Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1885-10-15

much confidence in him, for, one day
l heard an "old sister, remark that
Jasper Prior ought to be ashamed of
himself, "because," she added, "he
treats his wife and that motherless
boy in an awful way"
One day heard my uncle reading
a letter that he had just received from
distance. The letter stated that a
certain man, to whom my uncle was
in some way related had just died,
leaving to Uncle Jasper little girl.
When he had finished reading the
letter. he said:
"Well, Emily, suppose I'll have to
60 and get the girl. I've already got
enough on my shoulders, but of course,
it is no more than right that take
care of the child"
l thought this was rather kind on
the part of my uncle, but the follow
ing remark, which he quickly added,
dropped blot on his former declara-
tion
"She must be getting along pretty
well in life and can save the expense
of hiring extra help about the house.
l expect she has been brought up in
idleness, but she needn't expect any
of that sort of thing around here"
Halle Moore. l never shall forget
the first time that saw her. | felt as
though | wanted to run and hide,
when in a little spring wagon, she and
uncle drew up ut the gate, and in fact
l stood behind the corner of the house
and peeped around as my aunt, who
had hurried to the gate, lifted the lit
tic girl from the wagon. / was too
young to know much of the different
styles of beauty, but | knew that her
rich growth of hair, the softness of
her eyes and her charming shyness of
manner thrilled me. / met her first at
the supper table.
John" said Aunt Emily, "this is
little Halle Moore. She has come to
live with us"
81 am glad she has come" l stam-
mered. She looked up with an ex-
preston which then did not under
stand but which | now know was an
expression of gratitude. Uncle scowl-
ed at me and said !:
'None of your foolishness, sir. 1t
is enough for you to know that you
are here. supported in idleness."
How l did want to tell him that he
was liar. Supported in idleness, in
deed! No slave of equal ability per-
formed more labor than /. yet he took
the earlist opportunity of misrepre-
seuting me TO little creature whom
l already admired. She looked at me,
and then glancing at my hands, said:
''His hands don't look like he was
ever idle very much"
Deep within my heart thank ed her
for that remark, but i was afraid to
express my gratitude, other than by a
look which | earnestly hoped that she
understood.
After supper, when | had fed the
cattle, and while uncle was prowling
around to see if had been guilty of
any neglect during his absence, met
Halle in the yard.
al don't like this place very much"
she said. where | used to live"
she burst into tears.
Don't cry" was all the consola.
ton | could offer her, for my own
heart was full
IL don't like Uncle Jasper" she
said.
ls he your uncle too P"
asked.
mo, he is not my uncle, and l
don't believe that he is any kin to
me, but have been brought up TO call
HIM -"
Here she again burst into tears.
''My father and mother are dead"
she remarked, wiping her eyes on a
checked apron which thought was
the finest article of wearing apparel
that had ever seen.
$50 are mine" replied.
The shades of evening were deepen
ing, but | could see the look of SYM
pathy which she gave me.
1--WE must like each other" she SAID
with childish frankness.
1--WE WILL" replied. al will like
you more than l do anybooy.'
''What are you doing out herep"
So deeply had l been inter-
ested that / did not notice uncle's
approach.
What are you doing o. here" /
sayP"
1--WE were just talking of our fathers
and mothers" Halle replied.
"Well you've got something else to
do besides standing round and talking,
John"
Eyes, sir"
$50 on to bed now or I'll cut you
in two. You are the LATEST boy ever
saw"
"Lazy boys don't have 10 be told to
go to bed," Halle replied in tone of
sarcasm.
"Well, he has to be told to
do everything. Halle. you must
behave yourself. Don't think that
you are going to eat the bread Of
idleness.
wanted to jump on him, but bav-
ing had some little experience at the
hands of the unfeeling man, l wisely
decided that all chivalry should be
tempered with Judgment. Hallie's
room was separated from mine by a
thin partition, and after she had gone
to bed, l could hear her sobbing. 1t
was wicked, | admit, but l wished
that some terrible accident might be-
fall my uncle. wished that bears
might come out of the woods and eat
him; and / fancied, too, that If bears
should eat him, my aunt would re-.
joice, for | had long known that she
was afraid of him.
CHAPTER III.
NV uncle was sent to the legislature.
How we did rejoice, not because of his
success, but because he would for q
time be separated from us. / was now
twelve years old and Halle was ten.
| During the lono time we had lived