Thou'rt a desolate babe, thou may'st well cry; thine earthly parents have forsaken thee, and I know not if the Lord will take thee up.' Sylvia looked up at him affrighted; holding her baby tighter to her, she exclaimed.
'Don't speak so, sir! it's cursing, sir! I haven't forsaken her! Oh, sir! those are awful sayings.' 'Thee hast sworn never to forgive thy husband, nor to live with him again.

Dost thee know that by the law of the land, he may claim his child; and then thou wilt have to forsake it, or to be forsworn?
Poor little maiden!' continued he, once more luring the baby to him with the temptation of the watch and chain.
Sylvia thought for a while before speaking.

Then she said, 'I cannot tell what ways to take.

Whiles I think my head is crazed.
It were a cruel turn he did me!' 'It was.

I couldn't have thought him guilty of such baseness.' This acquiescence, which was perfectly honest on Jeremiah's part, almost took Sylvia by surprise.