Rapides gazette. (Alexandria, La.) 1869-187?, 1873-11-15
OUR GERMAN COUSIN.

THERE was great excitement in our
little household, when Robert came home
one evening and announced that Cousin
Max was coming to visit us. We girls
had never seen him, but Robert and he
had spent year together on the continent,
when our father was alive and money was
plentiful with us. Since then, our Ger
man cousins name had been almost
household word with us.
Max was quite alone i'm the world, our
aunt and her husband both dying when
he was quite young. He was almost Rob
ert's age-was tall and fair, and that was
all we knew. RObert-never very good at
description-had indeed attempted to give
us some idea of his appearance, but was
silenced by Claire and Birdie, who both
exclaimed that they would rather keep
their fancy-picture than the caricature they
knew he was drawing. We were very
happy together. and contented, generally.
We had been able to keep. the old house.
and Roberts income from his profession
he was a lawyer like our father-sup-
ported us very comfortably. The OcGh-
sional sale of one of my pictures helped us
on little, and altogether we did very
well.
Sometimes caught myself wishing that
Claire (Claire was our beauty could have
the ''purple and fine linen" which seemed
her right, and that Brides exquisite voice
might be properly trained; but if | limited
this, Claire would kiss me gaily, asking II
she wasn't pretty enough to suit me as
she was and Birdie would dash off into a
description of the life she would lead as a
prinla donna, and how every night she
would see old Rob, and Oracle, looking
severe propriety from one OF the boxes.
And so my little trouble always ended with
laugh.
/ was the old maid in the family. Robert
was the only one that knew why, and he
kept my secret faithfully. | had got ovel
being unhappy about it, and Robert and
made our plans very contentedly-h we
could live on in the old home when tho
Others had fitted, and what a genuine .'olc
maids castle" it would be. was to Rob
ert what the others-dearly as he loved
then-never quite could be, and we die
not think our separation possible.
We had expected Cousin Max for weeks
and vet he came quite unexpectedly a
last. We were sitting in the porch
Claire, Birdie, and when we saw Rob
ert coming. and with him stranger, WHIT
Birdie declared she was sure was Cousin
Max. He was talking and laughing will
Robert, but | noticed that, as they cam'
closer, he started violently, and passed hi
hand over his eyes; but, recovering him
self Immediately, he greeted us with
genuine warmth of affection, which tool
all our hearts by storm.
A gay evening we passed! . Coming
events do not " cast their shadows be
FORE" whatever people may say. | ha'
never known how really beautiful Birdi
was, till that night; but as she stood b,
the piano, in her soft white dress, with tn
passion-fowers in her hair, saw Cousi
Max gazing at her like one entranced
Claire's beauty did not seem to impres
him at all, perhaps because she was lik
himself; for indeed they might have bee
brother and sister. Both had the same rec
ular features. blue eyes and blonde hail
Beside them Birdie looked like. some tror
ical flower. Max was never tired of watcI
ing her quick, graceful motions, and Rol
err and had a laugh together over OF
httle pets conquest.
Cousin Max was soon thoroughly /;
nome with US all, though Birdie still keI
her place as chief filvOrite. They wei
iet much together. for Claire was soon
leave the old home, and our new brothe
Alfred, spent most of his time with us.
was very closely occupied with my hous