Marriage and Subsequent Labors
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went to his work, he left me nine cents to buy milk for three mornings.
It was a study with me whether to buy the milk for myself and babe or
get an apron for him. I gave up the milk, and purchased the cloth for
an apron to cover the bare arms of my child.
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Little Henry was soon taken very sick, and grew worse so fast that
we were much alarmed. He lay in a stupid state; his breathing was
quick and heavy. We gave remedies with no success. We then called
in a person of experience in sickness, who said that his recovery was
doubtful. We had prayed for him, but there was no change. We had
made the child an excuse for not traveling and laboring for the good of
others, and we feared the Lord was about to remove him. Once more
we went before the Lord, praying that He would have compassion upon
us, and spare the life of the child, and solemnly pledging ourselves to
go forth, trusting in God, wherever He might send us.
Our petitions were fervent and agonizing. By faith we claimed the
promises of God, and we believed that He listened to our cries. Light
from heaven was breaking through the clouds and shining upon us.
Our prayers were graciously answered. From that hour the child began
to recover.
While at Topsham we received a letter from Brother Chamberlain
of Connecticut, urging us to attend a Conference in that state in April,
1848. We decided to go if we could obtain means. My husband settled
with his employer, and found that there was ten dollars due him. With
five of this I purchased articles of clothing which we much needed,
and then patched my husband’s overcoat, even piecing the patches,
making it difficult to tell the original cloth in the sleeves. We had
five dollars left to take us to Dorchester, Massachusetts. Our trunk
contained nearly everything we possessed on earth; but we enjoyed
peace of mind and a clear conscience, and this we prized above earthly
comforts. In Dorchester we called at the house of Brother Nichols,
and as we left, Sister N. handed my husband five dollars, which paid
our fare to Middletown, Connecticut. We were strangers in that city,
and had never seen one of the brethren in the state. We had but fifty
cents left. My husband did not dare to use that to hire a carriage, so he
threw the trunk up on a pile of boards, and we walked on in search of
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someone of like faith. We soon found Brother C., who took us to his
house.