I understand , '' persisted Mr. Patterson , nobly resolved to do what he had come to do , `` dying , in fact , and -- '' `` Jane ill ! Jane dying ! '' exclaimed Miss Rosetta . `` Why , she was the healthiest girl I ever knew ! But then I 've never seen her , nor heard from her , since she got married fifteen years ago . I dare say her husband was a brute and neglected her , and she 's pined away by slow degrees . I 've no faith in husbands . Look at Charlotte ! Everybody knows how Jacob Wheeler used her . To be sure , she deserved it , but -- '' `` Mrs. Roberts ' husband is dead , '' said Mr. Patterson . `` Died about two months ago , I understand , and she has a little baby six months old , and she thought perhaps Mrs. Wheeler would take it for old times ' sake -- '' `` Did Charlotte ask you to call and tell me this ? '' demanded Miss Rosetta eagerly . `` No ; she just told me what was in the letter . She did n't mention you ; but I thought , perhaps , you ought to be told -- '' `` I knew it , '' said Miss Rosetta in a tone of bitter assurance . `` I could have told you so . Charlotte would n't even let me know that Jane was ill . Charlotte would be afraid I would want to get the baby , seeing that Jane and I were such intimate friends long ago . And who has a better right to it than me , I should like to know ? Ai n't I the oldest ? And have n't I had experience in bringing up babies ?
Charlotte need n't think she is going to run the affairs XXXXX our family just because she happened to get married .
To about at by for in of since than that