Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-05-06
skeggs, Bound tiirh


"Now be quick about it, and don't
stand there lookin' at me that way.
Them eyes o. yourn is enough to give
one the creeps, they air that ugly. 1
wish they'd sent one n girl with blue
ewes. never could abide black ones,
there's something SO evil in 'em.
GCrash.l Wen, Jest look therel if that
amt the second dish you've broke
this week. I'll cuff you for that, !
will. You'll go without your dinner
now, too. Well see if you can t learn
to be more careful. Sech a thing as
you air Is enough to wear ones life
out"
The "thing" referred to turned to
her work. There was a sudden scowl
upon the face-a little dark, colorless
face, lit up withgreat, black, wide-open
eyes, that were Just now shining with
a vindictive expression that was any
thing but pleasant. Glow do hate
her." she was saying to herself, as she
clinched her small fists. "She is al
ways calm me ugly. ifIcould help
it." Then shefell to wonderingi if by any
changed. She had never heard OF such
thing, but if they only could, what
a great boon it would be to her. Her
mother had thought her eyes beauti-
full, but she was so different from any
body else. II she could have them
changed to blue, just exactly the color
of the sky, how pretty they would be.
So engrossed was she with the idea
that she forgot for time all about
her mistress and her surroundings.
But that rasping voice again broke
the silence. "Do dabble away there
in the water, an be all the forenoon
washin' them dishes. Pears as if you
tries to see how aggrivatin' you kin be.
You never stop to think l reckon, that
you ought to do somethin' to pay for
the home, an clothes, and vituals you
git; but that's the way with sech cree
tiers as you--they're always ongrate-
full. / don't know what ever put it
into my head to want boun' girl
anyway. If you don't do better IN
Jest turn you over to the poor-house,
j will"
The "creeter" looked at her mistress.
If she only dared to speak what a re-
lief it would be. What ugly, hateful
words she would spit forth. A home?
And what home! A bare room in
the garrett, with hard, scant bed. She
did not mind that, if they would only
speak to her kindly sometimes, orgive
her now and then word of encour-
agement or commentator. Clothes?
Look at them-cast off garments of
her mistress, hastily cut down, i'll fit
ting, faded, and worn. She did not
care for the holes in them, or for the
fit OF them. If they had been put on
her by loving hands no queen in robes
of velvet would have been happier.
Food? The very coarsest. She was
never allowed any tid-bits. With what
hungry eyes she sometimes watched
Mrs. Skeggs caress her boy, Sammy,
and feed him MISUNDERSTANDING
not so much for the sweetmeats as for
the caresses. Would anybody ever love
her again? she wondered. Not since
the day her mother, with an effort,
turned her white face toward her, and
laying her thin hand upon her head
tenderly, had whispered, for her voice
was nearly gone: "Janie, be a good
girl, and we will meet again by and
by" had there been loving word
spoken to her. That was only two
years age, but it seemed an age to the
little waif. She had looked in fearful
perplexity while they screwed down
the lid Of the rough coffin in which her
mother lay, but no one paid any at
tention to her. She remembered one
neighbor woman had said to another:
what an uncanny little thing it is;
she's all eyes" After they had carried
her mother away she was sent to a
children's almshouse, and in O little
time home was provided for her tout
west" in the Skeggs family. She was
known as Skeggs' bound girl. The
neighbors sometimes remarked that it
was very kind of Mrs. Skeggs to take
that girl to raise; they wouldn't want
such a responsibility.
"Well, what air you standin' there
about? Why don't you scour your
knives now? You always have to
wait to be told. And do take them
eyes off me. II l had such ugly eyes
I'd never look at ennybody." So the
day wore away. The days since she
came to the Skeggs family were always
tedious, but this one seemed unusual
ly long, perhaps because she had to 60
without her dinner. She had snatch
ed crust unperceiyed, but toward
evening she felt faint with hunger, and
oppressed with an unaccountable
heaviness.
She was drawing pail OF water at
the well when Sammy came in from
the field with his father. He was
great, overgrown, ireckled-faced boy
OF ~. His father went on to the barn,
but Sammy, seeing that Jaue had Just
about got her bucket to the top Slip
ped up behind her, grabbing her arms
so suddenly that in fright she let 60
the windlass, and away rolled the
heavy bucket to the bottom again.
Sammy, who thought it his legitimate
right to tease the "boun' girl" when
ever he chose to, burst into loud
laughter, but Jane had borne much
during the day, and this was the last
straw. Snatching up stick that lay
convenient, with a voice full of pas
sion she declared she'd "kill him!'
There was no doubt murder in her
heart, but the slenderness of the stick,
and Sammy's overgrown bulk, were
insurmountable difficulties in the way.
Something unusual in her manner
convinced Sammy she was terribly in
earnest. He ran into the house cry
ing, Ma, Jane says she II kill me-" Mrs.
Skeggs sent Sammy for his father.
CONSERVATION seized the family.
What should be done with
creature that showed such
dangerous proclivities? cts born
and bred in her." moaned Mrs.
Skeggs, land however air we goin' to
break herr" 1t was decided that she
must be whipped, but Jane was like
an animal at bay, dumb, but full of
fight. So Mr.. Skeggs was obliged to
give her a good beating before he
could subdue her. She was then
dragged up stairs and thrust into her
little room. She sat down on the one
rickety wooden chair by the window.
For a time she was conscious of only
one feeling, and that was anger; but
after while other thoughts took
possession of her. She went back to
her parting from her mother, and
wondered what she meant by saying
they would meet again. She had heard
something about heaven. Her mother
had said she was going to her home
in the sky. Mrs. Skeggs had told her
that only good people went to heaven,
and if she didn't mend her ways she
would neverget there; God could mover
love such an ill-natured, ugly creature
as she. Still her ideas of heaven were
very vague. ShelooEed up at the broad