Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1892-01-09
DORA.

The night after his stepfather, Squire
Halsted. whipped Harold Burr for thing
he had not done, Harold ran away. No
one knew it save me, and was no one.
But l thought as much of Harold as one
human being could think of another,
and knew he was wronged, and felt
that Mrs. Robling had done a dreadful
thing when she took Squire Halsted for
her second husband, and let him rule her,
spend her money, and i'll treat her hand
some boy.
had my share of it, too, for while
Mr.. Robling lived, and while she was a
widow, ! was like daughter of the
house. But no sooner had she come back
from her honeymoon trip than all was
altered. The squire looked at me coldly.
and ! heard him ask Mrs. Halsted who l
was.
Her mother died when she was born, I"
Mrs. Halsted said, "and I took the baby
to my nursery, where Harold lay in his
cradle.
More fool you, my dear, said the
squire.
"The father went away and was lost
at sea-so they said-and kept the
child.
You must remember that she will
need to earn her bread, said the squire.
4She is not lady. Let the servants
keep her in their part OF the house and
teach her her duties as waitress
"Oh, Mr.. Halsted, / can not do thatl"
cried the bride.
"My dear, l am master now, said her
new husband.
The poor lady was helpless. She had
no longer any control OF her own money.
was but 8 years old, Harold was tile
same age, and terrible life we 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
muslin and silk attire. / was delicate,
and waiting is hard work when your
wrists are slim.
Mrs. Halsted did all she could for me.
I used to hear her pleading with the
squire to let her send me to a boarding
school to learn to be teacher, but he
called her little goose, and she fancied
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.
"Thats right, Master Harold, cook
would whisper. ats a good deed you
are doing. was never taught to rade
meself on account Of an evil minded
stepfather iv me own that put me to sar-
vice before I could get schoolin' an !
know the loss.
And not a servant but would have
waited in my place, for they said / was
too small to carry dishes; but the cruel
sbuire would have me come in to make
sure he was obeyed.
Mrs. Halsted really felt badly about it,
know. But two little girls came soon
and then little boy, and why should
the care for me1
But / am wandering away from tho
morning when Harold Robling, Just 1e
that day, walked down the garden path
in the gray morning light, and l with
him, choking down my sobs. For now
the one being loved was going away
from me. perhaps forever.
1t was only o'clock and no one was
up. The grass was wet with dew, and
there were only few pink streaks in tho
sky to tell that day was coming. We
did not dare speak till we got out of hear
ing of the house, but then Isaid:
"Oh, Harold, what will you do with ne
money and no friends-alone in the
world7"
MANY a young fellow has done tho
same sort Of thing, Harold said. -NC
man with his limbs and senses need te
starve, and mean to make my fortune
But had rather work In the trencbe.
for my daily bread than live in Squir,
Halsted's house, and with a mother b,
has bewitclled into doing what he wishes
Whatever it may be. 1t was crime e
make a servant OF you. little sister. But
remember, the moment have power ir
my hands all that shall be altered
shall write to you and you shall know
just how get on.
But now we had got to the whar
where he was to take a little niarke
boat to New York, and was obliged Il
leave him, for he did not want the squir,
to find out what he had done until h
was fairly out of reach, and he put hi
arm around my waist aud kissed me.
@GOod-by. little sister, he said. good
by, Dora, my pet. Keep good hear
and never forget to answer my letters.
And he Was of. and went home weep
ing a. though my heart would break.
There was q terrible time at the hous