Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1865-11-23

At school she was quicker less thor-
ilough, believe-but she dazzled every
one into thinking her perfection. What
chance have you TO see the spots OH
the sun at high noon?
1t humiliates me cruelty to- remem-
Der how jealous was Of her triumphs;
but it was SO hard to see her win,
without effort, the love and praise for
which my waiting heart and parched
lips hungered and thirsted. Natural
ly-to speak phrenologically-I had
small self-esteem and approbative-
ness morbiafy large; and the whole
course of my life had tended to de-
press my confidence in myself, and
sting and torture to vain longing that
morbid love of appreciation. suppose
there must have been, however, some
subtle tie which bound me, through il
all, to Madge-soIne dumb. UNDECIDED
clinging together of the kindred blood
in our veins, Of which should at any
time have felt the power had trouble
overtaken her. But while she was
prosperous, as she had always been.
holding loosely in her careless hands,
as if she scarcely valued them, all the
good gifts for which l was perishing
with longing, was it possible that nv
soul should not grow bitter?
This summer, for the first time il,
our lives, we had gone on separate
ways !; and for the first time, So it
seemed to me, had begun to be car
ca for-to take a place of my own i'm
the world. She had gone to Newport
with party of her friends--I had
been invited also, but had chosen
!" The Oaks" instead and as Mrs.
Lane, a quiet, middle-aged, halfinva-
lid cousin of my fathers was boarding
there, and willing to matronize me, no
one objected. Aud now Madge had
come
While made my toilet, scarcely
thinking it worth while To adorn my
self, looked in the glass. The day
before, looking in the same mirror, |
had felt myself not unpleasing. Now
something seemed TO have quenched
utterly whatever brightness had been
In my face. / saw a girl with blue
eyes, and brown hair, and well-enougb
features but with moody, discomfort
ed brow, and eyes sad with wistful
longings-looking cid, it seemed, iu
advance, with not even that fresh
beauty Of youth to which her eighteen
years gave her right. Then sneer-
ed at myself bitterly, for having fam
cied that Crawford Lindsay's pretty
speeches meant anything. / put ON
white muslin, as the least noticeable
thing had, twisted ribbon careless
ly about my hair, and went down
stairs to torture myself with a sight Of
Madge at the piano, and Mr.. Lindsay
bending over her, and talking to her.
How the color famed on her cheeks.
How her eyes sparkled. She found
him pleasant, then, even as had
found him. | wonder what fine
things he is saying to her." said Bit
terly, to myself, he can't call her
pearl or lily; he'll have to invent
something new.' And | know my
own face darkened, and the evil spirit
OF hate and jealousy within me must
have looked out at my eyes. While |
still watched them, she began to sing
"a wild, sweet strain, i'll whose fam
tastic rhythm the sea seemed to rise
and fall-you could have fancied a
syren was chanting it-how could any
Ulysses resist,
He was prince with golden hair,
In palace beside the sea,
And but poor mermaden--
And how should he cere for mes
Last summer came in the long blue nights
To sit in the cool caves
Last summer he came TO count the stars
From his terrace above he waves.
There's nothing SO fair in the sea down there
As the light on his golden tresses
There's nothing sweet as his voice ah nothing
So warm as the warmth Of bis kisses :"
The room had grown silent--every
one had listened to her, and when the
last note Of the music had risen and
fallen into passionate stiffness, there
was movement towards the piano.
Some young men, new to society, per-
haps, had the bad taste TO ask for
something else, and | heard Madges
voice, a low, sweet voice always, but
SO Distinct you could hear it farther
than any other, refusing, playfully,
and answering them with merry re-
partee. Under cover Of the movement
Crawford Lindsay crossed the room,
and came over 10 me.
Your sisters singing is wonderful"
he said, why did you never tell me
about itg Are syrens like prophets,
without honor among their own peo-
pie 2"
answered, coldly enough, that
Madge was considered TO sing very
well, believe but had not thought
of it as matter ON which sisterly APP
probation required me to enlarge.
He looked at me with amazement,
and said no more about my sister
and l felt a change in the manner
from the devotion of the day before,
and it was not very long before he
found himself again among the group
surrounding her. bow my head to
the dust i'm shame when ! remember
that evening, and how ] sat there sui.
len and silent, with the light and the
mirth, and the music all round me,
hating and envying my sister--mu-
tinous against heaven, weary Of earth.
Yet it was hard--blame myself as l
will l cannot shut my eyes to that
hard where had been first to see N.Y.
self so utterly eclipsed to feel that
one evening Of Madge could shine
down whole weeks of Inc. Oh, heav-
en-, what power Of selft-torture We wo-
men have
She was unconscious Of her own
success, | truly believe. / do not
think she dreamed of having wounded
or outshone Inc. When we were in
our own room at midnight she glitter
cd round me with the same beguile-
ments which had dazzled the rest.
She did love mel know that how
was honestly glad to see me. All, l
could not believe it then; my heart
i was too full of envy aud bitterness.