Ruby's Reward — page 320: what you’re looking at

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

“Was he ill long?” “More than a year.” “What supported you all during that time?” “My mother did fancy work of various kinds; she was especially skillful in making artificial flowers, for which she received afair price, aud, while my father lived, she provided him with every comfort, although I know that she often denied herself proper sore Sustain her own failing strength. as 2b I Walter looked up quickly, for there were both dis- may and grief expressed in the startled expletive. “How much suifering there isin this world! How much heroism in such self-denying wives! Your mother was a brave little woman,” said Madam How- Jand, and Walter saw that there were tears trembling on her lashes. “How sympathetic she is!” he thought. and he | felt more free to open his heart to her after that. “When my father died.” he went on, in tones that. were a trifle unsteady, ‘my mother was heart-broken, and from that hour she beran to fail also, She had -adreadful cough; but she still kept on with her work, for [had to be fed, and clothed, and sent to school. But atlast ler strength gave out entirely. and she had to keep her bed; then I had fo stay at home to take what care I could of her, and to sell papers to help eke out the little that she was still able to earn at her taney work, tor she persisted in imaking her beautiful flowers even after she was too weak to sit up, and | took them out to be sold. Of course, Matters grew worse and worse with us, and finally we became 80 destitute that I used to ask peo- ple now and thento give mea little money to keep my mother from starving; and at last. as I have already told you, I met Mr. Carpeuter and begged a nickel from hin. “He went home with me, and found that my mother was one whom he had loved before she left her native place, when she was Miss Martha Burton’s heiress, There had been a quarrel, or SG ASHEN IRZaart some kind, aud he went away ina passion. Of Course.