Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1892-06-02

She came toward me with firmly com.
pressed lips and set teeth. | shranl,
from hcr for saw n hatred as deep as
death written In her features and ne.
tons, and ! feared for my life. She
grasped me by the hair and without Il
word dragged me TO the fire. She
placed my face in the flames and held
II there till sank down brcathlcss
Then she dragged me away and left me
lying ON the floor tolwrithc and moan
with the most cXcruciating pain.
Oh, what suffering, what suffering,
What agony rnclscd INC from head 10
footl ] longcd TO die, and bcggcd my
stepmothcr TO kiln me. She stood Nv
and looked on unmovcd. even thini,
she enjoyed seeing rue suffer, and would
rather have added TO my pains than 10
have done aught 10 alleviate them.
wen see now" she remarked, with
ttngc Of satisfaction in her tones.
whether anybody says you are prettier
than Mary. Wen sec who talks nbou,
your golden curls, too. think IL win
be awhile before you set yourself mn
rs beauty again; and | guess YOU
won't want 10 accuse one of lying any
more, either"
believe my stcpmothcr even smiled
as she contemplated my plight, and I'm
sure she enjoyed my sufferings. NV
sister, am glad 10 say, was less heart
less She was shocked and Pricvcd by
the severity Of my punishment, and set
up such wall that Aunt Mary came
hurrying to the room TO discover whit
II was about.
"Fo' de good Ian sake" tho col
ored woman cried, as soon us her cyes
rested on me. "Whut on dis yeah wealth
has happened TO dat po' chile dat she's
all burned to death?"
"She fell In the fire through pure
awkwardncss, my stepmother replied,
unblushingly. Take her away" shc
continued, "and do something 10 stop
her screams and groans. II distracts
me to have such fuss"
Aunt Mary looked at my stepmother
us though she had something in mind
she would like TO speak, then mutter-
ing some incoherent words which I'm
sure were not complimentary to that
lady, she advanced and took me tender
ly In her strong arms and carried me
out of tho room.
Aunt Mary was an excellent nurse,
and she applied remedies with such
good effect that In time my pains began
TO subside, and fell asleep from OK.
haustion. When awolSe the faithful
old servant was by my bed, watching
over me with the tenderest care.
"How does yo' feel, now, honey?" she
asked Better, specks, don't your"
Yes, much better, Aunt Mary. The |
pain is gone, now"
"Po' chile" she continued, cit must n
hurt yo' jis awful"
1T did, Aunt Mary" replied, land
1t was an awful thing for her to do"
What dat, honey?" and the old serv.
ant looked at me wonderingly. "What |
dat 20 say was awful ting to do?"
why, for stepmother TO hold me In
the fire and burn my face"
Aunt Mary threw her hands up and
stared at me in blank amazement.
'Sho'ly, chile" she said at last, ''you's
mistakenl Sholy, sho'ly missus
wouldn't do dat"
"She did," l replied. "She caught
me and dragged 10 the fire and held my
face In the flame till thought l should
surely die"
For an instant Aunt Mary could say
and even then she could only
calculate;
"Fo' de Ian sakel May dc good Lawd
hab mussy on 'erl"
CHAPTER VI
30 SADLY ALTERED.
= Il don't Ruppobe INV fathnr Avay lsn.yv,I