No man at that time would have ever looked twice at her, unless he had fallen in love with her, and had been disposed to pick her up and carry her along on the hard road upon which they fared together.

Maria was half fed in every sense; she had not enough nourishing food for her body, nor love for her heart, nor exercise for her brain.

She had no time to read, as she was forced to sew when out of the shop if she would have anything to wear.

When at last she went up-stairs to bed, before Abby returned, she sat down by her window, and leaned her little, peaked chin on the sill and looked out.

The stars were unusually bright for a summer night; the whole sky seemed filled with a constantly augmenting host of them.