The Union and journal., 1869-08-13
Miseellaueuns.
THE GIRL WHO SANG,
AND
THE GIRL WHO WAS SILENT.

dow, her profile clearly against the sun
set light. Mark Akenside wondered as
he watched her. whether IL was ..in her"
10 be anything else-whether any mans
voice could deepen that delicate rose flush
on her cheeks, or make the long lashes
quiver. which shut TO those quiet eyes,
blue as blue seas. or stir the lips to a thrill
of longing. She was like morning sky,
all rose and azure, and pearl, with hair
golden rs sunlight. Who could prophesy
of her high noon, her crimson sunset?
OF the other ones capacity for emotion,
Akenside never doubted. She was u
blonde too; but then she was intensified
in every particular. Her eyes were not
blue, but amber; her golden hair had red
light in it-real guinea gold YOU know;
and then the color on her cheeks came
and went like breath Of flickering flame.
She was more petite than the tall, stately
girl who sat by the window-a little fire
fly, n flash humniing bird-anything else
tiny and tropical. She sat now in the
waning light and sang to u dreamy air
"Pm weary OF rowing,
Let me drlft-let me drlft!"
They f,ncicd they knew each other well.
these DesmOnds, rs sisters who have lived
all their lives together are apt to fancy
but they were often puzzled about each
other, Notwithstanding. Maud used Sc
crctly 10 wonder whether Blanche had
any heart, and Blanche gravely question
cd in her own mind whether Maud had
any soul.
As for Akensidc, he had been near
neighbor To them all the early part Of his
life; but his last six years had been pass
ell in college and in foreign travel, and
now he was getting acquainted with the
girls afrcsh-rcally acquainted for the first
time. he Eancied.
Whenever Maud's igHis tatEHS light be-
guilcd him away, Blanche's eyes clear
shining rs stars, brought him back again;
and between them both he felt like n pen
dulum. lie sat and watched Blanche now
the cool. clear-cut face coming between
him and the sky, looking rs II in the whole
range of surprises there were not one
which could change her calm sweetness
by "a shade. Truly she was beautiful
woman. But could she ever love?
What atriumph il would be, he thought,
to deepen by ever so little, the rose on
those cheeks, TO make those level fronting
cyelids droOp. Then he looked ut Maud.
"ritania?n
The girl heard him, and rising, faced
him like queen, the silken sheen of her
robes trailing around her, the golden hair
crowning her small, stately head, which
she bowed slightly.
IL left you child when / went away
To college, Titania, you and Blanche both.
After six years l come TO find you-your-
selves. Out of the incongruity between
what YOU are. and my recollection of you,
has arisen singular mistake. / packed
portmanteau with gins for YOU during
my travels; some for you and some for
Blanche; relic from every spot where 1
pitched my tent. If you had been grown
up when went away, / should not have
ventured on the audacity. AS it is, what
am tn do with the things brought home
for two little girls2 My mother wears
black. and | have neither sisters nor
sweethearts."
Miss Desmond did not speak, but
Maud's curiosity passed the bounds Of her
will.
"what were Blanclie's and what were
mine?n she asked.
A little gleam of triumph shot from
AkenSide'S halle eyes.
$50 YOU condescend 10 be curious? May
/ show you the trihes? IL l bring them
over in the morning can You answer for
your sister rs well rs yourself that they
will he inspected, and fair Judgment pass
ed upon them. rs TO how my taste and
YOUR peculiarities accorded"
Miss Desmond began to utter u protest,
but Maud put her hands over her lips.
"Yes," she said. IL am curious. You
shall bring them. and we will look ut them
Il answer for both of us. II is some-
thing To have been remembered among
the bcg,lilements Of the Ear. fair foreign
lands. We shall b. grateful for the men,
ory, at least"
Thank yoar'
Akenside made his adieu then. and
started 10 walk down the path. and Maud
who had not finished something size had
To say, walked to the gate with him. He
looked hack once, and saw Miss Desmond
sitting still where he hail left her. In her
gliStening white robe. and thought that
she suggested an angel. Might she not
be destined 10 be the good angel of his
life? And thena moment after. rs Maud's
syren sweet tones stole to his ear and he
looked into her flushed, changeful face
did he want an angel aftcr all? Would
not u woman, n warm, radiant woman
suit him better? There was little of the
celestial in him. Heaven knew.
Do you complain Of Akensile already? !?
You are fortunate If the majority of men
you have met in your life have not been
of this Kind. It is not the heroic type
certainly. Once in a while one finds n
man whose life Is pitched above the level
OF the common place-for whom once is
forever, the beloved woman the only pos
slbIe woman-but wo shall wait perhaps
I'LL the millennium before their number is
legion.