Connecticut western news., 1902-02-06
THE STEPSON ;a %s
 How He Ran Away and Made His Fortune and What
 Happened When He
 Came Back
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Halsted, whipped Harold Burr for a thing he had not done Harold ran away. No one knew 1t but l, and was nobody. But I thought as much of Harold as ever a human being could think of another, and l knew that he was wronged, and I felt that Mrs. Rolling 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.
 had had my share of 1t, too, for while MT. Rolling lived and while she was a widow was like a 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 heard him ask Mrs. Halsted who 1 was.
 Her mother died when she was born," Mrs. Halsted said. "and I 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.
 
 said, and kept the little girl"
 You must remember that she will need to earn her own bread" said the squire. "She Is not a lady. Let the servants keep her in their part of the house and teach her her duties as l waitress"
 "Oh, MT. Halstedr' cried the bride, T cannot do that"
 My dear," said MT. Halsted, 'T am master here"
 The poor lady was helpless. She had no longer any control of her own money. I was six years old, Harold the same age, and terrible life we had had of it. I was very we'll 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. I was delicate, and waiting is hard work when your wrists are slender.
 Mrs. Halsted did all she could for me. I used to hear her pleading with the squire to let her send me to a boarding school to learn to be a teach CT, but he called her a little goose" and she fancied him very wise. But for Harold I 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:
 That's right, Master Harold. It's a good deed you are doing. God spare Ro da self, on account of an evil minded step father iv me own that put me to sarv- ice before I could get schoolin', an know the loss"
 And not a servant but would have waited in my place, for they said I 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 1t, I know. But two little girls came soon, and then a little boy, and soon she cared nothing for her own splendid boy, and why shoCld she care for meT Bus I am wandering away from the morning when Harold Rolling. just eighteen that day, walked down the garden path in the gray morning light. and I w.th him, choking down ny Sobs. For TOW ihe one l,eiEg I loved was going away from IIe perhaps for ever.
 It was only o'clock, and no one was up. The grass was wet with dew. md there were only a few pink streaks !n 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 a good heart and never forget to answer my letters" And he was of, 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 doors again. But the sQuire's daugh- ters. who hated Harold as their father lid. though he was their own mothers child. said they were glad he was gone and only I remembered him, l think, very long. 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 I fell very Ill, and when I grew better the squire knowing I was good at my needle, made a seamstress of me. was ashamed to say why, but it Is because I looked rather stylish and was called pretty, and so many questions were asked me by guests. AS a seamstress could stay in my upper room and work. I was so thankful for the change. Now 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 proposition of marriage, saying 1t was a shame that such an elegant wo- man should live as did. But thank ed him and declined his offer. I was not unhappy now, except that I pined for news of Harold; for in all these years no word had come from him none of those lettes he had promised. felt sure he was not dead, and It was very natural that he should for get to write; lat my heart had no rest.