The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-02-22
70 ? &c -
!I,RI.X,Y.

Martin Bruce ~spoke~the~words with "a
sigh of utter weariness, and lifted his
head from his work, taking his magnify
ing glass from one eye as he did so. Up
on the table before him was large steel
plategon 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 expression of proud
pleasure involuntary upon the face of a
man who finished piece of work sstls-
factorily became clouded...
.sThat poor childw he muttered, and
listened to a cry 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 upon the upper stair, the bead
bent low over folded arms, the bare feet
tucked up under ragged skirts: The sob;
bing, though distinctly audible, was evi-
dehsly esehllyctokeAdownsE ri s
"TrixYl' Mastin said in lag S6nes
I'd moHsnt Che child was beside him
with a quick, darting motion that suited
we'll the slender figure, thin to. painful
angufarity, the face that was almost imp
ishsin its look of want and precocity. -.
Martin Bruce, tall and strong, with 2
handsome, blonde face, bent low and met
the gaze Of her large intensely black eyes,
swollen and inAamed by. tears9n:Silently
he lifted the child, and taking her into
his owfl room, closed the door. II = n
"What's the matter now 2" he asked.
u dropped the biggest pitcher full OF
milk" -; ~. Co. ~
"Whewm. ~ s,.a-
81 couldn't help it! sobbed the child,
'tit was SO heavy; that my fingers got all
stiff With ache, and before Lknew.it my
wrist wrists >, just gave a twist and d9Tn it al
''Whippedf ~ - = .'f'His'
"Oh, didn't she J.. See r ,., : =, -
And ragged frock was slipped down
to show the !sickening sWelts upon the
thin shoulders Martin Bruce gave a
shudder as he looked, and going to a
washstand brought some arnica, which
he mixed in cool water and tenderly
bathed the wounds with an old handker-
chief ~, ia
aDoes it hurt much ?" he asked, as the
poor child WINGED under his tqgch. ..o;l
'fOh, myAI mean yes, sfr! But don't
mind; know yen'll, make siti better:
Oh l''' and again the tears broke. out. II
wish I was dead r''''s . '''p'r'N : ''-'' .
"You areetdo young sosS6ish that,
Trixy." ryl
"I'm fourteen, if 1 am little."
fourteen y Hovtimedlesa 1t seems
only yesterday since found you crying
on the stairs, aud it, is three years sgoI;;
Trixy nestled close to the hand ex-
tended to caress her gently, as these
words were spokenLthe o6ly lin the
big boarding ,housesthat Ras ever filled
with Kindness for her. She was one 81
the New York waits from an alnisholse,
bound to a cross tasE. E.mistress, wh0 had
been. Systematically tyfanica from the
first honYsheahadBths1 1cbhd nnder her
rule. Overtasked, half starved and
whipped, y ESi3y was 7stunted, thin and
miserable IL appearance, While her igno.
rance inoafl-dsefdl knowledge was baE
ancedIby a precocity truly wonderful,in in
dodging her tasks,and eyading her pun
ishmentsga! 70 soG,bitaoc :'f;s 2ss.:ct'..q /.
"a nasty, deceitful little baggagep'
Mrs bays declared: BET e 70 BE-, tfR,, and it was
mournfully true, "a. :, ,,sy
.But, Martin Bruce, who occupied one
of.the Back rooms Mrs. Hays provided
forrboardess, hadbeen moved with7tendei
compassion ifos the child! from the ,irsl
time he heard hersobbing out her misery
o1ths, attic, stairs9 Many an orange oi
packet Of cake, had Trixy mlunched in
Mr.. Bruce's room, when she was supposed
toelbeodoina; peuance insnhcr wretched
closet, only by courtesy o; room. Many
eooi lotion had been put upon smartine
cuts and .Yelts BY. Mr. Bruee's tender
hands. Many tender caress and kind
word had. passed the bearded bps to com:
fort Trixyse4 ca2 ,sr-;t ~ ,,a, TsT &se ds
Others had ctme and gone, and been
kind one day. and cross the nexg las ths
mo5d Seized them !; bnt Mr.. Bruce never
varied i'd uizfind dy6fds and, acts, though be
often graselyi fepGoTed Trixy for herYely
conspicuous faults, and triedI to, cgrrec,
hervuigarity Of word aud thought.
ItwohId be5npo possibl eto give any Sd
equate idea Of the worshipping affection
tbechita gave lin return fol. this kindly
interest SAl;. goodness, all manly per.
fection,, was 20 kes embodied IN the tall,
blonde man who came between hen and
her tyrant, and comfort her grief: ~ u.
ttFouftesn,p he said again. "Trixy II
is-tims y5i were atschool, ifiyouare eve'
to gop
1!;S assSI sils IaisssS i 's fssl oyer TIE shaR.
face. -...,,.
70 s Paris i she d whispered, with Whit
is a;fss II shssss ii e. zsirs l.ls s:.Yol
wiNs qlrwWhsps4a eone
>baeSsSs s4Gsh llss 1st e's1- .bsi5y'za
Yss, aaSaint aud shpddesing. s-,;'T'.
QABd I-mustgss yo.isaway fnp here
N5assy taskJ as GastA Bsaes 5000