The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1891-04-09


As comfy as cOmff could be;
And was to wait in the barn, my deare,
Because ] was only three,
And Teddy would run to the rainbow IeeC,
Because he was five aud man
And that's how it all hogan, my dears,
anu '''''' -" : = " Big Barn Stories.
"What do you think she'd do if she caught
US? We oughtn't to have it, you know,
said Maisie.
BEAT me, and lock you up in your bed
ROOM Dick answered. without hesitation.
''Have you got the cartridges!"
eyes; they're in my pocket, but they are
jogging horribly Do pin-fre cartridges go
off of their own accordE"
'Don't know. Take the revolver, if you
are afraid, and let me carry them"
Pm not afraid" Maisie strobe forward
swiftly, hand in her pocket and her chin
in the air. Dick followed with small pin
fire revolver.
The children had discovered that their
lives would be uncomfortable without pistol
practice. After much forethought and self
denial, Dick had saved seven shillings and
sixpence, the price of a badly constructed
Belgian revolver. Maisie could only con-
tribute half a crown to the syndicate for the
purchase of a hundred cartridges. ''You
can save better than l can, Dick" she ex-
planned; II like nice things to eat, and it
doesn't matter to you. Besides, boys ought
to do these things"
Dick grumbled a little at the arrange
ment, but went out and made the purchases,
which the children were then on their way
to test Revolvers did not lie in the scheme
of their daily life as decreed for them by
the guardian who was incorrectly supposed
to stand in the place of a mother to these
two orphans Dick had been dnder her care
for six years, during which time she had
made her profit of the allowances supposed
to be expended on his clothes and, partly
through thoughtlessness, partly through a
natural desire to pain-she was widow of
some years, anxious to marry again-had
made his days burdensome on his young
shoulders. Where he had looked for love
she gave him first aversion and then hate.
Where he, growing older, had sought little
sympathy, she gave him ridicule. The many
hours that she could spare from the order
ing of her small house she devoted to what
she called the home training of Dick Heldaf,
Her religion, manufactured in the main by
her own intelligence and an ardent study O.
the Scriptures, was an aid to her in this
matter At such times as she herself was
not personally displeased with Dick she left
him to understand that he had heavy ac-
count to settle with his Creator; wherefore
Dick learned to lOathe his God as intensely
as he loathed Mrs, Jennett; and this is not
a wholesome frame of min11 Cor the young.
Since she chose to regard him as hope
less liar when dread of pain drove him to
his first untruth he naturally developed in
TO liar, but an economical and self-c0n-
tanned one, never throwing away the least
unnecessary lib, and never hesitating at the
blacklist, if it were only plausible, that
might make his life a little easier. The
treatment taught him at least the power of
living alone-a power that was of service to
him when he went to the public school and
the boys laughed at his clothes, which were
poor in quality and much mended. In the
holidays he returned to the teachings of
Mrs. Jennett, and, that the chain of disci-
pline might not be weakened by association
with the world, was generally beaten, on
one count or another, before he had been
twelve hours under her roof
The autumn of one year brought him
companion in bondage, a long-haired, gray
eyed little atom, as self-cOntained as him
self, who moved about the house silently,
and for the first few weeks spoke, only to
the goat, that was her chiefest friend on
earth and lived in the back garden Mrs.
Jernett objected to the goat on the grounds
that he was I'M Christian, which he certain
ly was. "Then," said the atom choosing
her words very deliberately, II shall write
to my lawyer-peoples and tell them thatyo
are very bad woman. Amomma IS nine,
mine, mine!" Mrs. Jennett made move
ment to the hall, where certain umbrellas
and canes stood in a rack. The atom under
stood as clearly as Dick what this meant.
81 have been beaten before, she said, still
in the same passionless voice; Il have been
beaten worse than you can ever beat me.
If you beat me I shall write to my lawyer
peoples and tell them that you do not give
me enough to eat. 1 am not afraid Of you"
Mrs. Jennett did not go into the hall, and
the atom, after pause to assure herself
that all danger Of war was past, went out to
weep bitterly on Amommas neck
Dick learned to know her as Maisie, and
at first mistrusted her profoundly, for he
feared that she might interfere with the
small liberty of action left to him. She cid
not, however, and she volunteered no friend
illness until Dick had taken the first steps.
Long before the holidays were over the
stress of punishment shared in common
drove the children together, If it were only
to play into each others hands as they pre-
pared lies for Mrs. Jennetts use. When
Dick returned to school Maisie whispered :
''Now / shall be all alone to take care OF
myself; but"-and she nodded her head
bravely-'I can do it. You promised to
send Amomma a brass collar. Send 1t
soon" A week later she asked for that
collar by return of post, and was not pleased
when she learned that it took time to make
it. When at last Dick forwarded the gift
she forgot to thank him for it.
Many holidays had come and gone since
that day, and Dick had grown into lanky
hobblehoy, more than ever conscious of his
bad clothes. Not for moment had Mrs
Jennett relaxed her tender care of him. but
the average canings of public school
Dick fell under punishment about three
times q month-filled him with contempt
for her powers. tShe doesn't hurt, f" he ex