The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-04-05

long, long time ago there dwelt In land beyond the seas an old couple that were ehildess. They were much disliked In their community for their wickedness and cruelty to children who worked for them. Among the young who were em- ployed to work for them were their little grandnephew and grandniece, aged, re- spectively, Q and II. These little kinsfolk were orphans, their parents having died several years before this story opens. AS the parents were very poor, and there were no other relatives save the old uncle and aunt, of whom I have Just spoken, they were obliged on their deathbeds to leave their little son and daughter to the care of this old couple, who promised the dying parents that they would take the little fatherless and motherless ones to their own home and be kind to them, ed- ucating them carefully and loving them as though they were their very own flesh and blood.
 But scarcely had they reached their own home-a fine estate of many hun dreds of acres of titled lands and wild forests-when they put the little grand nephew. by name Henko, and the little grandniece. by name Sena, out in the fields to destroy the weeds that threat ened the grain. All day long, beneath the burning sun, did Henko and Sena work,
  born soil And at night their little backs and arms ached so that they wept silent ly In their miserable beds, for they had never been made to suffer that way be- fore, and 1t almost broke thelr poor hearts to be subjected to such cruelty. Their own parents had been very poor. but at the same time extremely affection ate and considerate of their little ones. doing everything in their power to make them happy.
 One morning when Henko and Sena came from their closetlike rooms for breakfast they were told that after that morning they should eat their meals in the back yard with the other servants. This bit of news was not unwelcome to the children, for while in the presence of their very severe Hncle and cross, irri- table aunt they could not eat with any relish the spare, coarse meals set before them. And when told that they should in future eat with the servants In the back yard they felt very glad of the pros pect of getting away from the formld- able company of, heir old and grabbed kinsfolk, and He 'orgetful of himself. smiled as he sah
 "Thank you. Nuncle and Aunt, for your kindness in allowing sister and me to share the meals of the other servants. We shall be very glad to do so
 Glad to do so? Do hear my own ears rightlyy' And the old aunt sprang from her chair, almost choking on the tender wing of nicely broiledN fowl. as sh gave vent to her anger. (While she and her husband were brcakfasting on broiled wild duck tender oat cakes and honey, washing the dainty viands down with home made wine, Herko ana Sena were eating their breakfast oi coarse porrIdge and skinned milk.)
 Do you mean to insinuate, my smart young man, that you prefer the company of the servants to that of your venerable uncle and lf-sacrihcng auntt' And the old woman shook her fist threateningiy in poor little Henko's face.
 .sYes, and he has the impudence to say y.the other servants just as. though he and his sister have been made serv- ants of," put in the irate old uncle "Bah, isn't 1t enough to have the thank less children of porerty-stricken kinsfolk thrust upon you without being submitted to their nasty insults? Bah, it's too much for human beings with feelings md hearts to bear No, sir; you and your sister shall not eat with the serv nnts-the other servants-if you wish to be classed with the menials-but shall eat out behind the pen where the goats are kept at night; and there your meals may be spread upon an old stump. Now, have you anything to say, sir3'
 'Only that my sister and shall obey