The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1877-01-11
TRIXY.
&c Finished al lastIu

" Finished at lastl"
Martin Bruce spoke the words with a
sigh of utter WEAKNESS, and lifted his
head from his work, taking bis magni-
flying glass from one eye as he did so.
Upon the table before him was large
steel plate, on which he had engraved
a design requiring the most delicate
and careful work, and to which he had
given several days of continuous labor.
As he looked at it, completed, the ex-
preston of proud pleasure involuntary
upon the face of a man who has finish
ed piece of work satisfactorily, be-
came clouded.
"That poor child" he muttered
and listened to a sound of suppressed
sobbing coming from above his half
opened door. With the cloud still upon
his face, he went to the landing and
looked up the narrow staircase leading
to the attic. As he expected, he saw a
little figure crouched Epon the upper
stair, the head bent low over folded
arms, the bare feet tucked up under
ragged skirts. The sobbing, though
distinctly audible, was evidently care
fully choked down.
"Trixyl" Martin said, in low tone
In moment the child was beside
him, with quick, darting motion that
suited well the slender figure, thin to
painful angularity, the face that was al
most impish in its look of want and
precocity.
Martin Bruce, tall and strong, with a
handsome blonde face, bent low, and
met the gaze of large, intensely black
eyes swollen and inflamed by tears. ST.
Iently he lifted the child, and, taking
her into his room, closed the door.
"What's the matter now?" he asked,
"I dropped the biggest pitcher, full
of milk"
Whew!"
al couldn't help i'll" sobbed the
child; sit was so heavy that nay fingers
got all stiff with ache, and before |
knew it my wrists just give twist, and
down it all wentl"
"WhippedP" ...
"Oh, didn't she! Seel" 81
And ragged frock was slipped down
to show the sickening welts upon the
thin shoulders Martin Bruce gave a
shudder as he looked, and going to q
wash-stand brought some arnica, which
he mixed in cool water and tenderly
bsthed the wounds with an old hand
kerchief.
"Does it hurt so much?" he asked,
as the poor child WINGED under the
touch.
"oh, my!-1 mean, yes, sir But l
don't mind; 1 know you'll make it bet
ter. Oh" and again the tears broke
out. az wish | was dead!'' ~ IA
"You are too young to wish that,
Trixy."
"rm fourteen, if am ittle!''' --
"Fourteenl How time flies! II
seems only yesterday since first found
you crying on the stairs. and it is three
years ago!"
TrixY nestled close to the hand ex-
tended to caress her gently, as these
words were spoken-the only hand in
the big boarding-house that was ever
filed with kindness for her. She was
one of the New York waits from an
almshouse, bound out to a cross task
mistress, who had been Systematically
tyrsnnical from the first hour she had
the child under her rule. Overtasked,
half starved and whipped, Trixy was
stunted, thin and miserable in appear
ance, while her ignorance in all useful
knowledge was balanced by a precocity
truly wonderful in lodging her tasks
and evading her punishments.
"a nasty, deeeitful little baggage.''
Mrs. Hayes declared her to be, and ii
was mournfully true. r70rTTTU
But Martin Bruce, who occupied one
of the back rooms Mrs. Hayes provided
for boarders, had been moved with ten
der compassion for the child from the
first time he found her sobbing out her
misery on the attic stairs. Many an
orange or packet of cake had Trixy
munched in Mr.. Bruce's room, when
she was supposed to be doing penance
in her wretched closet, only by courtesy
room. Many cool lotion had been
put upon smarting cuts and welts by
Mr.. Bruce's tender hands. Many ten.
der caress and kind word had passed
the bearded lips TO comfort Trixy.
Others had come and gone, and beer
kind one day and cross the next, as the
mood seized them; but Mr.. Bruce new
er varied in kind words and acts, though
he often gravely reproVed Trixy for hel
very conspicuous faults, and tried Il
correct her vulgsrities of word anc
thought.
It would be impossible to give any
adequate idea of the worshiping aztec
ton the child gave in return for thi:
kindly interest. All goodness, all man.
ly perfection, was to her embodied In
the tall, blonde man who came between
her and her tyrant, or comforted her
grief.
"Fourteen," he said again. "Trixy,