The Freemason's Daughter: A Novel — page 54: what you’re looking at

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

THE FREEMASONS DAUGHTER. 45 at all times evinced to render a service to those who were even poorer than himself. ‘“<QOh, sir,” said the widow, curtseying to the ground, ‘*T am so glad you are come. I always said, despite ill reports, that you must have a kind heart, or you never would have put up with Mr. Gridley’s failings for so many years. Poor man, its all over now.” ‘‘ What, 1s he dead?’ demanded Gilbert, in a tone of iull-suppressed joy. “Not yet, but worse—worse than dead—he is mad !” ‘¢ Drunk, I suppose ?”’ ‘No, sir, mad—downright, staring mad. He fancies that he sees all sorts of things and people in the air ; talks to nobody, and answers himself; shouts out ‘Murder!’ shrieks, and buries his face in the pillow, to hide himself from the hideous faces which he says are grinning at him through the curtains. And I am sure,’ added Mrs. Bentley, “there are no other faces than mine, Tim’s Dick’s, and the children’s near him.” ‘And who is Tim’s Dick?” demanded her visitor uneasily. ‘‘ A loom-hand, a great speaker at the hall—a cute, clever man. We call him Tim’s Dick, because his father’s name was Tim. I am sure that if he had been the poor man’s own son, he could not have taken greater care of him. He has sat up with him half the night, and given him brandy every time the fit came on 93 ® him COniiclooecl SS (SO