Thrice Wedded, but Only Once a Wife — page 202: what you’re looking at

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

THRICE WEDDED. 193 only a broken-hearted wife and mother can pray, and Heaven in His mercy heard, and gave me back my child from the jaws of death! ‘Then my slender stock of money began to fail, and it was the old, old story of cruel poverty, seeking for employ- ment, and finding scarcely sufficient to sustain life. _ ‘“‘At length when Ralph was four years old, my own health began to fail, though I still dragged myself about, and strove to work that he need not go hungry. ‘One day I sat drearily gazing from my window, when my eyes fell upon a familiar form. I started wildly to my feet, and looked again. I could not be mistaken, and my heart beat with fresh hope and courage, for I felt assured that help was near. ‘‘Vhat familiar form was my brother Ralph. I rushed forth, followed him at a distance, and found out the place where he stopped, resolving to go to him the day following, and claim his care and protection. ‘‘Alas, for human plans! That night I was taken violently ill, and when morning came [| felt that my earthly race was almost run. I immediately sent for my brother, and he came. But only to curse me anew, and taunt me with my shame and degradation, and to swear that he would do nothing for me. I begged and pleaded that he would take my boy, and care for him, when I was gone, telling him I felt I could not live a week; but with a heart hke adamant, he turned from me, and, as I thought, left me to die alone, and my darling to the cold care of strangers. ‘But, contrary to all expectations, my disease took a favor- able turn, and I grew better immediately. Still, I was so destitute and friendless that my heart nearly failed me at the prospect of continued toil and poverty, with no one to encourage or lend mea helping hand. — “‘A week passed, and I was able to sit up. One day, with a heart full of sorrow, and forebodings of ill, asI sat clasping my boy in my arms, as if I could thus shield him from all harm, I chanced to turn my gaze without, and saw Ralph coming again toward my dwelling. : ‘‘My heart told me at once that his coming was not to benefit me, but that he thought I was no more, and, with a dim spark of humanity still flickering in his bosom, he had determined to care for my boy. “TY made a sudden resolution, and, hastening to the Gomichoo (G( 0) eS)