"'Is it true?' says she, whispering with her white lips; her voice was clean gone.
"'Yes, 'tis true,' says I, 'Thomas brought him home when he came from work,' and then I was jest a going to tell her that he was a sitting with one of Thomas's coats on a waiting to see her; but somehow I thought that wouldn't be just the thing.
"'He's all right,' says I, meaning here, raising her hand to her head,' but he isn't very well.'
"She started right up, and took her bonnet and shawl down from a nail, and said, 'come' before I could hardly think what to do next. She almost flew across the road and up the lane. I had to run all the way to keep up. She stopped a minute in the entry to kind o' prepare herself, and then I opened the door; and them two sprang right into each other's arms. I declare, I acted like a fool, and stood behind the door crying as hard as ever I could, I was so astonished. She started and pushed him off a little to see if it was really her own husband, and then she hugged him tighter'n ever.
"'Anna,' says William, when he could speak, wiping his eyes with an old rag of an handkercher, 'can you forgive me all?'
"'Yes, _all_,' says she, 'if you'll only be my own William again,' and then she took his hand to lead him home. 'You'll hardly know the children,' says she.
"He put on the old slouched thing, he called a hat, when he suddenly bethought himself he'd got on Thomas's best coat, almost bran new; and with that he begun to pull it right off. But Thomas wouldn't let him. 'Reynolds,' says he, 'if you'll promise to be a good husband to her, as I know you will be, if you'll let rum alone, I'll make you welcome to it.'
"William snatched hold of his hands as if he was going to cry, and says he, 'I don't dare to promise, oh, how I wish I could!'
"'Well, _well_,' says Thomas, 'I'll see you again,' for he thought 'twa'n't just the time to say more. I couldn't help feelin proud o' my man, then, though I'm 'fraid 'twas kind o' wicked.'"
Kind Mrs. Jones! she was obliged to stop and find her pocket-handkerchief. The tears were streaming down her honest face, and I must confess, I wept with her. She resumed, "The next morning Anna came in and brought the coat all wrapped up in a towel, and says she, 'I thank your kind husband, Miss Jones, but William will soon be able to earn himself a coat with my help.'