The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-05-29

know" said Maisie.
"Beat me and lock you up in your
bedroom" Dick answered without hes
itation. Have you got the cartridges|
Yes. They're in my pocket, but they
are jogging horribly. Do pin fire car
tridges go off of their own accord"
Don't know. Take the revolver il
you are afraid and let me carry them"
''I'm not afraid" Maisie strobe for
ward swiftly, hand in her pocket and
her chin in the air. Dick followed with
a small pin fire revolver.
The children had discovered that
their lives would be uncomfortable with
out pistol practice. After much fore
thought and self denial Dick had saved
rs. 3D., the price of badly constructed
Belgian revolver. Maisie could only
contribute half a crown to the Syndi-
cate for the purchase of a hundred car
tridges. you can save better than /
can, Dick" she explained. Il like nice
things to eat and it doesn't matter to
you Besides, boys ought to do these
things
Dick grumbled a little at the ar
rangement. but went out and made the
purchases, which the children were
then on their way to test. Revolvers
did not lie in the scheme of their daily
life as decreed for them by the guard.
ian who was incorrectly supposed to
stand in the place of a mother to these
two orphans.
Dick had been under her care for six
years, during which time she had made
her profit of the allowances supposed
to be expended on his clothes, and,
partly through thoughtlesSneSs, partly
through a natural desire to pain-She
was widow of some years. anxious to
marry again-had made his days bur.
densome on his young shoulders. Where
he had looked for love she gave him
first aversion and then hate. Where
he growing older, had sought little
sympathy, she gave him ridicule. The
many hours that she could spare from
the ordering of her small house she de-
voted to what she called the home
training of Dick Heldar. Her religion,
manufactured in the main by her own
intelligence and an ardent study of the
Scriptures, was an aid to her in this
matter.
At such times as she herself was not
personally displeased with Dick she
left him to understand that he had
heavy account to settle with his Crea-
tor. Wherefore Dick learned to loathe
his God as intensely as he loathed Mrs.
Jennett, and this is not wholesome
frame of mind for the young. Since
she chose to regard him as hopeless
liar, when dread of pain drove him to
his first untruth he naturally developed
into liar, but an economical and self
contained one, never throwing away
the least unnecessary fib and never
hesitating at the blacklist, if it were
only plausible, that might make his
life a little easier.
The treatment taught him at least
the power of living alone-a power
that was of service to him when he
went to a public school and the boys
laughed at his clothes, which were
poor in quality and much mended. In
the holidays he returned to the teach
ing of Mrs. Jennett, and, that the chain
of discipline might not be weakened
by association with the world, was
generally beaten on one count or an
other before he had been twelve hours
under her roof.
The autumn of one year brought him
a companion in bondage, long haired,
gray eyed little atom, as self contained
as himself, who moved about the house
Ill G. h. 60
spoke only to the goat that was her
chiefest friend on earth and lived in
the back garden.
Mrs. Jennett objected to the goat on
the grounds that he was un-Christian,
which he certainly was. Then" said
the atom. choosing her words very de-
liberately. 81 shall write to my lawyer
peoples and tell them that you are a
very bad woman. Amomma is mine,
mine, mine"'
Mrs. Jennett made a movement to
the hall, where certain umbrellas and
canes stood in rack. The atom under
stood as clearly as Dick what this
meant 81 have been beaten before"
she said still in the same passionate
you can ever beat me. If you beat me,
I shall write to my lawyer peoples and
tell them that you do not give me
enough to eat. l am not afraid of you"
Mrs. Jennett did not go into the hall,
and the atom, after q pause to assure
herself that all danger of war was
past, went out to weep bitterly on
Amomma's neck.
Dick learned to know her as Maisie,
and at first mistrusted her profoundly,
for he feared that she might interfere
with the small liberty of action left to
him. She did not, however and she
volunteered no friendliness until Dick
had taken the first steps. Long before
the holidays were over the stress of
punishment shared in common drove
the children together, if it were only
to play into each others hands as they
prepared lies for Mrs. Jennetts use.
When Dick returned to school, Maisie
whispered "Now shall be all alone to
take care of myself, but"-and she nod
ded her head bravely-"I can do it.
You promised to send Amomma brass
collar Send it soon." A week later
she asked for that collar by return of
post and was not pleased when she
learned that it took time to make it.
When at last Dick forwarded the gift,
she forgot to thank him for it.
Many holidays had come ands'gone
since that day. and Dick had grown