The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1915-04-15
THE HAND OF
GOD
By NJ. QUAD
Copyright, 1914, by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.
By NJ. QUAD

VIVID tne dCciueHt LHdt Drought me LO
this hospital is this My parents were
drowned before | was a year old, and
after being passed from one person to
another | was at last sent to a pau
pers' home. At the age of ten l ran
away from the institution, hoping to
better my condition. but instead of that
farmer. and In every instance / was
overworked and ground down. The
name generally given me was Pau
per-" and was clothed in the cheapest
and poorest garments and fed with the
dogs. Ii / bore 1t patiently | was an
object for further abuse; If i rebelled
l was kicked out to find another place.
l used to wonder and speculate as to
why l was treated in this manner
why there was never kind word for
me, why men, women and children de-
sired to humiliate me and add to my
burdens. l wasn't uniformed, and |
wasn't sulky or tmpudent- Had any
human being interested himself In me
| should have come up to give the
world an honest fight in an honest
way. was sixteen years old as near
as ] can make it when / was last kick
ed out had worked for that farmer
a year. and he had clothed me like a
scarecrow and fed me like dog. Sim
ply because | broke the handle OF q
hoe by accident l was beaten until 1
fell unconscious. In the small hours
of the night, grooming at every step.
but fearful of my life, | took to the
highway, and a carter gave me lift
which carried me many miles before
light. l was determined to try the
city this time. My rags. my ignorance
and my general appearance had always
frightened me away from the towns
and kept me among the agriculturists.
l had scarcely descended from the cart
when | encountered an old man, who
looked me over and then accosted me.
He seemed TO have kind face, and he
spoke pleasantly, and 1t was soon
agreed that should go with him.
As l was a pauper and runaway,
too, ! could expect no more than
clothes and board in exchange for my
services. The man was named Sabin.
He kept a secondhand furniture shop,
and as he was all alone In the world
he lived in a miserable way in room
over the shop. In day or two he got
me to sign a paper binding myself to
him until of age, and the ink was hard
~ dry on the "X" mark before found
a change in him. He was by nature
cruel, stingy and selfish. He worked
me without stint, and during the two
years | was with him | was always
hungry and tired.
One night when had been with MIR.
Sabin about two years and just after
he ha2 beaten me for some rit1e and
laughed over his work strange
thought came to me. For the first time
In my life a feeling Of revenge crept
into my heart, and 1t made me shake
and tremble. l had stood insults AND
abuses beyond number and never
thirsted for reparation. In a quarter
Of an hour there was more change In
me than the last ten years nad
wrought. | called up all my wrongs.
My heart filed with bitterness against
the whole world. / wanted to strike
men dead for what they had made me
suffer- The old man found change
In me the next morning. 1 had spent
the whole night thinking, and when he
called me his dog and threw me
morsel of food l stood up and cursed
him. When he laid his hands on me
threw him to the floor. He was
dumfounded, but he shut his teeth
together and looked at me with haf
shut eyes and said that he would have
my life. We were both sullen and 81
lent that day, but ! reasoned 1t out
that his plan was to come downstairs
that night as l slept and bind me fast
and then torture me to his hearts con-
tent. Yes, l reasoned 1t out that this
would be his way, and while ! was
wondering how | could battle him Sa-
tan came to my aid.
"Go and kill him" whispered the
tempter. Go and kill him and take
all his money and fee far away. He
deserves killing for the way he has
find should be yours by right?'
The more l thought it over the less
murder and robbery seemed crime.
and by and by l had neither fear nor
pity In my heart. At midnight, with
an iron bar in my hand, / crept up
stairs and softly pushed the old mans
door open. He had just got out of bed.
He had a candle in one hand and a
rope In the other, and there was dew
ilish smile on his face as he thought
how he would trap and get revenge on
me. My face must have told him that
| was there to do murder, for his jaw
dropped. and saw terror in mis- eyes.
l had raised the bar and was about to
spring forward, neither of us having
uttered word. when there was a
crashing and g:splintering, and great
heap Of junk which was stored In the
room above him came down.
1t was morning before any one found
Us. He was dead-broken, battered,
bruised and crushed out of all sem
blance-while | was little better of.
No man suspected that was there to
do murder. They called it an accident
though ! tell you 1t was the hand OF
God. God took the old mans life to
prevent me from becoming murderer.
but at the same time dealt out my just
punishment. Had l dyed my hand In
blood there would have been no heaven
for me- Tomorrow when they bear