isn’t worth a straw, if it is not in your writing,’ I heard Miss Dale say; then followed a good deal of low talk that I couldn't hear, but I could tell from Miss Dale's voice, that she wasn’t in a pleasant way, and pretty soon I heard the pen scratching on the paper, and creeping up to the door, I could see the mistress writing and looking quite out of heart, while Miss Dale read to her from a paper she had in her hand. Miss Dale came pretty soon and shut the door, and do what I would, I couldn’t hear another word. I went away pretty soon, and was very unhappy about what I had heard, but I didn’t at all know what to do about it, and I tried to forget what I thought could do nobody any good to know, till I heard that Miss Dale pretended she had a will; and when I came to hear what was in it, I knew it was the very same thing I had overheard them talking about, for I recognized some of the words, and it made me feel so. badly, I thought I must come and tell you, Mister Frank.” Frank with difficulty held still till she finished her pain- | ful recital, he was in such a towering passion. After his usual boisterous style, he swore roundly that he would pay that vile creature, Miss Dale, the sum she claimed, and boo com , >: ee 22 ore, « =e - S$ Pg te NJ “Gon! oe > tn aoe 2 -. KR ~< -X 4 . iV ee, % “ be Ae ane ane We foe a Rapa ah eee Se > + \ otis mn