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

4 dent, and there was no one 10 tell hin
r differently, and II he had been toll
the truth he would certainly hay
{ taken her version in preference.
, never thought 10 say aught TO him con
' corning the matter, because was full,
| confident that / should gain nothing II
| did, and feared that might receive
, beating for daring 10 say anythin,
against my stepmothcr. II is nltogotheI
probable that my father would hav,
condoned her crime II he had known o.
1t, and hcaped all the blame on me, but
II is possible that judge him wrong
fully, and that he was not so lost TO ali
natural affection for his own flesh and
blood as TO show such heartless disre.
gard for my sufferings.
For several days ] was confined %
my garnet room, and no one ever came
TO sec me save Aunt Mary. She, bless
her heart, was as kind and attentive as
any mother could be, and not wish of
mine was allowed TO go unqualified II
she had the power Of administering 20
It, She spared herself no pains, no ex.
crtions, no trouble, in her efforts TO add
TO my comfort and convenience. When
her duties did not call her elsewhere.
she was with me day and night and
she was always doing something. or
planning something, for my pleasure.
Aunt Mary" ! said TO her once.
when she was pottoring about, putting
and sweating at a terrible rate, edo sit
down and rest. You're very nearly ox.
haustcd, and don't want you 10 bc do.
f..t
I'm minute, honey" she replied.
Use got 10 make sho' you's comGCble
fore takes any res. Dat is. What
yo' reckon yo' po' ma, what Is looltin'
down fom lIeabcn dis minute would
think oh mo II sot round yeah rcstin'
my lazy ole body an lettn' YOU suffer
FOR anything? She amt goin' TO kotch
me dom oh it, honey, deed she amt.
case amt done went an forgot all dc
ltn'ncsscs She showed me when she was
ycre on dis ycarth."
81 an comfortable, Aunt Mary"
protested, "and don't want a thing: SO |
please sit down. I'll be perfectly un.
happy II you don't | won't have any. |
thing you fix for me, and II you don't
rest won't lie here"
finally induced the old woman TO sit
In chair By my bed, and with nv hand
resting in hers we talked of yarious
things, chief among which was nv
mother Then ! spoke Of nv stem.
mother, and OF the treatment I re-.
ceivcd at her hands, and lamentcd nv
situation In hcartbrolScn terms. Aunt
Mary listened while the tears wcllcd
up In her eyes, then, lifting her honest.
Kind old black face To mine. said;
"Ncbcr yo' min chile, dar's God in
llcaben who rights cberyt'ins, an dar's
Jay Oh reckonin' comm, Dem Is Gospel
irni+, honey Oar Is day oh rcckonin',
'ho' ns yo' Is Dawn, an when dat dny
'omc round woe TO dem what Is wick.
ri, an dem what sptcfully uses dem
what Is wcalt an helpless | tells yo'.
honey, Id sholy a heap druther be In
io' shoes den than To bc In do place oh
.omc folks what knows, case in dat
.erblc day dem what's been prosecuted
III. spscd Is goin' TO git dc top seat,
IN de weddin' cake, an all dem tinrs
what Is gwino 20 make folks mon.
tous happy; while dem what has had
lcir own way, an has bccn
! gwinc ON Ia all der wicl,cdncss nm
hardness ob heart, am g,vinc to he
lrub out inter dc darkness whar de
'cbil VI git en-, sho. Now yo lis
mark my words, honey, an, sec II de
lay don't come when der little pot pits
N top, an when dem as Is swinpin'
'ow'tul high jis' now win git to swing. 4,
n powful low. lie Lawd Is monty
owtul, honey, an when he takes "A
otion hc iis' shifts folks round wonder
uL lie does, sho',"
How long Aunt Mary talked do not
now, for fell asleep while she was
pealsing, and though heard her voice
Or some time the words quoted were all
remembered OF her conversation.
hose words, sermon in themselves,
lade deep impression ON my mind.
nd scarcely II day has ever passed that
have not recalled them. They were
ource of consolation to me, and often
then | was sorely tired, and when NV
urdcn OF trouble seemed heavier than ,
could bear, thought Of the great dny
I reckoning, and bore patiently ON.
moving that there was time coming
which my wrongs would be adjusted
IL was several days after my mis-
lrtunc before | knew the full extent
the infection had suffered. Aunt
larry had made IL appear as light as
osSible, and she had taken caro- that
should not have glass in which TO
lew my reflection, knowing, MS she
fterwards said, that the knowledge |
lould gain would only servo to aug
tent my misery.
When at last saw my face in a
lirror, and viewed the ravages the
re- had wrought, / was shocked be-
ond description. felt that the
Interest part of my punishment had
'st come, and that the pain ! had
ihered was nothing. | was disfigured
that looked frightful, and had no
1ubt would remain so for life. All,
hat bitter sorrow my appearance
FUSED mo to feell and what tears | i
ept as looked upon my reflection In h
le glass; a
mo one will ever love me now" a
oaned. mo one--no one" =,
Then thought OF win Hanlev, and
y grief surged up afresh, submerpinp
c completely. How could he look on
Y face, all Scared and drawn, with
~ feeling of revulsion? How could hi
like me now, when had become so Il
pulsivc that could not look upon my %
vn image without shudder? ~
He will not, he viii not" cried, al
irying my face in my hands aud pour Al
g forth my grief in a flow OF tears. AZ
lie will never like me again, and | nj
all ho all alone, with not one friend IN
all the world" n,