Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-12-25
is that all, Ivan, my boys' said

cried, cheertuily: 1--WE shall come out
all right after all.
''At first he hesitated, it was so much
for her to do. She would not hear him
and 30 it was decided. An old shawl
soon divided the room in two parts, half
the bedding was transferred to one cor
ner on the floor, for him. They were
delighted with their arrangements. In
the course of week some pupils were
found for him, and the two sat, gay as
kings, over their crust and studies. he
all gratitude, she radiant in doing good.
How hard they studied. How much
they did. They really laughed over
their deprivations. She was growing
proud of this new brother of hers; and
he felt that this poor, plain, little Older
sister must have something in common
with the best angels up there
''Some months passed, when one
morning the landlady, with a very sol
emn face, stopped Madez as she was 60
ing out to classes, and desired to speak
with her. With avirtuously severe face
she asked Madez if she was married.
"'Oh, dear, no = replied Madez, inno-
Gently.
"'NoY cried the old woman. No!
| Then who is the man you live with up
stairs?'
sPoor, startled Madez explained; told
their story from beginning TO end. WAS
if any harm? Oh! how scandalized that
ancient lady was.
Harm! what was the young woman
thinking of, shad she no idea of virtue or
! decency.
:" But, explained Madez, we do no
wrong; he is my brother, we are virtu-
| oiIa and decent
That may do TO tell, sneered the
woman.
''Poor Madez' face grew scarlet How
it panied her, poor little woman.
eff we live apart, she cried, we
shall starye. What shall we dor
"'Why go and get married like other
orderly people, answered the old wo-
man.
"'Oh, dear, we cansot marry, muir
INJURED Madez.
Then you must go tomorrow, was
the answer.
''Madez pleaded and explained, but
the old woman was inexorable. Marry
or 60, was the only answer.
'Madez saw it was useless, and she
went wearily up TO the wretched little
room to think. While she sat there
thinking, Ivan came in. She told him
their new trouble. He was dumb with
the weight of il at first, then he sprang
up fierce, bitter, reckless.
:" Good by, Madez, dear, good, suf-
fering, little sister. | am going.
"'Where, Ivan z she asked.
TO kill myself; it's no use fighting
the tiger any longer. | am tired. III
go and end it. ...as<..-.r
''Madez looked with those far-seeiDg
eyes Of hers, into the pale, reckless face
of her brother, as she had grown to feel
him.
"sWait, Ivan, she said gently, 4 have
plan
! :" Can there be any plan? Oh, God,
it is too muchn moaned the boy, des-
pairingly.
]" Ivan = how clearly her voice sound
ed in the miserable place, Ivan, we VIII
stay here, we will marry.
/ " 'Marry,' Ivan sat upright and stared
at the woman Marry Ma6ez you are
mad. l could not marry you.
''Madez rose, her face more resoiute,
her voice more clear, her eyes more far
away in their gaze.
''fYe es, she returned, slowly, you can
/ and YOU will. You have a life before
/! you. some great and noble wsrk to do.
( Shall not help you to the last, for you
are no common clod, my brother. Lis
ten! we will marry, this woman will be
satisfied -l6o not Interrupt me-we will
continue our life here. j YGu will finish
,ysur studiess you viii graduate with
. honor, you viii 20 home. Who will be
the wiser of what / have done for you.
; I will destroy the proofs, | Will live my
life far from you, you shall marry whom
you will, and who, in far away Russia,
4 will say you nay. Not one. Ivan,
rouse, be not sad-hearted, but trust tc
me. ~.
fIvan rose, scarce comprehending this
darling sister of his adoption. He cried,
, No, no, in protest, but the woman't
stronger will prevailed. 1t was done as
she said.
!, stOh. womans will! oh, woman's
might, when she acts from out the good.
ness of her angel side! Nothing daunts
her; heart and soul and life are LAID
down calmly, brayely, that her aim may
: | be fulfilled. If she errs-if she puts al
/ defiance the rules of rigid right, lis
always for the aims sake, not for hel
/ own self Madez reasoning was faulty,
it is true. Quite against common law anc
! order. Still was it not from devotion
to one she thought worthy of any sacri
fee she could make? Could you Judge
, her harshly?
"In two years Ivan graduated will
J. honor. The heart of MadeZ reioicec
over his success, and the day came fol
) him to go away. Ii was a sad and {
/ happy day too. They sat together anC
talked of the hard years past and ot
the hopes of Ivan. Then they prayed
kneeling by his mean little pallet, anC
Ivan tried to say 'good-by,' after ht
had said his hearts full gratitude tC
her. Twice he began, then sinking
down, with his head against the worI
little shoulder of Madez, he wept like 1
child.
, 'Oh, my sister, my brave, noble sis
! ter, where shall | ever find friend like
you. To you / owe all. May our Coz
bless and keep you, and make my whole
after life expressive of what / owe t
: you.
eBy-and-by be was calm and then they
said good-by. 1t was very lonely in thu
little room. Madez cried some lonely
tears when the boy was gone, but sh'
comforted herself, and maybe sad lit
tie vanity came In her heart when sh'
thought that she had made him what h'
i | was"
) 'There!'' cried Carl, ''do not deserv'
) credit as a story-teller ?"
D aAssuredly," returned /, ''but is tha
alla"
"Why, yes, is that not enough; writ
e it out, will you not z" answered Carl.
!. "Your heroine's tale would do to tel
E the world if the sequel of a real low
match and marriage could be added a
y it stands it would be strange story T.
B WRITE" demurred /.
/. "That may be" cried my friend
i warmly, "but this was no love affair
either real or false,-simply matte
e of friendship and necessity, and all tn
e more heroic, in that it had no prompt
o ings from the side of human nature
that most often prompts to eccentri
l courses"
9 4lG&su 4l,a 4ol1 xx-,.,1d c1.a.xad sfrannel