Page 189 - agnes-grey

tear: Snap, my little dumb, rough-visaged, but bright-eyed,
warm-hearted companion, the only thing I had to love me,
was taken away, and delivered over to the tender mercies of
the village rat-catcher, a man notorious for his brutal treat-
ment of his canine slaves. The other was serious enough; my
letters from home gave intimation that my father’s health
was worse. No boding fears were expressed, but I was grown
timid and despondent, and could not help fearing that some
dreadful calamity awaited us there. I seemed to see the
black clouds gathering round my native hills, and to hear
the angry muttering of a storm that was about to burst, and
desolate our hearth.

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