Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1915-02-05
THE HAND OF
GOD
By M. QUAD
Copyright, 1914. by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.

~~>~~~~~~~O
With the accident that brought me to
this hospital is this: My parents were
drowned before was a year old. ana
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 Ut that
/ fell into the hands Ut this and that
farmer. and in every instance 1 was
overw0rked and ground down. The
name generally given me was 'I'au-
per" and was clothed in the cheapest
and poorest garments and fed with the
dogs. 1t bore It patiently was an
object for further abuse; If l rebelled
was kicked out to lind another place.
used to wonder and speculate as to
why | 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. / wasn't uniformed. and
wasn't sulky or impudent. 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
scarecrow and fed me like u dog. Sim
ply because I broke the handle OF a
hoe by accident | was beaten until
fell unconscious. In the small hours
of the night. groanlng 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 had always
frightened me away from the towns
and kept me among the agriculrur1StS.
/ had scarcely descended from the cart
when | encountered an old man. VINO
looked ME over and then arcusttd me.
He seemed to nave Il kind face. and Ne
spoke pleasantly, and it was soon
agreed that | should go with nlm.
As ! was Il pauper and a runaway,
too. could expect no more than
clothes and board III exchange for my
services The man was named Sahln.
He kept secondhand furniture shop.
and as he was all alone in the world
be lived in miserable way In room
over the shop. In a day or two ne got
me to sign a paper binding myself to
him until of age. and the ink was nard-
~ dry on the *" mark before found
change In him. ae was by nature
cruel. stingy and selfish. ae worked
me without stint, and during the two
years | was with him 1 was always
hungry and tired.
One night when | had been with Mr..
Sabin about two years and just after
he had beaten me for some trtfie and
laughed over his work a strange
thought came to me. For the first time
in my life 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 quarter
of an hour there was more change in
y
wrought. l called up all my WRONGS.
My heart filled with bitterness against
the whole world. / wanted to strike
men dead for what they had made me
suffer. The old man found Il change
in me the next morning. / had spent
the whole night thinking, and when ne
called me bis dog and threw me a
morsel of food stood up and cursed
him. When he laid his bands on me
threw him to the floor. Tie was
dumfounded, out be shut his teeth
together and looked at me with half
shut eyes and said that he would have
my life. We were both sullen and 81
lent that day. but l reasoned it out
that his plan was to come downstairs
that night as slept and bind Tie fast
and then torture me to his hearts con-
tent. Yes. l reasoned it 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
treated you, and all the money you can
find should be yours by right"
The more thought it over the less
murder and robbery seemed crime,
and by and by 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 he'd.
He had candle in one hand and d
rope in the other, and there was Il 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
l was there to do murder, for his jaw
dropped, and | saw terror in his eyes.
l had raised the bar and was about to
| spring forward, neither OF Us having
| uttered word, when there was a
crashing and splintertng, and great
heap Of junk which was stored in the
! room above him came down.