The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1861-03-08
The Two Sisters.
BY NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE.

The following story, The simple and
domestic incidents of which may be deem
ed hardly worth relating after such a lapse
of time, awakened degree of interest a
hundred years ago, in principal seaport
iu the Bay of Massachusetts,. The rainy
twilight Of an autumn day, parlor Oh
the second floor of house, plainly furnish
ed, as bcseemed the circumstances of its
inhabitants, yet decorated with curiosities
from beyond the sea, and few specimens
of Indian manufacture, these are the only
particulars to be presented in regard to
scenes and reasons. Two young and
comely women sat together by the tireside,
nursing their mutual and peculiar sorrows.
They were the recent brides Of two bros
theirs, sailor and landsman, and two
successive days had brought tiGings of
the death of each, by the chances of Can
adian warfare and the tempestuous Allan
tic. The universal sympathy excited by
this bereavement. drew numerous condol
ing guests to the habitation of the widow
ed sisters. Several, among whom was
the minister, had remained until the verge
of the evening, when, one by one, whisper
ing many comforting passages of Scrip
lures, that were answered by more abun-
dant tears, they took their leave, and they
departed to their own happier homes.
The mourners, though not insensi5le to
the kindness of their friends, had yearned
to be left alone. United as they had been
by relationship Of the living, and now
more closely SO by that of the dead, each
felt as if whatever consolation her grief
admitted, was to be found in the bosom of
the other. They joined their hearts, and
wept together silently. Bnt after an hour
of such indulgence, one of the sisters, all Of
whose emotions were influenced by her
mild, quiet, Jet not feeble character, began
to reeoIect the precepts of resignation and
endurance, which her piety had taught
her, when she did not think to heed them.
Her misfortunes, besides, as earliest
known, should earliest cease to interfere
with here regular course of duties; accord>
ingly, having placed the table before the
fire, and arranged a frugal meal, she took
the hand of her companion.
"Come. dearest sister, you have not
eaten morsel to-day" she said. Arise, I
pray you, and let us ask blessing on
that which is provided for lis.
Her sister was Of a lively and irritable
temperament, and the first pages of her
sorrow had been expressed by shrieks and
passionate lamentations. She now shrunk
from Mary's words like wounded sufferer
from the hand that revives the throd
"There is no blessing for me, neither
will | ask it," cried Margaret, with fresh
burst of tears. Would that it were His
will that l might never taste food any
more.
Yet she trembled at these rebellious ex-
pressions, almost as soon as they were ut
tered, and by degrees, Mary succeeded in
bringing her sisters mind nearer to the
situation of her own. Time rolled on,
and the usual hour of their repose arrived
The brothers and the brides entered the
married state with no more than the
slender means which then sanctioned such
a step, and confederated themselves in
one household, with equal rights to the
parlor, and claiming exclusive privileges
in two sleeping rooms contiguous to it.
Thither the widowed ones retired, after
heaping ashes upon the dying embers Of
the fire, and placing lighted lamp upon
the hearth. The doors fboth chambers
were left open, SO that a part Of the inter
ior of each, and the beds with their un
closed curtains, were reciprocally visible.
Sleep did not steal upon the sisters at one
and the same time. Mary experienced
the effect often consequent upon grief
quietly borne, and soon sunk into tempo
rary forgetfulness, while Margaret became
more disturbed and feverish, in proportion
as the night advanced with its deepest and
silent hours. She lay listening to the
drops Of rain as they came down in mons
otonous succession, unswayed BY breath
of wind, and a nervous impulse continual.
ly caused her to lift her head from the
pillow, and gaze into Mary's chamber
and the intermediate apartment The
cold light of the lamp threw the shadows
of the furniture up against the wall, stamp
ing them immovable there, except when
they were shaken by a sudden fickering
of the flame. Two vacant arm chairs
were. in their old positions on opposite
sides of the hearth, where the brothers had
been wont to sit in young and laughing
dignity, as heads of families; two humber
seats were near them, the thrones of that
little empire, where Mary and herself had
exercised in love power that love had
won. The cheerful radiance of the fire
had shone upon the happy circle, and the
dead glimmer of the lamp might have
benefited their reunion now. While
Margaret groaned in bitterness, she heard
a knock at the street door.
4" how M heart would have leapt at
that sound but yesterday" thought she,
remembering the anxiety with which she
had so long awaited tidiugs from her hus-
band. | care not for it now, let them be-
gone, for will not arise.
But even while a sort of childish fret
fulness made her thus resolve, she was
breathing hurriedly. and straining her ears
to catch a repetition of the summons. 1t
is difficult to be cor vinced o: the death oi
one whom we have deemed another self.
The knocking was now renewed 10 slow
and regular strokes, apparently given
with the soft end of doubled fist, and
was heard throuph several thicknassee NJ