The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-04-17
rRorTY.
ooh, don't strike MIN p''

1
head and small, gray eyes, bloodshot ant
. stupid, as the sweet, pleading voice tel
upon his ears.
Taking advantage of this moment o
hesitation, Pearl ROsedale glided be
tween the strong man and the shivering
crouching victim OF his fury, saying:
run now, TrottyW
, The figure rose from its bendin,
posture, and showed loose-jointed
shambling form, tall if it was ever nelt
erect, but always STOPPING forward, th'
head far too small, with low, retreatins
forehead and straw-colOred hair fallin.
over the light-blue, vacant eyes.
"RunW Pearl said again, and he fle(
away with an odd, sidelong movemen
that was one of poor Trotty's peculiar
tiles.
81 wish you wouldn't interfere be
tween me and the hands, PEARL" Jol
, Garland growled, twisting in his hands
the stout Oaken stick just raised ovel
Trotty. "You spoil that boy"
"Oh, Uncle JOB, it hurts me to see yor
strike him, God has afflicted him sc
sorely. Who is heW
"He is Widow Farrelps idiot son."
81 see he 10 an idiot, and hear you cal
him Trotty."
u "His name is Godfrey Farrell. He was
smart boy enough till he fell of a hay
wagon, five years ago, and added hi.
Wits"
"Don't strike him again-don't, uncle
for my sakew pleaded Pearl.
"Well, well. But he's awfully aggra
waiting, t0op
Then these two, so Unmatched, wen
into the wide farm-kitchen. where pa.
tient Mrs. Garland was spreading the
table for supper.
Pearl Rosedale was Job Garland's
niece, and had come to live with him af
ter the death of her parents who were
as intelligent and refined as was her
uncle coarse and british.
The shock to her sensitive nature may
be imagined when, instead Of the frank.
noble farmer of her imagination, she
| found a coarse, cruel man, who was be-
sotted with liquor more than half the
time, woman who had no idea above
pigs and poultry, baking and brewing,
coWed to craven submission by absolute
tear of her husband, and son who was
as cruel as his father and as narrow
minded as his mother.
Poor Pearll Twenty.tour hours of the
coarse life was like week Of misery to
her. And yet, strange as 1t may SEEM
she met there what her hungry heari
craved most Of all, affection.
The one soft spot in Job Garland's
heart was the memory of his sister
Grace, and what of love was left in the
besotted. nature turned to his sisters
child.
| Grace had been like PEARL fair-haired.
with violet eyes shaded by long golden
lashes, aud Pearl soon found that she
could influence her uncle as no one else
| in the household could do.
He would actually leave his liquor to
i with poarl and mora than pnan n
blow upon his wiie's bent head was
averted by Pearls shocked cry. And
the aunt, the patient, down-trodden
slave, ignorant and drudging, looked
upon the fair girl as an angel. Pearls
dainty little hands were illtitted for la
Dor, but many step was saved the
weary woman by her light feet, many q
load was taken from her overtaxed
frame by Pearls willing hands.
She would have left Ohio at once but
tor this love; this consciousness Of
Frightening something Of the dreary
monotonous lite. But seeing how they
loved her, she tried to find happiness
even there.
When she arrived, Charles Garland,
her uncle's son, was away from home,
| but ON the evening when Trotty was
saved beating he came home from a
pork.selling expedition to Cincinnati,
and PearpS heart shrank away from him
| with repulsion that was almost horror
| , He was a giant in stature and frame,
and on his burly body was set a large.
featured, coarse face, with heavy bull.
neck to support it. Dark hair curled in
thick rings over his head, and his large
gray eyes were set under heavy, shaggy
eyebrows. .,.
He ate heartily, staring at Pearl till
she was ready to faint with terror OF
him, and then he took his father by the
arm, and sauntered out.
"Who is sheN he asked.
~ told you. She is your cousin, your
aunt Grace's gal"
i "But how came she herer
"Lost her father and her motherW
$50 we've got to support herT
"No, we hain't. She's got pile o.
money of her own, when she comes oi
age. 'Nough to buy this rotten old farm
all up an never miss the price on it,"
A long whistle met this statement.
"By Jove, dad, Pll marry herl She is
pretty 'nough to eat, an I'll soon knock
the tine-lady airs out of her."
."Not il / know itp retorted his father
Iiercely. ssMarry her If she'll have you
but she amt 0ne's own sort to be clipped
over the head with stick. "Pll MOI
stand by and see her abused; and SO
tell YOU"
"Gerushy, dadl body'd think was
a-kihin' your wax doll now! Keep your
dander down. ! amt a-touchin' OF her.
9You'd better nOtp muttered the OLD
man. "Hullo! what's thatW
That proved to be Trotty, curled up in
O ball at the foot OF tree, fast asleep
Charles Garland thought it fine joke to
iift him on his huge foot and send hin
spinning through the air, to fall bruised
and dizzy several feet beyond, and his
loud, brutal laugh greeted the perform
ance as if it was circus clowns witt
cism. The boy rose, rubbing himself and
crying, and looked at his tormentor.
"Pd like to kill you," he muttered, in
his impotent fury, as he hobbled away
in his shuffling, sidelong fashion. 'If
lever catch you asleep, Pll do it,"
Trotty knew but little. His numbed
faculties were incapable of connecting
ideas OF cause and effect; yet, in his
dull fashion, ne felt that his intirmities
did not excuse the cruelties Of the Gar
lands, father and son; and he hated
them with the fierce, Vindlctive hatred
that is often. the strongest emotion in
weakened inteHects.
And In proportion to his hatred fol
his tyrants grew his devotion to Pearl