The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1866-11-15


sister. and / was always content that
the little one should do what pleased
her. She was my darling, the enc thing
that my solitary life gave rae to love till
| saw Mark; | had set my id long ago,
but it cost me dear. / remember that
the child was in Il more tlan usually
high spirits on that evening, that she
leased me to talk TO her, sine to her, and
finally few up 10 bed in g CHILDISH fit of
anger, because could do neither one or
the other. AT any other time | should
have gone after her, coa&ed ana earessed
her into good temper, but now, with a
feeling Of relief that she was gone, sat
at the window staring outinto the dark,
scented night, and counted the cost Of
the sacrifice. Long, long | sat there,
long after the moon had risea, had set,
and the stars began TO grow Clark before
the streak Of gray light il the east.
thought of Mark; Of what I had done,
Of what l had given up, until | was
nearly mad, for when / stood Up and
closed the window before saing up to
ny room, had said to myself that /
would write to Mark Sutherland when
morning came, and tell him shat | had
chosen once more hetWeeA ba two |
loved and chosen ttjiieresta- There
% hoped tngt 25se5 mad; tut went
I'D stairs quite resolved AID quiet; I
undressed without even once CHANGING
toward the bed Where my little sister
lay: | meant to lie down on my little
pillow without doing so; but oh! l
could not say my prayers and leave
Milly without the kiss [ always gave
her before [ slept.
So I went up to the bed, and drawing
back the curtain, looked down upon
What had been for years my sole earthly
treasure. The child looked pale in the
cold gray dawn, her golden hair was
tossed widely back from her face, and
covered the pillow; and while / stood
and gazed, nay madness dying away,
my old self coming back, she stirred III
her sleep, two great tears Weiled out
from the closed eyes, and with a heavy
sob she murmured chester -
Then / knelt down IN the gray dawn
ing, and thanked God that M madness
was passed, and prayed that as He had
given me strength to make the sacrifice;
so he would help me never to regret it.
| did not see Mark Sutherland again,
but the next time that NiIly went upto
the Hollies, she told me, on her return,
"tnat he had left the Hellies, gone away
to that dreadful India, and was never
GOlIliliS bttcA ttS,tIll. NY ilSdi1 SCAioSNt
the words, but | drew Miily to me and
kissed her, and tried TO be patient and
forget.
| could not forget; my nature was
tenacious Of what had once taken hold
upon it, and the course Of eur lives was
too mon0tonous to permit change and
variety. ! scarcely knew, after Mark
went away, how the days and years
gIided away, their course was SO I'M
marked, and, everything seemed so un-
changed. At first / used 10 shrink and
shivef at the chance mention OF Mark
ssatherland's name ct the tA0il5sS: that
passed, and | pined to hear Of I'm with
a weary anxious longing, seldom salts
fed. Ihey ceased to speak Of him after
a while, as people do aftera long absent
friend, and by degrees it seemed as If he
was only Remembered in one poor
Woman's heart, who almost came to
think OF him as If he had been removed
by death. So that one day MiIly came
back from the IIollies, and said as she
united her hat and threw it down,
chester guess; who in the world do you
think came 10 the Iiollies last night?''
Not even my thoughts suggested the
right person.
s.No, no." said AIilly, as l named one
or two; mo; but cousin MARK VINO went
away to India years ago. was mere
child at that time, but / remembered
him instantly-a compliment he did
not return, by the by; though when he
found who / was, he asked after YOU"
Years ago, it was since Mark Went
away! Nh! as Milly spoke it seemed
only yesterday; the joy, thesorrow, the
old plans, so freshly now, were throb-
bling so wildly once more iii my heart.
He had not q ate forgotten me then:
but did he remember ,ae as remem-
bercd HIM
u do balieve yoa have forgotten ali
about him." Mjliy Went on; and, lei
me tell you, | wonder at that, ior | re
member he used to be SO fond OF talking
to you, lEetty, and he Is the sind o.
asan that women may be proud ot AZ
tracing, none the less beeatse he care,
very lttIe, should say, iol. women il
general.
sRealiy, MiIy, you seem TO have
studied Mr.. Sutherland very closely
considering this may he your first nc
auaintance with him.
She laughed, blllshed, and threw bach
her be;tulitu golden hair.
NO [ don't know as have: he dc
voted himself to me Il good deai tii