'everywordshesaidpiercedmyheartlikeaknife;butiknewshewasright,andthethoughtpressedheavilyuponme.ikissedherhand,andweptbittertears,andiweptstillmorewheniwenttomyroom,andthrewmyselfonthebed.ipassedthroughadreadfulnight;godknowswhatisuffered,andhowistruggled.thefollowingsundayiwenttothehouseofgodtoprayforlighttodirectmyseemedlikeaprovidencethatasisteppedoutofchurchericcametowardsme;andthenthereremainednotadoubtinmymind.weweresuitedtoeachotherinrankandcircumstances.hewas,eventhen,amanofgoodmeans.iwentuptohim,andtookhishand,andsaid,'doyoustillfeelthesameforme?''yes;everandalways,'saidhe.'willyou,then,marryamaidenwhohonorsandesteemsyou,althoughshecannotofferyouherlove?butthatmaycome.''yes,itwillcome,'saidhe;andwejoinedourhandstogether,andiwenthometomymistress.thegoldringwhichhersonhadgivenmeiworenexttomyheart.icouldnotplaceitonmyfingerduringthedaytime,butonlyintheevening,wheniwenttobed.ikissedtheringtillmylipsalmostbled,andthenigaveittomymistress,andtoldherthatthebannsweretobeputupformeandtheglovemakerthefollowingweek.thenmymistressthrewherarmsroundme,andkissedme.shedidnotsaythatiwas'goodfornothing;'verylikelyiwasbetterthenthaniamnow;butthemisfortunesofthisworld,wereunknowntomethen.atmichaelmasweweremarried,andforthefirstyeareverythingwentwellwithus.wehadajourneymanandanapprentice,andyouwereourservant,martha."

"ah,yes,andyouwereadear,goodmistress,"saidmartha,"ishallneverforgethowkindyouandyourhusbandweretome."

"yes,thosewerehappyyearswhenyouwerewithus,althoughwehadnochildrenatfirst.thestudentinevermetagain.yetisawhimonce,althoughhedidnotseeme.hecametohismother'sfuneral.isawhim,lookingpaleasdeath,anddeeplytroubled,standingathergrave;forshewashismother.sometimeafter,whenhisfatherdied,hewasinforeignlands,anddidnotcomehome.iknowthathenevermarried,ibelievehebecamealawyer.hehadforgottenme,andevenhadwemethewouldnothaveknownme,forihavelostallmygoodlooks,andperhapsthatisallforthebest."andthenshespokeofthedarkdaysoftrial,whenmisfortunehadfallenuponthem.

"wehadfivehundreddollars,"shesaid,"andtherewasahouseinthestreettobesoldfortwohundred,sowethoughtitwouldbeworthourwhiletopullitdownandbuildanewoneinitsplace;soitwasbought.thebuilderandcarpentermadeanestimatethatthenewhousewouldcosttenhundredandtwentydollarstobuild.erichadcredit,soheborrowedthemoneyinthechieftown.butthecaptain,whowasbringingittohim,wasshipwrecked,andthemoneylost.justaboutthistime,mydearsweetboy,wholiessleepingthere,wasborn,andmyhusbandwasattackedwithaseverelingeringrthreequartersofayeariwasobligedtodressandundresswerebackwardinourpayments,weborrowedmoremoney,andallthatwehadwaslostandsold,andthenmyhusbanddied.sincethenihaveworked,toiled,andstrivenforthesakeofthechild.ihavescrubbedandwashedbothcoarseandfinelinen,butihavenotbeenabletomakemyselfbetteroff;anditwasgod'swill.inhisowntimehewilltakemetohimself,butiknowhewillneverforsakemyboy."thenshefellasleep.inthemorningshefeltmuchrefreshed,andstrongenough,asshethought,togoonwithherwork.butassoonasshesteppedintothecoldwater,asuddenfaintnessseizedher;sheclutchedattheairconvulsivelywithherhand,tookonestepforward,andfell.herheadrestedondryland,butherfeetwereinthewater;herwoodenshoes,whichwereonlytiedonbyawispofstraw,werecarriedawaybythestream,andthusshewasfoundbymarthawhenshecametobringhersomecoffee.

inthemeantimeamessengerhadbeensenttoherhousebythemayor,tosaythatshemustcometohimimmediately,ashehadsomethingtotellher.itwastoolate;asurgeonhadbeensentfortoopenaveininherarm,butthepoorwomanwasdead.

"shehasdrunkherselftodeath,"saidthecruelmayor.intheletter,containingthenewsofhisbrother'sdeath,itwasstatedthathehadleftinhiswillalegacyofsixhundreddollarstotheglovemaker'swidow,whohadbeenhismother'smaid,tobepaidwithdiscretion,inlargeorsmallsumstothewidoworherchild.

"therewassomethingbetweenmybrotherandher,iremember,"saidthemayor;"itisagoodthingthatsheisoutoftheway,fornowtheboywillhavethewhole.iwillplacehimwithhonestpeopletobringhimup,thathemaybecomearespectableworkingman."andtheblessingofgodresteduponthesewords.themayorsentfortheboytocometohim,andpromisedtotakecareofhim,butmostcruellyaddedthatitwasagoodthingthathismotherwasdead,for"shewasgoodfornothing."theycarriedhertothechurchyard,thechurchyardinwhichthepoorwereburied.marthastrewedsandonthegraveandplantedarose-treeuponit,andtheboystoodbyherside.

"oh,mypoormother!"