North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1867-02-27
gelert Story,
OLD HUMDRUM.
A NEW YEARS STORY.

give US for New II ear 4 present! said
Nellie Hastings, as she twisted her curls
| before the sitting room mirror, and ad-
miled Ter pretty face. as therein displayed.
"Dont Nellie" said her sister Agnes,
looking up from her sewing, "nicknsm es
are intensity vulgar, and it pains me to
hear our kind friend so spoken Of"
"Kind friend, inde'd," said tie beauty,
sauciIy what has he given US but few
prosy sermons!'
"On, Nellie, what should we have done
without his care Think how cheap the
rent of this little cottage is made for us
and how many scholars he has procured
for You, and how well he pays me for the
sewing He is kind friend" and tears
stood in the eyes of Agnes Hastings, as
she spoke
"W ell then; don't cry about it, sis"
and n, llic gave her sister a hasty kiss
"And | won't call him nicknanes any
more if it displeas's you, and ] shall soon
be independent of his kindness" with
sc"rnfu emphasis upon the last words. =
There is one Of my lireSone brats at the
gate now and sne sauntered into the par
lor to meet the music scholar coming up
the garden walk 10 lake his lesson.
You would scarcely have supposed the
sisters twin. had you seen them on dull
December day that opens my story. Mel
lie tall, graceful, brilliant aud beautiful,
l.. the iull glow Of her youthful beauty
Agnes, pale aud thin, with somewhat
,aIow skin, hair brushed smoothly back
from her face and gathered in heavy
coil at the back of ber head looked al least
five years older than her gay sister. Both
wore mourning dresses but while that of
Agnes was a heavy unbroken black, her
sisters was modified by white ruffies, and
trimmed profusely with glttering bugles.
Another difference more pitiful than all
Agnes was drformed.
Five years before this dull December
night Helen and Agnes Hastings, then just
seventeen years old, made their debut into
fashionable society as belIess and heiresses.
Beautiful, accomplished and graceful,
daughter Of a reputcd millionaire, they
became at once the center Of the gay circle
in which they moved They were moth
erless from infancy but ihelI fathers sister
had filed their mother place during their
whole existence, and still directed all
household fairs.
Two years after their debut, the grave
Agness was betrothed to a young lawyer,
poor, but talented, with heart full of de-
devotion to his beautiful betrothed, and
head that promised in time to win him
distinction in his chosen profession. The
engagement was satisfactory to relative,
on both sides, and preparations for the
wedding were commenced, when Agnes
met with an accident that crippled her for
life. She was driving out with her lover,
when the horse became frightened, and
making sudden plunge forward. threw
l. e. from her seat into the road. Her in
iurips at first appeared to be slight, but as
time went on, the physicians found t. at the
injury to the spine, was twisting the fig
ure to one side and making a limping gait
and a curved back unavoidable. In
the agony and horror of discovering this,
Agnes dismissed her lover, spite of his
prayers and protestAtionS, and then months
nf bitter repining provided even that her
Christian spirit could sink under her
heavy burdn. 1t was a still greater af,
fiction that reused instead of. crushing her,
! and restored in full her faith, patience and
hope Her father committed suicide after
periliug his own and his SISTERS fortune.
and the brother she idoized in one short
month, followed him to the grave.
Friends came 70, ward to offer counsel
and assistance, and from the wreck of the
once noble fortune, small sum was Sc
cured barely sufficient to clothe the or
rhans in an humble style, grea ly at vari-
ance with their once splendid wardrobe
Bv the advice of their fathers lawyer, the
girls left the city and wrnt to small c"un-
try town, where by their needle-work they
earned their supp rt.
They had been but little time in their
new home, when stranger. a gentleman
past middle age, came to rsde at c..
It was not long before he became acqna,nt-
ed with the Young SranstreSsrs. and in a
short TIM so won their confidence that he
became a fast friend. His means appear
ID large. as he bought cottage tor himself,
and two others which he rented to the SIS
ters, and large handsome stone mansion,
in process of erection, was soon to b. his
future home. Having letters that made
him at once influential in c.. he
used that influence to procure music schol-
ars for Helen, who bore the drndgery of
sewing but badly, and himself kept Agnes
busy on the most exquisite OF shirts, col
lars and cuffs, at large prices but Of the
most elaborate finish. e
The music lesson over, Helen came again
to her sisters side. -
''Still at that handkerchief" she said,
touching the dainty embroidery growing
under her sisters's busy fingers. "What q
dandy old-Mr. Lawrence is" 49,
~ think. Nell. dear, it is more the desire
to aid me, By giving employment, that he
has such wonderful shirts and so many
handkerchief with his initials embroidered
1 - <ba noppors"