For her the future was dark and cheerless as midnight.

No friends, no money, and no home, except the poor-house, from which young as she was, she instinctively shrank.
"My mother, oh, my mother," she cried, as she stretched her hands towards the clear blue sky, now that mother's home, "Why didn't I die too ?" There was a step upon the grass, and looking up Mary saw standing near her, Mrs.Campbell's English girl, Hannah.

She had always evinced a liking for Mrs.Howard's family, and now after finishing her dishes, and trying in vain to speak a word of consolation to her mistress, who refused to be comforted, she had stolen away to Mrs.Bender's, ostensibly to see all the orphans, but, in reality to see Ella, who had always been her favorite.

She had entered through the garden gate, and came upon Mary just as she uttered the words, "Why didn't I die too ?" The sight of her grief touched Hannah's heart, and sitting down by the little girl, she tried to comfort her.

Mary felt that her words and manner were prompted by real sympathy, and after a time she grew calm, and listened, while Hannah told her that "as soon as her mistress got so any body could go near her, she meant to ask her to take Ella Howard to fill the place of her own daughter." "They look as much alike as two beans," said she, "and sposin' Ella Howard ain't exactly her own flesh and blood, she would grow into liking her, I know." Mary was not selfish, and the faint possibility that her sister might not be obliged to go to the poor-house, gave her comfort, though she knew that in all probability she herself must go.