She got very tired before dinner was over.

I could see that, poor thing! She's drefful weak, an' it stan's to reason she'd be kind o' snappish sometimes." Mercy opened her lips to reply, but changed her mind and said nothing.
"It's just as well for mother to keep on good terms with her, if she can," she thought.

"Maybe it'll help divert a little of Mrs.White's temper from him, poor fellow!" Stephen had followed them to the door, saying little; but at the last moment, when Mercy said "good-by," he had suddenly held out his hand, and, clasping hers tightly, had looked at her sadly, with a world of regret and appeal and affection and almost despair in the look.
"What a life he must lead of it!" thought Mercy.

"Dear me! I should go wild or else get very wicked.

I believe I'd get very wicked.