Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-05-31
MY SISTER ALICE.

PART l.
How the time flies scarcely believe
that IL is nearly Two years ago since sat
on the very same chair l am occupying
now, and became an Involuntary caves
dropper TO lovers quarrel between my
sister Alice and Dick Oswald. Dear old
Dick how she, or any one else could
fall out with any one so thoroughly ami
able, never could comprehend. Gentle
as u woman, frank as child, and hand
some as Adonis was Dick and yet the
only being in whose good graces he was
deslrous TO establish himself, waB the very
one who appeared the most difficult 10
please and that was my sister. Welli
perhaps she had a right to be n little ca
PRECIOUS and willful, that is II an extraor-
dlnary claim to brauiy could give her
that right; and she was US haughly as an
empress, welding her scepter imperiously
over her slaves, whose name was legion
NY father the Rev. John Grey, quiet,
unobtruBiye man, was the vicar OF Mars
field, and as Marsheld was not very
large place, to be lie vicar was a post
more honorable than lucrative. But his
means were amply sufficient Tor our
household, which was carried on In a
modest fashion. My mother died when
and my sister were quite youngi so young
that we have no distinct remembrance OF
her, except that some one with pleasant
smile used to pat our heads approvlngly
when we lisped out our prayers morning
and night. Alice came of age last june
she was born in the loveliest OF summer
mon tbs, and perhaps that is partly The
reason that she ls as bright aud beauiliu
asa aow er; but /, Susan, came into th'
world two wears after her, in dreary oleas
March, w6e.7 the winds howled SO Ply
eously over my advent that tue poor nttl' ~,
snow drops bent their htads oenestn tn'
fury Of The blast, lNnd droopsd ana paie'
We lived very quiet ly at the parsonage
which was a psetty, quaint olu NIUE n,
one mass Of lu1uriaut IVY uaie ~ ~
wild roses. The "feast Of reason ana tn
flow Of soul" were far m ore IN Sonso
nance with ourl pocketssthau turtle n, 81
Cliquot but on festive occaslo Us, SUI
a. Christmas or New Y ears day "
were accustomed to put the uilassusui,1 /,
reception room In holiday attire, ant .
Kather together the party goers of Mal
held. in order that we might tread th
tqight fantastic toe" TO the hest hddl'
precurable, accompanied by the plano
which was touched with more willingness
,hs y skill by our lady friends In turn,
Y Christmas eve but one, after Aiie
.nST Nad labored hard In preparatlo
,ns 'our soirsss ddnsdntes, the nam
Nv Shirh w., wee pleased to dignity on
carpet hops, I'd WI. W rns " dsv. of cours
on the day after Christ. u"s sris,nSs Met AZ of m
being spent by us In the q. "A Tsst dow
domestic circle-my sister an vrrV ma
to have q "nice chat" | was Ssr. I,
tial 70 those little tsts tstss with ;. al
when she was In one Of her good mo
aa we used 10 call them, no one could b
more amusing and pleasant' Alice hnt
been out 90 much In the world and al
ShouRh that world was only the stupli
Aarsheld one, It's grandeur was mRgnihe'
very considerably by me, an invalid ant
: stay nt-home. We had not many visit
ors. bat amongst those who used TO ca
moat rtuuUntly were Arthur Farqu
hnr ana Dick Oswald. And both werl
In love with Alice The former was th
sidsst sop OF the member for sur count
who lived 10 a grand mansion that "
could Iust catch q glimpse Of from thet
window, The FafeuhsrE bad q long ped
isrees aud well.llntd Golfers, so that A
thur farquhar was . good pdrti, and b
wst hauesome AZ we'll, with thin elraigf
cut features, and fair Saxon hair 40
beard but there wsa an expression
hiseyes which dAtrusted, and cynlel
smile on his lips which put me In min
always OF . man dressed 10 red, with
big feather stuck In his cap, who act'
ehs part of Mephistopheles 10 a burlesql
~ Faual, that was done by a company
stroiliag players In a booth At Marshe
a preaf many years ago. The who
thinv IL stamped on my memory BY 4
fect ,of my having been locked up In
emptv store-room, with no compani
save mice, Of which have an inordins
dread, as punishment for having stol
out 70 indulge the curiosity felt to ses
theatre.
used 10 tell my sister frankly
impression OF Arthur Farquhar, but