But small the portion, and the wrong'd were wroth, Nor to their debtor would a part allow; And where to live he know not--knew not how. The Wife a cottage found, and thither went The suppliant man, but she would not relent: Thenceforth she utter'd with indignant tone, "I feel the misery, and will feel alone." He would turn servant for her sake, would keep The poorest school, the very streets would sweep, To show his love. "It was already shown, And her affliction should be all her own: His wants and weakness might have touch'd her heart, But from his meanness she resolved to part." In a small alley was she lodged, beside Its humblest poor, and at the view she cried, "Welcome! yes! let me welcome, if I can, The fortune dealt me by this cruel man: Welcome this low-thatch'd roof, this shatter'd door, These walls of clay, this miserable floor; Welcome my envied neighbours; this to you Is all familiar--all to me is new: You have no hatred to the loathsome meal, Your firmer nerves no trembling terrors feel, Nor, what you must expose, desire you to conceal; What your coarse feelings bear without offence, Disgusts my taste and poisons every sense: Daily shall I your sad relations hear Of wanton women and of men severe; There will dire curses, dreadful oaths abound, And vile expressions shock me and confound: Noise of dull wheels, and songs with horrid words, Will be the music that this lane affords; Mirth that disgusts, and quarrels that degrade The human mind, must my retreat invade: Hard is my fate! yet easier to sustain, Than to abide with guilt and fraud again; A grave impostor! who expects to meet, In such gray locks and gravity, deceit? Where the sea rages and the billows roar, Men know the danger, and they quit the shore; But, be there nothing in the way descried, When o'er the rocks smooth runs the wicked tide - Sinking unwarn'd, they execrate the shock And the dread peril of the sunken rock." A frowning world had now the man to dread, Taught in no arts, to no profession bred; Pining in grief, beset with constant care Wandering he went, to rest he knew not where. Meantime the Wife--but she abjured the name - Endured her lot, and struggled with the shame; When, lo! an uncle on the mother's side, In nature something, as in blood allied, Admired her firmness, his protection gave, And show'd a kindness she disdain'd to crave. Frugal and rich the man, and frugal grew The sister-mind without a selfish view; And further still--the temp'rate pair agreed With what they saved the patient poor to feed: His whole estate, when to the grave consign'd, Left the good kinsman to the kindred mind; Assured that law, with spell secure and tight, Had fix'd it as her own peculiar right. Now to her ancient residence removed, She lived as widow, well endowed and loved; Decent her table was, and to her door Came daily welcomed the neglected poor: The absent sick were soothed by her relief, As her free bounty sought the haunts of grief;