`` Well , she 's been a-pining ever since that worthless Jim lit out for England -- which I say it 's a pity as he ever left . It 's my belief she was took for death when she heard the news . That young un there was born a fortnight ago and since then she 's just gone down and today she up and died , without a soul expecting it . '' `` Is there anything I can do to -- to help ? '' hesitated Rilla . `` Bless yez , no -- unless ye 've a knack with kids . I have n't . That young un there never lets up squalling , day or night . I 've just got that I take no notice of it . '' Rilla tiptoed gingerly over to the cradle and more gingerly still pulled down the dirty blanket . She had no intention of touching the baby -- she had no `` knack with kids '' either . She saw an ugly midget with a red , distorted little face , rolled up in a piece of dingy old flannel . She had never seen an uglier baby . Yet a feeling of pity for the desolate , orphaned mite which had `` come out of the everywhere '' into such a dubious `` here '' , took sudden possession of her . `` What is going to become of the baby ? '' she asked . `` Lord knows , '' said Mrs. Conover candidly . `` Min worried awful over that before she died . She kept on a-saying ` Oh , what will become of my pore baby ' till it really got on my nerves . I ai n't a-going to trouble myself with it , I can tell yez .
I brung up a boy that my sister left and he skinned out as soon as he got XXXXX be some good and wo n't give me a mite o ' help in my old age , ungrateful whelp as he is .
as before in on over since till to unless with