The record-union., 1893-10-20
LIKE. THE oLD-sTYLE NOVEL
The Rich Uncle Kescued His Nice
From q Heartless StepmOrher.

11AAea Ill OlJD-O1 LII INV ILL
The Rich Uncle Rescued His Niece
From n Heartless Stepmother.
A story, the facts of which would max
q good foundation for fairy tale but the
characters in which actually live within
the limits of Leominster, was told the
tltchburg, Mass, Sentinel reporter re-
Gently. The gentleman who related the
facts knows the parties we'll. About
seventeen or eighteen years ago there
lived on small farm some little distance
from the center man and wife who to-
gether TILED the soil, the woman doing
her full share OF the work, and both man
and wife seeming bent OH making their
little farm the best in town. About this
time daughter was born and the
mothers health declined until, when the
little one was about 2 years Of age, the
mother passed away and the lutte child
was motherless. and, although too young
to realize her loss, her time of trouble
dates from that day. The father soon
married again, but the union proved
rather an unhappy one, and the child
lacked that training and mothers care
and affection which she should have had.
so long as the father lived, however,
his little daughter was not abused but
within a few years he, too. followed the
mother, and within the year the widow,
like many others, burying her sorrow
with her husband, took another husband,
which LETT the child, now some 10 years OF
age, with a steptather and mother, who
simply provided for her roof and sufli-
cient food TO keep soul and body together,
but who never spoke a kind or comfort
ing word. To make matters worse. with
in IL year came baby, and from that mo-
ment the real suffering OF the daughter
began. From morning till night she was
busy. 1t was work, work, work, and not
content with the little ones wearing her
life out, she was repeatedly kicked and
abused for sleeping too much. But she
. stood it all. not daring to complain. At
the present time there are three children,
from l to years old.
A few weeks ago there appeared at the
farm a shabbily dressed man, about so
years of age, and announced that he was
an uncle Of the first child, her father hav-
ing been his brother. Not one of the
present family had ever seen him, but be
produced abundant proof of his identity,
and stated that he had come to visit his
niece. The tramp-looking individual
hung around several days, and during
his stay had many long talks with the
girl, always telling her, when in the
presence of her present father or mother,
what beautiful home she had, and how
she must do everything in return. The
girl at these times said little. These re-
( marks Of the uncle greatly pleased the
woman, who told him how much had
been done Tor his niece and what trial
she had been. AT the end of the third or
fourth day both the steptather and step
mother began to hint that the uncle had
stayed about long enough FOR visit, and
accordingly, amid the tears of the girl,
who felt that her last ray of hope was
leaving her, and the smile Of the old
lady, the strange uncle took his depart
ure.
About noon of the next day the uncle,
in company with well-known lawyer,
returned but what transformation! He
was no longer shabbily dressed, but wore
clothes of modern make. He quietly told
the wondering girl to pack what few be-
longings she had and he would take
her to a place far away from, as
he expressed it. this hell on
earth" Both the stepparents protested
but the uncle quietly referred to
his legal friend, who produced copy
of the will Of the girls father, in
which it was provided that his daugh
ter was to share equally the property,
and that this uncle was ap-
pointed guardian of tie child. This
seemed to settle the question, and amid
the taking on'' of the dear old lady the
girl, who seemed TO have grown ten years
younger, was driven away. The uncle is
extremely wealthy and lives in California
and has not been East before for many
years. He was on a visit to the Worlds
fair, when accidentally meeting friend
from this vicinity he was informed of the
girls position and concluded to investi-
gate. Next day the two left the Leomin-
ster station bound for California and a
happier appearing girl it would be hard
find.