The Martyrdom of Madeline

a careful inquiry made into the manner of his death, the jury bringing in a verdict to the effect that

rief, Uncle Mark was ca

ce was over, one of them stood forward, and, with tears in his eyes, chanted fort

hich had ceased, as it were, with her husband's dying breath, than she wailed and broke down. For a time all the bitterness of t

old was upon her; and no sooner was he in his grave than she had to speculate upon the future. The verdict of the jury destroyed all chance of receiving any compensation from the owners of the tug, and indeed Mrs. Peartree never dr

ot been for his brother he would never have got work at all. Mark Peartree had been a skilful bargeman, and in order to secure his services the barge-owners had been quite willing that he sho

in across the river in Kent who might be w

tree wanted an odd hand, and would be glad,

e to do? She could not keep him; it was as much as she could do to keep herself-and the only prospect she saw of doing this was to go out as a monthly nurse, a post for wh

uld try to visit him once or twice a year-and after she had earned a little, she would try to rent a small room in Gray-fleet, and make it a home where Luke could com

o give up the hou

e be my means

l the bit o

, ma

become o' li

o was seated on a footstool by her side; then m

k after Madli

one to school, Mrs. Peartree went on with

Madlin, Luke, and I've dec

seemed to him that Mrs. Peartree was growing very hard-hearted,

on't first, but I'm past that now. 'Twill be for the child's good too. If she stopped wi' us, she

, mo

yet much kin of hers at all; but for all that he's a good gentleman, and will do his duty by her. We'l

eline was to take her up to London and hand her over to the care of her natural guardian-the benevolent-look

Lord only knows what she would do. After she's growed up, bless her, s

t to bed tolerably contented with Aunt Jane's mode of working,

she happened to come within arm's length of Aunt Jane she was certain to be caught up and kissed; if Uncle Luke's eye fell upon her, he burst into tears; at meal times she had three times too much food crammed upon h

of the city,' Mrs. Peartree said, 'and would do the errand better

Childish griefs are not very enduring, and at another time a visit to London would have sent her mad with j

, if you're a good girl, they'll ask you to stay a bit, and see the wax-work, and all the fine sights. And if you stay, don't forget your

ild suffered herself to

ver and walking a mile, they

o rapidly-at the river with its shining bends. As she went on her wonder deepened, and her excitement grew-for she passed little towns, then big stations covered with shining pictures, like palac