Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1892-01-27

where he was to take little market
boat to New York, and | was oblig-
ed to leave him, for he did not want
the squire to find out what he had
done until he was fairly out of reach,
and then he put his arm around my
waist and kissed me.
Goodbye, little sister," he said,
goodbye, Dora, my pet. Keep up
a good heart and never forget to an
swer my letters" And he was off,
and went home weeping as though
my heart would break.
There was terrible time at the
house when they found he was gone,
and the squire swore he should never
enter his door again. But the
squire's daughters, who hated Har-
old as their father did, though he
was their own mothers child, said
they were glad he was gone. And
only | remembered him, | think,
very long. A weak woman was Mrs.
Halsead, and her husband had got
her under his power. The way he
managed her has always made me
think there must be something in
magnetism or hypnotism. She
seemed to have lost her senses or to
have grown mentally blind, and he
led her where he would.
Just about this time | fell very i'll,
and when grew better the squire,
knowing | was good at my needle,
made seamstress of me. was
ashamed to say why, but it was be-
cause looked very stylish and was
called pretty, and SO many questions
were asked me by guests. AS a
seamstress ] could stay Ill my upper
room and work. | was so thankful
for the change! Now could read
a little and be more to myself. |
made the fnery for the young ladies
of the family, and no one troubled
me.
Once, indeed, a rich old gentle
man, having got my story from good
old cook, sought me out and made a
proposition of marriage, saying that
it was a shame that such an elegant
young lady should live as | did. But
| thanked him and declined his offer.
J was not unhappy now, except that
| pinned for news from Harold, for
in all these years no word had come
from him none of those letters he
had promised me.
felt sure he was not dead, and it
was natural he should forget to
write, but my heart had no rest.
He was twenty-six years old by this
time, and in all that time much had
happened.
My pillow was often wet with
tears from thoughts of him-fancies
of what he might have suffered, and
longing to meet him or only see him
from afar but once again.
At last news came. Mrs. Hal
stead came running into my room
wild with joy.
"News of my boy!" she said hold
ing a letter toward me.
81 thought you had forgotten all
about him, madam" | said.
| was sorry the next moment, for
she burst into tears and faltered
through her sobs:
"You don't know what it is to be
the wife of "a man who dominates
your will! | never have forgotten
or ceased to regret other things"
Then she wiped her eyes and said:
"But as far as Harold goes, it is all
over. He has written to me. He is
rich-really rich. He has made
fortune in California, and he is COM
ing home to see me. He is in New
York and will be here tomorrow.
The squire is pleased; the girls are
wild to see him; his little brother
is delighted"
She ran out of the room again,
looking young and happy, and sat
down TO my machine, swallowing IA
great lump that had risen in my
throat.
He had not written to me. Well,
! was only servant, and he was a
rich man now. They were rejoicing
in his coming for that reason-the
squire and his children. He was a
very different person from poor Har-
old Robling that went away.
81 expect he will give us lots of
presents" | heard one of the girls
say. "An older brother who is rich
is "A great thing to have. We must
pet him and make him goodnatur-
ed"
"Oh, yes" said the other. "When
girls have as stingy father as we
have a generous older brother is a
godsend.
And I-ob IF he would return in |