Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1873-12-04
Without a Name.
Or,
The Heroine of Hardscrabble.
BY WALTER GARDINER, ESQ.

Come, get up out OF that, stop you
whining and go to work. Dye thin
cause the old 'oman's dead, you're e
ing 20 bawl and sniffie all the time
Get up, 1 tell you."
| The coarse, harsh voice seemed t
echo from every crack and crevice i
the miserable room, and its ewnsl
grasping the slender girl by the arm
pulled her rudely from the cot to tn
floor. Overcome with grief and fea
she sank, sebbing at his feet.
"Now, I've one thing to tell you," h
growled, dragging down his shagg.
brows. 'Tf you don't get up and ten,
to your business, I'll give you the Gus
sedest wallopin', you ever heard of, yol
lazy jade.'
"Only minute. I'll 60 out there il
a minute" she said in a broken voice
raising her tear-stained face pleading
ingly. 81 amt strong now, and 1 cam
help thinking OF poor Betty, "caus,
she's dead now, and 1 miss her so-oh
N.Y.
The words ended in low, plaintivt
wall, but touched not the calloused hear
of old Ezra Bunker! instead, his rough
british face grew black, and his dull
bleared eyes CLEANED savaEely.
"I'll Betty you, you idle whelp."
And catching her by the left wrist he
dragged her ever the uneven floor, un-
needing her cries of pain and sobs Of
anguish, dead to every human instinct.
Reaching the kitchen he cast her frem
him, and then folding his brawny arms,
gazed upon her with a malignant leer.
Aching in every joint, and the poor
child lay still for moment, her face
buried in her hands. At intervals her
form shook, dry sobs broke from her
lips, while agony, mental and physical
her nature. Fearing more
sbuse. she struggled to her feet, and
grasping a chair for support, turned her
black eyes upon tormentor with min
gled reproach and loathing.
"I'd rather die than live in this way"
she mused, pushing her long hair over
her shoulders, and almost crying again
as she saw the bruises on her arms.
"Build your fire, gal, and ge. my
grub. 1 don't want no words. I've
took care of you too many years to have
any of your sass. Old Bets kicked the
bucket, and you've got to take her place.
Mind you keep agoin' lively or I'll kick
you half to death. I'll have order in
my house, 1 swear 1 will
And the senseless wretch threw him.
self at full length upon the old board
that was made to represent lounge,
and biting off piece of tobacco began
to chew with slovenly enjoyment. The
child went about her work with hu-
nility touching in the extreme, and
wonderful in one of her years. But
leep in her heart resolve for liberty
was forming, and occasionally its reflex
dashed in her eyes as she reflected upon
ner wrongs and her low, filthy sur
In a short time dinner was ready
hat is, the potatoes were placed upon
bare table in a cracked dish, and the
goldfish in tin plate. Nothing more,
no sign of bread, pastry or drink. The
,hild rested her elbows upon the table
md shut her eyes-the place had never
seemed quite so destitute and barren as
It that moment. The sound ofo Id Ezra's
avs craunching, craunching, like those
Of some sanguinivarous animal, almost
gave her the nausea, and arising she
crossed the room and sat down on
)ox. He noticed her not; if she did
not choose to eat there was so much
;aved.
Having at length eaten every particle
If fish and potato, the man arose and
stuck his soiled hat on his head, and
With command to his slave TO have
supper ready at six, left the house. Sup
Der! A scornful smile fitted across the
,irl's face as she removed the dishes
rom the table, and thought of the two
.rtichokes and hoe-cake that would
compose the next meal. Dropping the
fishes in the old sink, she pressed her
lands to her brow, and exclaimed as il
ust awaking from some terrible dream:
allow have I lived here in all this
lirt, with this old wicked man? 1t
lever seemed so lonesome as it does
low, cause old Betty is dead, sup
,ose. He didn't beat me when she was
live, but he used to beat her, and that
vas just as bad, only it didn't hurt my
lesh so much. wonder-wOnder why
was ever here at all ?" He amt my
ather: no, no, I'm sure Of that! Oh
lear, 1 wonder if L ever had any father,
ny mother, anybody that loved me-"
Tears broke from her eyes, her slight
orm shook with grief.
81 guess never had," she went on
her breath, "for if had they'd
Iever let me stay here. I suppose God
owes me, though. They say He loves
whether they live in nice
'laces or not. wish l knew more, then
could feel better. l amt going to
tay here any longer-I wOn't.'
She started forward, her face bright
With the thoughts that followed close
pon the resolution. Beyond was the
World, the great throbbing world, ac-
i've with life, glowing with beauty, the
airy-land of her ambition. Surely
here was room for her there, ignorant
,irl that she was. But she would not
lways be ignorant, no, not when she
Guild earn money and buy books. Her
cart was pulsating now with the in
piration of fond hope, her mind rev.
lied in the fancies it had created. But
knock at the door brought her
ack to dark walls and Clipped floor.
he sighed as the vision faded away,
nd answered the summons. A boy
With fair, intelligent face and large
lue eyes, stood on the threshold. His
lothes were fine, and a watch chain de-
ended from his little vest. The girl
osked at him in mingled wonder and
What could he want here
81 guess you've made mistake,
lain't you, Bub?" she said confusedly,
or somehow those blue eyes seemed |