Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1872-05-04
4 wOmAN'S GIFT.
BY AMY RANDOLPH.


1t was bright winter morning,
and Mr.. Segrit's two pretty nieces
had Just come down stairs fresh as
Hebe, and pink-cheeked as the roses
of fragrant hyacinth bells in the
south window, where the sunshine
had gotten into such hopeless tan
gle with the ivy vines and rOsebuds
and feathery sprays of fern. Very
pretty girls they were, in a delicate
womanly fashion, although nobody
would ever have been reminded by
them of the Venus de Medici, and
not an artist had ever thought of
asking them to sit for Madonna
1t is the everyday style of beauty
that wears best, and Lisa and Cora
sighed for nothing rarer or more
precious.
$50 he has failed, has he?'' said
Cora to her uncle, who had just been
promlugating the news of the day
from behind his newspaper. ,"What
pityl and he was SO nice and agree
able"
"Failed Mr.. Kirkwood !" echo
ed Lisa, her rosy cheek losing
shade or so of its satin bloom. "Oh,
uncle, how did that happen ?"
GAS most failures happen, my
DEAR" said Mr.. Segrist, folding up
his paper and laying his spectacles
on one side, preparatory to the morn
ing meal. "Too much press of can
Vass and too little ballast. Some
people never will learn WISDOM
Yes, it is a pity; he was q good
young fellow enough, and this will
throw him back a good twenty
years."
Lisa sat thinking, her pansy blue
eyes fixed intently on the pattern of
the table-cloth, her red lips apart,
until her sisters clear, bird-like
voice reused her from the tempora-
ry abstraction.
'Upon my word, Lisa" the elder
cried merrily, al do believe you are
in a trance. Why don't you answer
my question:"
Lisa started, both cheeks sudden
| ly crimsoning.
'T-I was only thinking, Cora
What was it you asked me?"
"AbOut our ball dresses for to-
morrow evening. think punches
of silver barley would be prettier to
loop them up than the commonplace
roses. Every body wears roses"
"Oh, Cora" cried downright Lisa,
chow can you talk about bali dress
es when-When you remember who
was to have taken you thereP
''Mr. Kirkwood?" said Cora calm
". "Of course he'll not go now,
but we can easily send for cousin
! George"
"T6en you really mean to go?''
"Of course; why shouldn't I?-
Surely, Lisa, you can't expect me to
go into mourning because Guy Kirk
wood has failed! He was no rela-
tive of ours"
''I think he loved you, Cora" said
Lisa, in low voice; "and you thot'
so tool"
"He must learn to unlove me
them" said the elder sister, with 8
musical little laugh. "Mr. Kirk
wood the successful merchant was
very well, but Mr.. Kirkwood the
beggar cannot expect to indulge in
the luxury of a wife. OF course all
that is over, for good and all"
And Cora calmly poured out a
second cup Of coffee for her uncle.
"But, Cora" pleaded her sister,
ait isn't as if you yourself were
poor. You know we will have a
| little money of our own"
every true, wise Lisa; but l mean
| to keep my ewn to myself, and not
spend it in bolstering up the ruined
fortunes of any Unlucky speculatOr.
No, no, child; my husband must
bring money of his own, not be a
drain upon my slender resources"
Lisa shook her head.
"That sounds very worldly" said
she.
"Does it? Now 1 think it has Just
the common-sensical sound to it
People must look at these things
from a practical point of view"
"Unclel" cried Lisa, almost pas
sionately, "don't you think she
ought to like him all the better be.
cause he is in trouble and need?"
"My dear, my DEAR" said the old
gentleman composedly, crumbling
up bit of dry toast on his plate, %
can't pretend to judge of these
things. You girls must manage to
settle your own affairs between
yourselves" ;"
'fMy mind is quite made up al,
ready" said Cora Segrist calmly.
And when poor Guy Kirkwood'l
card came up that afternoon, to the
room where the two sisters were ar
ranging the punches of silver barley
ears that Madame Fichu the milli
ner had just sent round in a man
moth paper box, Bessie the maiC
came courtesying demurely doWI
into the parlor, with:
, ''Please, sir, Miss Cora is en-
gagged"
Guy Kirkwood went slowly anC
sadly away, without answering ;
single word. If only she had re
mained true to him, he believed
that he could have breasted the COO
waves of all other fate; but now
Well, such was the way of thr
world. lie must make up his min(
to take the bitter with the sweet, a
it come. But the sweet had beel
honey-sweet, and the bitter was q
gall!
"Uncle can speak to you for
minute?"
Mr.. Segrist, setting away the pile
of dustv DaneFs in his law IfbraTv