soIgrewtothinkitmustbeashamputUponpoorignorantfolk，women，andsuch-like。“ItwasnotlongItriedtoliveGospel-wise，butitwaslikerheaventhananyotherbitofearthhasbeen。I’doldAlicetostrengthenme；buteveryoneelsesaid，’Standupforthyrights，orthou’ltneverget’em；’andwifeandchildrenneverspoke，buttheirhelplessnesscriedaloud，andIwasdriventodoasothersdid，——andthenTomdied。Youknowallaboutthat——I’mgettingscanto’breath，andblind-like。“Thenagainhespoke，aftersomeminutesofhushedsilence。“Allalongitcamenaturaltolovefolk，thoughnowIamwhatIam。IthinkonetimeIcoulde’enhavelovedthemastersifthey’dha’lettenme；thatwasinmyGospel-days，aforemychilddiedo’hunger。Iwastoreintwooftentimes，betweenmysorrowforpoorsufferingfolk，andmytryingtolovethemascausedtheirsufferingstomymind。“AtlastIgaveitupindespair，tryingtomakefolks’actionssquarewi’th’Bible；andIthoughtI’dnolongerlabouratfollowingth’Biblemysel’，I’vesaidallthisafore，maybe。ButfromthattimeI’vedroppeddown，down——down。“Afterthatheonlyspokeinbrokensentences。“Ididnotthinkhe’dbeensuchanoldman，——Oh!thathehadbutforgivenme，“——andthencameearnest，passionate，brokenwordsofprayer。JobLeghhadgonehomelikeonestruckdownwiththeunexpectedshock。
MaryandJemtogetherwaitedtheapproachofdeath；butasthefinalstruggledrewon，andmorningdawned，Jemsuggestedsomealleviationtothegaspingbreath，topurchasewhichheleftthehouseinsearchofadruggist’sshop，whichshouldbeopenatthatearlyhour。Duringhisabsence，Bartongrewworse；hehadfallenacrossthebed，andhisbreathingseemedalmoststopped；invaindidMarystrivetoraisehim，hersorrowandexhaustionhadrenderedhertooweak。So，onhearingsomeoneenterthehouse-placebelow，shecriedoutforJemtocometoherassistance。Astep，whichwasnotJem’s，cameupthestairs。MrCarsonstoodinthedoor-way。Inoneinstanthecomprehendedthecase。Heraisedupthepowerlessframe；andthedepartingsoullookedoutoftheeyeswithgratitude。Heheldthedyingmanproppedinhisarms。JohnBartonfoldedhishands，asifinprayer。“Prayforus，“saidMar，sinkingonherknees，andforgettinginthatsolemnhourallthathaddividedherfatherandMrCarson。Nootherwordswouldsuggestthemselvesthansomeofthosehehadreadonlyafewhoursbefore：“Godbemercifultoussinners——Forgiveusourtrespassesasweforgivethemthattrespassagainstus。Andwhenthewordsweresaid，JohnBartonlayacorpseinMrCarson’sarms。Soendedthetragedyofapoorman’slife。Maryknewnothingmoreformanyminutes。Whensherecoveredconsciousness，shefoundherselfsupportedbyJemonthe“settle“inthehouse-place。
JobandMrCarsonwerethere，talkingtogetherlowlyandsolemnly。ThenMrCarsonbadefarewellandleftthehouse；andJobsaidaloud，butasifspeakingtohimself，“Godhasheardthatman’sprayer。Hehascomfortedhim。“
Thefirstdarkdayofnothingness，Thelastofdangeranddistress。BYRON。AlthoughMaryhadhardlybeenconsciousofherthoughts，andithadbeenmorelikeasecretinstinctinforminghersoul，thantheresultofanyprocessofreasoning，shehadfeltforsometimeeversinceherreturnfromLiverpool，infact，thatforherfathertherewasbutonethingtobedesiredandanticipated，andthatwasdeath!ShehadseenthatConsciencehadgiventhemortalwoundtohisearthlyframe；shedidnotdaretoquestionoftheinfinitemercyofGod，whattheFutureLifewouldbetohim。Thoughatfirstdesolateandstunnedbytheblowwhichhadfallenonherself，shewasresignedandsubmissiveassoonassherecoveredstrengthenoughtoponderandconsideralittle；andyoumaybesurethatnotendernessorlovewaswantingonJem’spart，andnoconsiderationandsympathyonthatofJobandMargaret，tosootheandcomfortthegirlwhonowstoodaloneintheworldasfarasblood-relationswereconcerned。Shedidnotaskorcaretoknowwhatarrangementstheyweremakinginwhisperedtoneswithregardtothefuneral。Sheputherselfintotheirbandswiththetrustofalittlechild；gladtobeundisturbedinthereveriesandremembranceswhichfilledhereyeswithtears，andcausedthemtofallquietlydownherpalecheeks。Itwasthelongestdayshehadeverknowninherlife；everychareandeveryoccupationwastakenawayfromher：butperhapsthelengthofquiettimethusaffordedwasreallygood，althoughitsdurationweigheduponher；forbythismeansshecontemplatedhersituationineverylight，andfullyunderstoodthatthemorning’seventhadleftheranorphan；andthusshewassparedthepangscausedtousbytheoccurrenceofdeathintheevening，justbeforeweshouldnaturally，intheusualcourseofevents，liedowntoslumber。Forinsuchcase，wornoutbyanxiety，anditmaybebymuchwatching，ourveryexcessofgriefrocksitselftosleep，beforewehavehadtimetorealiseitscause；andwewaken，withastartofagonylikeafreshstab，totheconsciousnessoftheoneawfulvacancy，whichshallnever，whiletheworldendures，befilledagain。ThedaybroughtitsburdenofdutytoMrsWilson。Shefeltboundbyregard，aswellasbyetiquette，togoandseeherfuturedaughter-in-law。Andbyanoldassociationofideasperhapsofdeathwithchurch-yards，andchurcheswithSunday，shethoughtitnecessarytoputonherbest，andlatterlyunusedclothes，theairingofwhichonalittleclothes-horsebeforethefireseemedtogiveheranotunpleasingoccupation。WhenJemreturnedhomelateintheeveningsucceedingJohnBarton’sdeath，wearyandoppressedwiththeoccurrencesandexcitementsoftheday，hefoundhismotherbusyabouthermourning，andmuchinclinedtotalk。Althoughhelongedforquiet，hecouldnotavoidsittingdownandansweringherquestions。“Well，Jem!he’sgoneatlast，ishe？““Yes。Howdidyouhear，mother？““Oh，Jobcameoverhere，andtelledme，onhiswaytotheundertaker’s。
Didhemakeafineend？“ItstruckJemthatshehadnotheardoftheconfessionwhichhadbeenmadebyJohnBartononhisdeath-bed；herememberedJobLegh’sdiscretion，andhedeterminedthatifitcouldbeavoidedhismothershouldneverhearofit。Manyofthedifficultiestobeanticipatedinpreservingthesecretwouldbeobviated，ifhecouldinducehismothertofallintotheplanhehadnamedtoMaryofemigratingtoCanada。Thereasonswhichrenderedthissecrecydesirablerelatedtothedomestichappinesshehopedfor。
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