The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1869-06-04
Misfellaueuas.
sYBIL's LOVERS.

through Mrs. Nsir's snug sitting room, wher
glad little canary warbled In the sunshin'
over stand Of flowers. in whose midst rose NJ
ahuge Easter LILY with blossom liksa scrol
Of white velvet, and . golden torch burning
within. While on the oentre-table cysta
globe Of ferns waved softly, souvenir Of sum
mer woods coaIsd to grow in incongruous do
fance Of the record Of the out-of-doos thermom
ster; and Mrs. Stephen Nair herseh, plump
dimplcd young matron, something after tn
dumping order Of womankind, completed th'
picture Of home comfort very prcttily, as she sa
embroidering q pair Of slippers in blue Cash.
mere morning wrapper, and the tiniest Of Golf
farcs Of blue ribbon and lace bouiilonnse. Mrs
Nsir liked to wear caps-probably because hel
brown hair was 50 bright and thick, and be.
cause there wasn't the least necessity in liz
for it. II she had been forty-6ve and bald On
top Of her head, she would, doubtless, have gone
by the "rsle Of contaries" and left OF caps.
Women are women, and you cannot always 90
count for their caprices.
Sybil Re1ley sat opposite, tall, lovely girl,
not unlike the stately Eater lily In her style,
with lustrous golden hair and snow pure CON-
plexion, whose blonde beauty was well relieved
by her crimson walking drcss; and s she at
there, she was unoonsciously busying herself by
tying and untying her pocket handkerchief In a
series of Gorlian knots. while the tears slowly
welled from her blue eyes, hanging like pearls
an instant on their long lashes, and then, plash-
ing down on the satin trimming Of her sleeves.
Poor sybil she was past caring whether the
costly material would spot or not.
'Oh, Clara she said, piteously,s. am 80
very. very unhappy! for you know L never
shall really love any one but Harley Winter
as woman ought to love the man she calls hus-
band.'
Il am sure said Mrs. Nair little shortly,
'the question is plain enough. II you feel to-
ward Harley Winter as you say you do, 1t would
be downright trcachery to throw him over In
favor Of this other man. don't see how you
can hesitate between the two for an instant
but you never had mind Of your own, poor
little Sybil'
.Clars, do you think I am doing very wrong'
fhltered the fair, tall blonde.
'sybil,' said Mrs. Nair, dropping her slipper
with the central rose bud but half worked, you
never would be such an unmitigatcd goose as to
marry Mr.. Bunker IL you don't love himr
Pretty Sybil flushed, and then grew pale
.Ciara. I'm not as frm rs you. and papa and
mama are 50 determined about Il; they like Mr..
Bunker, and
Then let them marry him ! interrupted Mrs.
Nair. Mr.. Bunker, indeed A fat, specialized
old tortoise-old enough to be your father Sy-
bill. I've no patience with you !!
'Clarav
well, haven't! A woman ought to have
will and energy enough Of her own to resist
forty old wooers with forty pots full Of money
to back them! What IL Winter Is poor! Isn't he
in q fair way to growrch one Of these days!
What was Herodotus Bunker. I'D like to know
but two-penny store-keepcr when he was
Harley Winters agel don't care II he Is my
husbands cousin-he's q pompous old donkey,
for all that; and II you do marry him, Sybil,
why you'll deserve to be unhappy. That's all
I've got TO say "
Clara Nair spoke with emphasis. She was
too differently constituted to comprehend the
shrinking weakness Of her sisters nature. As
well might the straight young poplar under
stand the clinging tragility Of the Ivy vine!
'But, Clara, they have promised
They! How could you let them, Sybil''
81 could not help il, Clara. And 50, next
April
'Oh, sybii. sybil!. said Clara, despairingly.
And poor Harley winter-the nOblest fellow
that ever drew the breath Of lifel'
sybI began to cry, piteously and passion
ately.
Clara, you arc too bad. As II ! were not
miserable enough already, you, too, load me
with rrprOaches!'
'sybr, you yourself confess that you do not
love this mani
'Mr. Bunkert No, certainly do not!
And you do love Harley'
AS truly and earnestly as ever woman loved
man.
Then I'd run away to the Andes Of Ecuador
before I'd sacrifice myself to the plots and plans
Of those who esteem wealth the highest Of earth
ly pcssessious!'
Still Sybil wept and shrunk. Poor child! To
her Mrs. Nair's Evolutionary doctrines appear
cd perfectly impracticable. II was her nature
tob led and guided, nor darcl she to rebel.
Il DECLARE said Mrs Cara, pacing up and
down the room like an infariatcd little wild ami
NAL, it's outrageous! It's atrocious! I won't
have IT,
sybn emerged from behind the eclipse Of her
pocket-handkerchief and listened. Clara could
do almost e,erything-that brave, rcady-witted,
resolute sister Of hers; Il was not absolutely i'm
possible that she might hnd way for her,
sybil Rexley. out Of this Slough Of Dcspoud,
deep and trscklcss though Il seemed.
'Clara,' she faltercl; oh, Ciar~-if you could
help mel '
Hold your silly little tongue!' bri,kly In
terruptcd Clara, eOntrsdictins her brusque
words by kiss. 60 home; wouldn't trust
you with my plans any more than would trust
my canary bird with the cats dinner!'
But you'll tell me little off,
No. Iwonr l shall not tell you single
word! Go home, say!' .f
30 Mrs. Nair rsolutely dismissed her tall,
pretty, helpless sister.
Il don't like these grown-up children. solilo-
quincd Mrs. Nsir. Il hope to goodness Harley
viii remodel her when he Is married to her.
Unless he likes milk and water diet better than
do. he probably min.' r..-..--., 81
Mr.. Herodotus Bunker. q stout. elderly gen
tleman Of respectable mien, was sitting in his
office. toastins his feet on the fender, that even.
inc inst M dusk as Mr. N.ir .ctcr.l