Chapter 14
Not long after having the baby in August, Tess becomes a thresher. She works in the fields in an attempt to snap out of the funk she's been in and regain some independence. She remains somewhat isolated from the other workers, and at noon, Liza Lu, her younger sister, brings Tess food from home and the baby to nurse.
Tess seems ashamed of the child, but she seems to love it as well, and the people of Marlott make it a point not to shame Tess because they think it a shame that such a thing should happen to a girl as kind as Tess.
Shortly after the baby is born and Tess begins working in the field, her baby becomes ill, which is no surprise because it was so small and weak to begin with. Tess becomes distraught when she realizes that she's not had her child baptized, but her father refuses to allow her to call a pastor because he self-righteously feels that she's brought enough shame on their house already. Tess decides to baptize the baby, Sorrow, herself. The child dies the following morning and Tess convinces the preacher to allow her to bury the baby in an undesirable corner of the town cemetery where other ungodly people are buried. She makes a cross and leaves flowers on the grave on her infant son.
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