Weaker than a Woman — page 246: what you’re looking at

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

WEAKER THAN A WOMAN. - 93 He had been dead some minutes before the doctors found it out, and the same sunbeams gilded the dead face of the husband and the white beautiful living face of the wife. They carried her away, for the horror of the scene proved —_ too much for her. She was so overwhelmed as to cause alarm among those who loved her. It was bright morning then. The doctors took some breakfast, and each went off to his duties. Lady Chevenix lay in her room, with Mrs. Haye keeping anxious watch by her. Felix went home, and Darcy Lonsdale remained, to take charge of every- Aye thing. The gloom of the next few days was great. Into the darkened house there came no sunlight. People kept going and coming, all intent on the same melancholy business— preparations for the funeral. Dull gloomy days they were, into which came no gleam of hope. Sir Owen’s death caused great dismay; stillno one was very much surprised at his untimely end; and, curiously enough, the suddenness of it excited great pity. People who had spoken unkindly of him, and condemned his faults most vigorously, now grieved most for him. His sins and errors seemed to be covered by the great dark, thick vail of death. The day of his funeral came, and half the county at- tended. Sir Owen was buried in the church-yard at Lilford, where the oak trees seemed to murmur among themselves that they had foreseen what would happen, in the early days, when he walked under the spreading shade of their ereat branches. Then came the reading of the will. The lawyers and trustees assembled in the library, and Lady Chevenix, in her widow’s dress, entered soon afterward, accompanied by Mrs. Haye. There was some little commotion at her - entrance. One gentleman brought a chair, another a foot- stool. She looked go delicately lovely in her widow’s dress, her golden hair half hidden by a pretty Parisian cap, the heavy folds of rich crape sweeping the ground. Lord Arlington hastened to meet her, and, after afew kindly words, took his station by her side. It was well known that he and Captain Hill were the two executors of the will. He spoke some few-words to her in a low voice, and then both composed themselves to listen. It was a good and just will—evidently the product of a thoughtful mind. Mr. Lonsdale had, in fact, suggested almost every clause init. Every old servant in the house had a handsome legacy; the trustees, all Sir Owen’s old & (ele) (aos payicel eXeKo) .<S mn