Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1891-06-05
DORA.

N0
No one knew it but I, and l was nobody.
But ] thought as pfuch Of Harold rs aver
a human being could think Of another.
And ! knew that he was wronged, and l
felt that Mrs. Rolling had done a dread
full thing when she took Squire Halsted
for her second husband, and let him rule
her, take possession OF her money, and
I'll use her handsome boy.
1 had had my share Of it too, for while
Mr.. Robling lived, and while she was a
widow l was like a daughter Of the
house. But no sooner had she come back
from her honeymoon trip than all that
was altered. The squire looked at me
coldly, and ! heard him ask Mrs. Hal
sted who l was.
"Her mother died when she was born, !"
Mrs. Halsted said, "and / took the baby
to my own nursery, where Harold lay in
the cradle"
"More fool you, my dear" said the
squire.
1.-THE father went AWAY, {" said Mrs.
Halsted, "and was lost at sea-so they
said-and | kept the little girl"
"You must remember that she will
need 10 earn her own bread" said the
squire. ''She is not a lady. Let the
servants keep her in their part of the
house and teach her her duties as wait
ress."
"Oh, Mr.. Halstedr cried the bride,
II cannot do that"
my DEAR said Mr.. Halsted, II am
master here"
The poor lady was helpless. She had
no longer any control of her own money.
] was six years old, Harold the same
age, and a terrible life we had had Of it.
/ was very well used In the kitchen, but
] felt cast down and degraded. | wore
big crash aprons that covered me from
head to foot, instead Of my pretty mus
lin and silk dresses. was delicate, and
waiting is hard work when your wrist!
are slender.
Mrs. Halsted did all she could for me,
used TO hear her pleading with the
squire to let her send me to a boarding
school to learn to be a teacher, but he
called her a little goose" and she fan.
cied him very wise.
But for Harold | should never have
known anything, as after school he used
to come to me and teach me what he
had learned himself.
Cook would whisper:
That's right, Master Harold. It's a
good deed you are doing. God spare
you. ! was never taught to rade me
self, on account of an evil minded step
father" iv ue own that put me to sarvice
before I could get schoolin', an l know
the loss"
And not a servant but would have
waited in my place, for they said l was
too small to carry dishes; but the cruel
squire would have me come in to make
sure that he was obeyed.
Mrs. Halstead really felt badly about
It, / know. But two little girls came
soon, and then a little boy, and soon she
cared nothing for her own splendid boy
and why should she care for me?
But / am wandering away from the
morning when Harold Robling, jus
eighteen that day, walked down the gar
den path in the gray morning light, an'
! with him, choking down my sobs. Fo
now the one being | loved was goinl
away from me, perhaps forever.
1t was only 8 o'clock, and no on
was up, The grass was wet with dew
anu NACLg MEA0 OAAN a LOW pun oAANNA
in the sky TO tell that day was coming
We did not dare TO speak until we go
out Of hearing Of the house, but then
said;
''Oh, Harold, what viii you do wit
no money and no friends-alone in thu
worldY'
MANY a young fellow has done tn
same sort Of thing" Harold said. IN
man with his limbs and senses need {
starve, and 1 mean TO make my fortune
But I'd rather work in the trenches 20
my daily bread than to live in SOUR
Halstead's house, and with a mother h
has bewitched into doing what he wishes
whatever it may be. II was a crime
make a servant Of you, little sister. Blu
remember, the moment / have power /
my hands all that shall be altered.
viii write to you, and you shall kno'
just how ] get on"
But now we had got to the whai
where he was to take a little mark'
boat TO New York, and ! was obliged
leave him, for he did not want I'll
squire TO find out what he had done NJ
Ill he was fairly out Of reach, and the
he put his arm about my waist an
kissed me.
"Goodby, little sister, F" he said, "goO'
by, Dora, my pet. Keep up a good heai
and never forget to answer my letters.
and he was of, and l went home wee
ing az though my heart would break
There was a terrible time at the houi
when they found he was gone, and u
squire swore he should never enter u
doors again. Bat the squiro's daughter
who hated Harold as their father die
though he was their own mothers chill
said they were glad he was gone. An
only / remembered him, ! think. yer
long. Aweak woman was Mrs. Halstc'
and her husband had got her under h
power. The way he managed her hi
always made me think that there mu
DO something IA magnetism or hypn
tism. She seemed to have lost her sens
OK 70 have grown mentsAy blind, and
led her where he would.
Just about this time 1 fell very 4
and when / grew better the squir
knowing / was good at my needle, MAJ