The Argosy — page 82: what you’re looking at

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

Poor Aunt Deb! | 67 standing here and there like dismal ghosts, with arms uplifted ina warning manner. Howcold I grew! All the sympathy I had felt when standing in the warm, well lighted Rectory porch oozed out at my fingers’ ends. But we Grands are no cowards by training or descent; so I determined to go on, only wishing in my heart that old Thomas wasn’t quite so deaf and lame as I knew him to be. © We reached the last stile, and climbing over it I saw the dark barge lying on the canal: a great lumbering object with only one ray of light in a sort of cabin, something below the level of the deck. Crossing a shaky plank, in rear of my guide, I found myself face to face with an old woman not quite so pleasant-looking, and decidedly rougher in manner than my first friend. ‘“Who be this, Jim?” was a salutation not altogether cheering. However, ‘‘ Jim” told her in a few words who I was, as far as he knew, and then pushing open a little door, she went down a few steps, and ushered me into a small apartment about twelve feet by ten. There, stretched on a miserable bed, with no covering save an old quilted counterpane and one or two filthy rugs, lay the most lovely girl my old eyes had ever looked upon ! Her small oval face, even in that wretched light, shone out in striking contrast with the sordid surroundings. Her soft hair lay damp and matted on her fair forehead, and the touching expression of hopeless resignation made my heart throb with compassion till I could find no words to speak. | “T’m afeard her’s mortal bad,” said the woman pityingly, but roughly ; ‘‘ but I think her’s sleeping now.” | Then, slipping down the coverlid, she went on: “The young ’un won't live an hour.” And there, in the girl’s arms, was a little waxen image of the mother, but oh! so white and wan, that even my inex- perienced eyes knew that the seal of death was upon it. ‘“‘ Who is she, and what brings her here ?” I said, quite sharply, for I felt there could be no kinship between these two women. “Oh, it’s all right, ma’am,” she answered in a very reticent manner. “‘T was just giving her a lift down in the barge, when she was taken ill. D’ve done the best I could for her.” ‘But where, and who, are her friends ?” I persisted. ‘““Oh, m’appen they ain’t far off;” and as she spoke the girl opened her eyes wide, and I knew by the way she glanced at the woman that she trusted in her, despite the odd surroundings. My fears that she had been subjected to any ill-treatment at their hands subsided at once, Then, as her glance wandered on to me, I saw a sudden flush sweep over her face, only to die away as quickly to the deathly pallor that had so startled me. “It’s only a kind lady who has come to see you, dearie,” said the woman. But as she spoke, I saw the girl was lapsing again into partial cComicooolks (CO) im