"It cannot be much worse than it is now.
Nobody cares for Hugh Worthington; and why should they, when his own mother and sister are against him, in actions if not in words ?--one sighing when his name is mentioned, as if he really were the most provoking son that ever was born, and the other openly berating him as a monster, a clown, a savage, a scarecrow, and all that.

I tell you, mother, there is but little to encourage me in the kind of life I'm leading.

Neither you nor Ad have tried to make anything of me." Choking with tears, Mrs.Worthington said: "You wrong me, Hugh; I do try to make something of you.

You are a dear child to me, dearer than the other, but I'm a weak woman, and 'Lina sways me at will." A kind word unmanned Hugh at once, and kneeling by his mother, he put his arms around her, and asked again her care for Adah.
"Hugh," and Mrs.Worthington looked him steadily in the face, "is Adah your wife, or Willie your child ?" "Great guns, mother!" and Hugh started to his feet as quick as if a bomb had exploded at his side.

"No! Are you sorry, mother, to find me better than you imagined it possible for a bad boy like me to be ?" "No, Hugh, not sorry.