Sentence:  Amy laughed too, and, kissing her mother, said, 'Well, I never had such a "Day of Misfortunes" as Rosamund's. I think it is because I have got such a dear darling mother that she helps me out of my troubles, my "<WSD>Sloughs of Despond</WSD>," as Clara calls them, quicker.' / 'The best thing is to try not to fall into <WSD>sloughs of despond</WSD>, and the way to do that is to examine carefully how you have come to get into them.nb...' 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  A state of disheartening hopelessness.