Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1912-10-04
BROTHER AND
SISTER
There Was a Great SOciai
Gap Between Them
By F. A. mitchell

I can never forget that dreadful day
Bert and l parted. Unmerciful dis
aSter had followed fast and followed
faster" and this was the browning
trouble. Father had failed in business,
and the shock had killed him. Mother,
accustomed to every luxury and now
reduced to penury, followed him in a
few months. Neither father nor mother
had any near relatives, and it fell to-
some old friends to determine for Bert
and me what we should do.
Bert was twelve and l eight. Had
we been but a few years older we
might have taken some action for our
selves. AS it was, it was decided that
we must be separated A friend of
fathers offered to take Bert and give
him an education. A lady was found
who would do the same for me. We,
chung to each other, declaring that we
would stay together, Bert saying that
he would take position as telegraph
messenger-the only occupation for
boys he had noticed-but despite our
pleadings we were sent in different
directions. This, of course, promised
better for us than trying to make our
way in the world for ourselves at that
tender age, but it seemed dreadfully
hard to us.
1t did turn out better, though in my
case the good results were delayed for
long while. The lady who took me
had no children and intended to adopt
me. But persons who have not and
never have had children of their own
cannot begin with child of ten
without great trouble. 1t is like taking
up any other occupation about which
we have learned nothing. Besides, my
foster mother was very nervous
| woman, and whatever l did worried
her l had been with her but short
! while when she decided that her health
required that she should be relieved of
my care, and 1 was given up to another
person who was paid to take me.
| When I was fourteen my foster
mother died, and since she had made
no provision for me, l was told that
I must earn money. This l began do
ing by being baby's nurse, and from
! that drifted into other mental duties
| till became a housematd in the fam
| lily of a wealthy gentleman whose
! only child was a daughter about my
own age. This young lady upon learn
/ ing the story of my life was very sym
. IL =
NIT that l would always remain a
! servant and helped me to prepare my
| self for something better. She made
| me her own maid, though she was not
of the kind to need maid, preferring
to do everything for herself, giving me
the position that l might have more
time to improve myself She was a
! strong character, well educated and
| possessing intellectual tastes. She be-
| came my teacher, and under her tut
t ton, beginning where had left off at
| my fathers death, l gained what
might be considered fair education.
Indeed / proved an apt scholar, and
/ absorbed in a short while what some
! girls would be years in learning. Miss
! Gwendolen Hawley. my mistress, my
teacher and my friend. was delighted
with the success of her efforts in my
my gratitude that she was Indebted to
| me, since l had given her something
to interest her.
When Bert and were separated we
! were too young to keep track of each
other. pined for him for awhile, but
the memory of children requires time
to develop, and within two or three
years had forgotten much about him.
This was to be expected of him con-
corning his remembrance of me. Chill
dren of the same family not brought
up together have little or nothing in
common. Still l had a brother and
longed for him. One fearful letter
written a few days after Bert and l
parted was the only message l receiv-
ed from him while we were children.
Miss Hawley had fine social posi-
ton, but only mingled in society to a
moderate extent. She was prominent
In organizat tons whose object was to
LLS VI the DOOR.
/ OF course, she had number of friends
and acquaintance, but as she did not
entertain largely l had little or no
knowledge of them. She was so inter
ested in intellectual and charitable pur-
suits that l fancied she would not be
likely to marry; for she was twenty
two, and passing out from an age when
the feelings are easily enlisted But
one evening when she had two young
men and a girl friend in to play bridge
with her I noticed treatment of one
Of the men by her different from what
she had shown any other. served
some refreshments, and during the few
minutes that l was in the room was
convinced of this, and noticed that the
other man Of the party favored me
with a look of admiration he should
net have bestowed upon servant
After the party had gone Miss Hawley
told me that this young man had not
| hoSifa tod 70 cnporoapk T1po,, w. !.