The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1902-01-17
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| THE STEPSON !
Il q
How He Ran Away and Made
His Fortune and What
Happened When He 4
Came Back.
Observation-Disclosures

away. No one knew It but |, and
was nobody. But I thought as much
Of Harold as ever human being could
think Of another, and knew that he
was wronged, and / felt that Mrs.
Robllng had done a dreadful thing
when she took Squire Halsted for her
second husband and let him rule her,
take possession Of her money and i'll
use her handsome boy.
I had had my share OF it, too, for
while Mr.. Robling lived and while she
was a widow was like daughter of
the house. But no sooner had she come
back from her honeymoon trip than all
that was altered. The squire looked at
me coldly, and I heard him ask Mrs.
Halsted who was
"Her mother died when she was
born" Mrs Halsted said. "and took
the baby to my own nursery, where
Harold lay In the cradle"
"More fool you. my dear" said the
squire.
"The father went away" said Mrs.
Halsted, "and was lost at sea. so they
said, and kept the little girl"
"You must remember that she will
need to earn her own bread" said the
squire. "She Is not q lady. Let the
servants keep her in their part of the
house and teach her her duties as
waitress"
"Oh, Mr.. HaIstedw cried the bride,
II cannot do that"
my DEAR" said Mr.. Halsted, Il am
master here"
The poor lady was helpless. She
had no longer any control OF her own
money. was six years old. Harold
the same age, and terrible life we
had had Of it. was very well used
In the kitchen, but felt cast down and
degraded. wore big crash aprons
that covered me from head to foot in
stead of my pretty muslin and silk
dresses. was delicate. and waiting
is hard work when your wrists are
slender.
Mrs. Halsted did all she could for
me. l used to hear her pleading with
the squire to let her send me to
boarding school to learn to be teach
er, but he called her ''little goose"
and she fancied him very wise.
But for Harold | should never have
known anything. as after school he
used to come to me and teach me
what he had learned himself.
Cook would whisper:
'Thats right. Master Harold. It's
good deed you are doing. God spare
you. was never taught to rade me-
self, on account of an evil minded step
father iv me own that put me to sarv-
ice before could get schoolin', an
know the loss"
And not servant but would have
waited in my place, for they said
was too small to carry dishes; but the
cruel squire would have me come in
to make sure that he was obeyed.
Mrs. Halsted really felt badly about
it, / know. But two little girls came
soon, and then little boy, and soon
she cared nothing for her own splendid
boy, and why should she care for me?
But am wandering away from the
morning when Harold Robling. just
eighteen that day, walked down the
garden path in the gray morning light,
and with him, choking down my
sobs. For now the one being 1 loved
was going away from me perhaps for
ever.
1t was only 5 o'clock, and no one
was up. The grass was wet with dew,
and there were only a few pink streaks
In the sky to tell that day was coming,
We did not dare to speak until we got
out of hearing of the house.
"Goodby. little sister," he said; good
by, Dora, my pet Keep up good
heart and never forget to answer my
letters" And he was off, and went
home weeping as though my heart
would break.
There was a terrible time at the house
when they found he was gone, and the
squire swore he should never enter his
doors again. But the squire's daugh-
tiers, who hated Harold as their father
did, though he was their own mothers
child, said they were glad he was gone.
and only remembered him, / think,
very Tonga A weak woman was Mrs
Halsted, and her husband had got her
under his power. The way he man
aged her has always made me think
that there must be something In mag.
netism 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 Ill.
and when | grew better the squire.
knowing was good at my needle,
made a seamstress OF me. was
ashamed to say why. but it is because
/ looked rather stylish and was called
pretty, and so many questions were
asked me by guests. AS seamstress
could stay In my upper room and work.
was so thankful for the change. Now
I could read little and be more to my
self. made the finery for the young
ladies Of the family, and no one trou-
bled me.
Once, indeed. a rich old gentleman.
having somehow got my story from
good old cook. sought me out and made
me a proposition Of marriage saying it
was shame that such an elegant wO-
man should live as did. But | thank
ed him and declined his offer. was
not unhappy now, except that pined
for news OF Harold; for In all these
years no word had come from him
none OF those Iettes he had promised