Two nights later little Jack still breathed, though scarcely
perceptibly, and again I shared poor Mary's vigil. About midnight I
asked if she felt able to finish her story. Presently she continued:

"When my little Jack was three weeks old, the nurse of our ward took
down the card from the head of my bed, and told me I could go now. I
was dismissed, and they wanted my corner for another patient.

"I stood outside the big gate that afternoon wondering where I could go
and holding my pretty little Jack against my breast. I'd a nice warm
shawl, so he was good and comfortable. A thought like this struck me.
'Grandfather is so fond of babies. I'll go there. _Perhaps when he sees
the dear, innocent little baby, he'll forgive me and take me back.'_ It
seemed as though I would never reach their house [in the neighborhood
of Sixth and Clara Streets, reader], and I had to rest on some one's
doorsteps very often, I was that weak. It was pretty near dusk when I
knocked on the door, and the fog was coming in. Grandmother opened it.
She threw up her hands when she saw me; didn't ask me in, but hollered
for Grandfather to come, and _come quick_, which he did. Oh! Mother
Roberts, to my dying day I'll remember how he cursed me when he saw me
and my baby's darling face, and then he closed the door with an awful
bang. Well, I was dazed like for a little bit, then Baby cried. I sat
on somebody's doorstep and nursed him, then kept on walking and
resting; going, I hardly knew where.

"It must have been well after seven o'clock when I found myself on
Montgomery Avenue and not very far from North Beach. My! but I was
faint, although I'd had a good meal at the hospital at noon, but you
know a nursing mother needs plenty of nourishing food and often. I saw
a light in a little notion shop, and went in and asked the woman if she