The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-03-12
THE HAND OF
GOD
By M QUAD
By NJ QUAD
Copyright. 1914. py the Mcclure
Newspaper SyndicAte.

All have tU tell you In connection
with the accident that brought lne to
this hospital IL this: My parents were
drowned before I was year 0i0. aud
after being passed from one person to
another was Mt last sent " pau
peTs' home. At the age OF ten ! ran
away from the institution. hoping to
better my condition. but instead Ut that
! fell into the hands VI this ana that
farmer. and In every instance l was
0verw0rked ana ground down. The
name generally gwen me wis PAU
per" aud was clothed In the cheapest
and poorest garments Hna TED With the
dogs. II ! bOre Il patiently I was an
object for further abuse: II ! rei,eiltd
I was kicked out to tind another place.
used t. wonder and speculate ma to
Why ! was treated IN this manner
Why there was never k,Sd worn for
me. why men. women AM ~niIdren d.
sired to humiliate nle afid add to my
burdens. ! wasn't maifVrlned. and !
wasn't sulky or impudent. Had any
human being interested himself IN me
! should have come up to give the
world an honest light In an honest
way. ! was sixteen years old a. near
a. ! can make It when was last kick
ed out had worked for that farmer
q year. and he mad clothed me like a
scarecrow and fed me like dog. Sim
ply because broke the handle VI
hoe By accident was beaten until 1
fell unconscious. In the small hours
of the night, grOaning at every step.
but fearful of my life, took to the
highway. and carter gave me lift
which carried me many miles before
light was determined to try the
city this time. My rags. my ignorance
and my general appearance mad always
frightened the away from the towns
and kept me among the agriculturtsts.
| had scarcely descended from the cart
when encountered an old man. VINO
looked me over and then accOsted ne.
he seemed to have kind face. and ne
spoke pleasantly. and 1t was SOM
agreed that should 60 With him.
As was a pauper and runa way.
too. | could expect No more than
clothes and hoard In exchange for my
services. The man was named Satin.
he kept u secondhand furniture shop.
and AZ he was all alone In the world
he lived In u miserable way In room
over the shop. In day Or two he got
me to sign paper binding myself TO
him until Of age. and the Ink wan hnrd.
" dry on the TX" marx before found
. change In him. He was by nature
cruel. stingy and selfish. De worked
me without stint. and during the two
yea1 ! was with MIN | was always
hungry and tired.
One night when l had been With Mr..
Eabin about two years and Just after
he had beaten me for some tribe and
laughed over his work u strange
thought csme to me. For the 6rst tune
In my life feeling Of revenge crept
into my heart. and II made me shake
| and tremble. ! had stood insults and
| abuses beyond number and never
thirsted for reparntiOn. In \ quarter
| Of an hour there was more change IN
me than the last ten years mad
wrought. ! called up all my wrongs.
My heart filled with bitterness against
the whole world, l wanted to strike
men dead for what they had made me
suffer. The old man found u change
In me the next morning. / nad spent
the whole night thinking. ana when NJ
called me his dog and threw me a
morsel Of food ! stood up and cursed
him. When be laid his hands on me
threw him to the door. He was
dumfOunded. out be shut his teeth
together and looked nj me with nall
shut eyes and said that he would have
my life. We were both sullen ana 81,
lent that day. but reasoned It Oul
that his plan was to come downstairs
that night AS ! slept and bind me fast
and then torture me to his hearts con
tent. Yes. ! reasoned II out that this
would he his way. and while I wal
wondering how | could hattie him Sa
tan came to my aid.
60 and Kill him" whispered th,
sempter. Go and KIN him and TAKE
all his money and Ire far away. ID
deserves killing Tor the way be has
treated you. and an the money yoO cal
and should be yours By rght~
The more ! Thought Il over the Ven
murder and robbery seemed . crime
and by and By ! had neither fear mo-
pity in my heart. At midnight. will
| nm
stairs and softly pashed the Old nan
door open. tie had Just got Out " bed
He had candle N one hand aA0 ,
rope In the other. and there WAS dev
Aish smile on hss face N he though
bow he wotsid trap and get revenge VI
me. My face M,lst have told him thu
| was there ~ d. NurGleT. fOs hte Jas
aroppeo. ana san terrOv In his esss
! had raised the bar and WAS about y
spring forward neither VI as hAv,n
uttered veri. when there Vas
crashing and 10 spainterine. and grew
hrap VI junk wbicb Was stored h IN
reso,n above kM came down.
h was n.rnine before any one sOan
Ms He was dead OrOken. oattere<
: bruised and crushed out Of 81 ss.u
hlanrsA- whii. 1 was little better Ut
No man suspected that was there
d, murder. They called It an aCciden
.hvaigh ! tell yo0 u WAS the nand .
S>sd tsod tps,k the old naas life
prevent me from becominr murtere
hui M the same time dealt out my ju'
punishment. Had ! dyed my hand
blood there would have been no neavt