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6
of herbs from the chambers of their own fancy
as more naturally efficient. Their egoism
was first nursed - often dropping
an engagement and all duty in a
failure on the part of the enfeebled
patient to introduce this important
person to some dear friend who had
been allowed within the sacred lines of the sick
room. Should death occur it was
their triumphant hour. The minor key
of their lives prepared them naturally
for such solemnity - death was not
strangely different from their own living.
There was a brief prominence for them before re-
returning to the farm-house - meeting the
minister - the mourners - a seat with the
family at the funeral - and the funeral
meals - a rich budget of on-dits
careful criticism of coffin and drape
and an assertions as to the fatality of
the illness from the first in their supreme
gloomy judgement. Sometimes these women
had gentle hands and gushing kindness
