His Other Wife: A Novel — page 370: what you’re looking at

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

362 LEDA’S HOST. Her tone was infinitely pathetic; it touched Warren keenly in his tender, manly soul, for he knew how dreary and bitter indeed must be her thoughts very often. He tried to speak cheerily to brighten her. ‘‘Ah, yes, I can imagine; but then there are other things you can do for diversion which I cannot. I fre- quently think what an endless source of amusement you women must find in your pretty needle-work.” ‘‘Perhaps; but Iam not blessed with any of those en- gaging accomplishments. Mamma would never let me - learn to work in any way.” “It is not too late now—you are still so young.” ‘‘And, you might add, ‘so poor that work would be- come you,’” The words were very bitter; they dropped like gall from her lips. ‘It would comfort and sustain you,” said Warren, gravely and gently, not seeming to have noticed the self- scorn of her remark, ‘‘T wish, then, I knew how and where to begin.” ‘‘My mother will teach you; she loves all kinds of work, and it makes her happy, and fills up many a Jonely hour.” | ““Where would you advise me to begin? With scrub- bing? Ha! hal” | The ghastly mockery of her laugh, and the suppressed disdain of her tone, showed how the pain of poverty was hurting her proud heart, Eomicbooks.¢o 3