At the station I found a crowd of wives, children, and friends of those who were going away.

Amongst the rest, Dr Rushton, the vicar of Blackburn, and his lady, had come to see them off.

Here a sweet little young wife stood on the edge of the platform, with a pretty bareheaded child in her arms, crying as if her heart would break.

Her husband now and then spoke a consoling word to her from the carriage window.
They had been noticed sharing their breakfast together at the kitchen.

A little farther on, a poor old Irishwoman was weeping bitterly.