The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1892-06-29
CHAPTER VII


CAST OUT FROM HOME
The next six years of my existence
had as well be left blank in this nara |
tive. There is little in them worth re-
cording, and nothing perhaps, that one |
would care to know. My life through |
all that time was one long, unbroken |
stretch of prosecutions and sufferings |
and the memories have of 1t are not
pleasant to recall, and would rather
draw veil over them and shut them
away from the public gaze. Would to
Heaven I could shut them out Of my
memory as well, and never be haunted
by them again. But that is impossible
The misery those years brought'me will
live in my mind as long US I live. They
are too indelibly fixed there to be
erased by time or change, and through
all my days they will stand before me
as unwelcome specters.
Those six years brought changes, it Is
true, but my condition was not made
better by them. My stepmother's dis
like increased as grew up, and she be-
came more wicked and heartless In her
dealings with me every day. My sister
came to be almost as cruel to me, In so
far as she had the power, as her mother
was. She was thoroughly selfish, and
with age that characteristic grew
stronger in her nature so that before
she had reached her ffteenth year she
had no care for anyone and only val
ued her friends according to their abil.
ity to supply her wants. / could do lit
tie for her beyond such services as
cheap hireling might have rendered,
and consequently was of small moment
to her. She declined TO have any sister
ly relations with me, never spoke to me
kindly, never would go into public with
me, and In every way deported herself
toward me as n mistress might toward
the lowest menial.
Ny father continued TO show me the
same neglect and cold indifference that
had characterized him from the first
lie apparently had no idea of my physi-
cal or mental needs, and never devoted
thought, I'm sure, TO my future. He
gave me no training, no advice, no in
structions, but permitted me to grow
up in my surroundings, imbibing what
ever ideas OF life and its duties l
chanced to form In my ignorance. His
cruelties increased in the same pro-
portion as my stepmother's hatred, for
the more she faulted me the more
occasion he had to infict punishment
Still, in spite Of all, continued to love
him and to long for his love in return.
For a long time win Hanley and
were together frequently, and Us he
continued to let his sympathy go out to
me in the old way he was source OF
happiness to me, as he had been from
the first. But at last there came day
of separation. He went to the city TO
attend school, and during the remaining
three years lived at home never saw
him or heard anything concerning him.
Our parting, which took place down
back of the orchard, whore | hnd first
met him, was full Of true sorrow, which,
I'm sure, was mutual, and, besides O
great many promises made regarding
the future, we agreed to writo to each
other every week. He was to write hrst
and tell me how 10 address my letters
and then was TO answer Immediately
/ rejoiced In this arrangement, and nC
one can tell how fondly / looked forward
to the coming OF his first letter-which
ndas, never came.
All, how impatiently brookcd thu
long delay, as day after day passed
and the weeks ran into months
and the letter for which ] still
eagerly watched and prayed failet
to come TO hand. At last ! abandoned
all hope of its coming, and then when
sought for the reason of It's failure
guessed the truth. My stopmothor ha'
received and destroyed that letter n
she did all those that for months fol
,, lowed 1t. At the time | supposed sh,
/, was doing It TO annoy me, and to do
: prive me of the small need Of enjoy
ment those letters might bring, but aft
erwards learned that she had deepe
purpose in view.
win Hanley was handsome, and
was well understood that he was heir +
snug fortune. Although my siste
was but u child, my stopmother WA
already planning out her matrimonia
career, and had conceived tho idea o
marrying her, whom she had reaches
womanhood, TO win Hanley. Wit
that aim before her II was 10 her inter
est to interrupt, and, II possible, breal
up the friendship existing between hir
and me. So she destroyed his letter;
and prevented any communication be
tween us, leaving him to wonder at m
silence and me TO chaff and worry be
cause of her perhdy.
When my sister renchod her flfteent
year she was sent away to college.
wanted TO go, too, because had grea
love for learning, and In desultor
way had managed TO pick up Ver
!. good common school education. 5
!, strong was my desire for term at co
lege that dared approach my fathe
|. on the subject, asking in all humilit
!. that might be granted that one plea
"a ure. He heard me us falteringly an
4 tremblingly made known my wisl
then. turning onme with frown, sai'
v "What do you want TO go TO collep
n for? You can't learn anything, and yo
p wouldn't do anything but disgrace Mar
II you went. Doyou suppose she woul
D. want you there and have everybod
I pointing to you us her sister9"
l. 81 could go to different school,"
A .s