tung him deeply. But the worst of all was, the supply of
bread for his family was cut off, and no other resource was before him.

From that time, for three months, his earnings never went above the
weekly average of five dollars; and he hardly knew on one day where he
was to obtain employment for the next. His wife, though in poor health,
was obliged to dispense with all assistance, and perform, with her own
hands, the entire work of the family. This wore her down daily, and
Ayres saw her face growing thinner, and her step becoming more feeble,
without the power to lighten her burdens.

Thus it went on from week to week. Sometimes, the unhappy man would
grow desperate, and, under this feeling, force himself to make
applications--to him humiliating--for employment at a fair
compensation. But he was always unsuccessful.

Sickness at last smote the frame of his wife. She had borne up as long
as strength remained, but the weight was too heavy, and she sank under
it.

Sickness and utter destitution came together. Ayres had not been able
to get any thing at all to do for several days, and money and food were
both exhausted. A neighbour, hearing of this, had sent in a basket of
provisions. But Ayres could not touch it. His sensitive pride of
independence was not wholly extinguished. The children ate, and he
blessed the hand of the giver for their sakes; yet, even while he did
so, a feeling of weakness and humiliation brought tears to his eyes.
His spirits were broken, and he folded his arms in impotent despair.
While sitting wrapt in the gloomiest feelings, there came a knock at
his door. One of the children opened it, and a lad came in with a note
in his hand. On breaking the seal, he found it to be from the publisher
of the Gazette, who offered him a permanent situation at twelve dollars
a week. So overcome was he by such unexpected good fortune, that he
with difficulty controlled his feelings before the messenger. Handing
the note to his wife, who was lying on the bed, he turned to a table
and wrote a hasty answer, accepting the place, and stating that he
would be down in the course of an hour. As the boy departed, he looked
towards his wife. She had turned her face to the wall, and was weeping
violently.

"It was very dark, Jane," said Ayres, as he took her hand, bending over
her at the same time and kissing her forehead, "very dark; but the
light is breaking."

Scarcely had the boy departed, when a heavy rap at the