Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-08-11

husbands children. In the morning John
and Alice had to get up before sunrise
While Alice had to milk the cows, feed the
pigs and see to the horses, John had tc
clean up the house inside and outside from
top to bottom. 1t was the boy who had tc
cook the breakfast after he had lit the stove
All this time the stepmother was still in hel
bed resting her lazy bones. When she al
last got up for her breakfast the daintiest
and the best the house could afford had to
be brought before her, while the children
had to satisfy their hungry stomachs with
dry bread and cold water.
The unfortunate part of it all was that the
father was very seldom at home. He was a
soldier, and as there was always some kind
of war, riot or revolution going on, could
not watch his children, although he was
passionately fond of them. Had be known
how they were treated at home, the bad STEP
mother would have been sorry for the day
he had found her out.
But the women knew all this too we'll.
Whenever her husband happened to be at
home she would bestow the most lavish at
tention upon him and the children, too. In
this manner she deceived the man, who, be-
lieving his wife to be always kind, per-
suaded himself that he was the luckiest man
in the world to have such jewel of woman
for wife.
But alas for the poor deluded soldier and
his two children, the woman had a boy of
her own, whom she had brought into the
house when she got married to Johns and
Alice's father. This boy was a perfect
tyrant to his mother and the woman was so
fond of him, that she would have done any,
thing In the world to afford her boy. Felix,
one moment of pleasure. But Felix was
L L Al
parison between him, John and Alice. 1t
was principally on this account the woman
despised her step-children so much. 1t
stung her motherly pride when she saw how
good, beautiful and agreeable John and
Alice were, while her son was generally
called the fearful Felix by all the people In
the neighborhood.
Felix came to his mother one day and
planting himself right before her, he
said:
Mother, what can we do to get rid of
these two children, John and Alice? hate
the very air they breathe, and if they are
not soon put out of the way am sure
shall die"
eyes, my dear boy, think we have to
get rid of them, 1 hate them Just as much as
you do, but how can it be done? If their
father were to come home and find them
gone he would be awfully sorry, and then
what could tell him?"
'Oh, tell him they are dead, and we
buried theml"
"But then he will want to see their
gravesl'
THAT does not matter, will fix up a
grave for them, put headstone on it, and
if you like will put an epitaph on it, too!''
The boys mother was easily persuaded
into the fearful lads plans, and she prom
ised to agree to everything Felix would do.
"All right then," he said; tomorrow
morning we will get rid of them
In the evening before John and Alice
went to bed Felix called them before him.
Tomorrow morning will take you into
the woods for days picnic. You have
been working hard lately, and mother and 1
have concluded to give you a rest. Be
ready at o'clock in the morning to 20
away"
Thus lied the fearful Felix to the two good
children, but they believed him because
they thought everybody was as truthful as
they were themselves The next morning
John and Alice got up very, very early.
They had not slept all night because the