through that ceremony_. My God! Why didn't some one warn me? Oh! Mother
Roberts, very few girls loved a man better than I loved Tom.

"By and by Grandmother says, 'What's become of Tom? I haven't seen him
lately. I didn't know he'd left his job.' So I told her his work was
slack and he'd gone away to hunt a place where he could get better pay.
You'll not be surprised to hear she soon grew suspicious, and one day I
was obliged to confess.

"Did I tell you Tom drank beer? Oh yes, and enjoyed it with me and them
many's the time.

"Was he a stranger to me and my folks when I first met him? Well, no,
not exactly, although I must confess I knew very little about him
before he was introduced by one of my girl friends at the baker's and
confectioner's ball. _Oh but he was an elegant dancer! and that got me,
in the first place._

"My! but didn't Grandmother take on something awful! She ordered me out
of her sight up to my little bedroom till Grandfather should come home.
I sat there listening to her wailing and moaning and asking the dear
Mother of God what she had done that such a cruel, cruel misfortune
should have befallen her. Poor Granny! Mother Roberts, I was longing to
go down and comfort her, but I durs'n't. So all that I could do was to
walk the floor, or sit and cry. Sometimes I tried to tell my beads, but
I couldn't take any pleasure in them. They didn't comfort my poor,
sinful soul one bit. I wished I could die then and there, but what was
the use? I couldn't, though I thought fear would indeed kill me when I
heard Grandfather come in and knew Grandmother was telling him. I heard
him raving and cursing while she was begging him to keep quiet for fear