The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1893-05-17
CHAPTER Ill
A CRUEL, UNJUST PUNISHMENT.


1t might have been wrong in me, but
whether it was or not, grew to hate
my stepmother; and I'm afraid that at
times | was wicked enough to wish for
some dire calamity to befall her. |
know that | often thought it would be
Il great blessing to me if she would only
take sick and die; and on one occasion
when she was very low with fever and
not expected to live, do not think l
was at ali sorrowful. Still, would not
have the reader think was heartless,
for was not. was as kind and sym
pathetic as ever and there was nothing
| would not have done to favor one who
had been kind to me. But continued
persecution had steelcd my heart
against my stepFother, and l hated her.
One day when was in my tenth year
I was helping Aunt Mary in the
kitchen. heard my stepmother call
ing me upstairs, and in my hurry to
reach her before she lost her temper, /
ran through the room where Mary was
playing with some toys, and accidental
ly knocked down large wax doll
which crashed to atoms on the floor.
Mary Immediately set up a fearful
screaming and her mother fastened to
the room to see what had happened.
explained that | had not seen the
doll, and had broken it unintentionally,
but Mary put a different construction
on the affair, asserting that broke the
doll on purpose out of pure malice. OF
course her version was accepted by her
mother, and | was sent into a dark
closet to remain until father came
home, when was promised q whip
ping that would learn me to beha*e
myself better in the future. For
an hour ] waited in fear and
trembling, and then heard my father
enter the house At once he was in
formed of what had happened, and my
stepmothcr added to Mary's statements
such assertions as she chose, making my
conduct appear reprehensible in the ex-
IRENE. Father listened to the account,
and then without a word approached
the closet and roughly dragged me out.
/ tried to explain to him that was not
in fault, but he refused to listen and
ordered me to keep silent.
"It's enough for you to tear up Mary's
things out of pure Spite" he said, with
out adding to your meanness the sin of
lying"
tried to speak again in vindication
of myself, but father stopped me before
could speak word.
"Shut right up" he cried, 81 won't
have word out of you. You know
that Mary wouldn't utter a falsehood,.
and I won't have you contradict her.
You ought to be thoroughly ashamed of
yourself, you mean, stubborn, vixenish
wench. It's wonder to me your sis
ter and ma bear with you as patiently
as they do, and if you got half the
whippings you deserve you'd be feeling
the rod continually"
made no further attempt to speak
but stood silent and with bursting heart,
trembling like a culprit, knowing the
unjustness of my fathers accusation
and my inability to 90 aught to turn
his wrath from me. For an instant he
gazed upon my pleading, upturned face,
his features all ahame with anger, then
he raised his hand, and the next instant
the cruel rod descended, cutting my
quivering flesh and bringing from me
Cry of pain. Quickly blow after blow
followed, each one raisinga great black
welt on my back and bruising me I'M
mcrcifully.