The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1873-02-07
IN THE TWILIGHT.

against heartlessness.
SISTER" aud one golden head lifted
itself wearily, "do you think she will
pay us tonight"
"She must" replied the other reso-
lutely. II shall not hesitate to tell
her of our urgent need il she proposes
to defer payment
"She will look gloriously beautiful"
and Mena Hathaway's violet eyes
turned away from the shimmering
yellow and looked moment out in.
TO the eastern gray, where one little
star twinkled merrily in provoking
Indifference to the heavy hearts be-
low.
81 declare, sister," she continued,
turning away impatien,ly, II am get
ting SO morbid and moody that the
sight of our beautiful evening star ex-
asperates me. She looks so bright
and cheerful, while We" here she
broke off again.
IL don't think il exactly moodiness,
DEAR" said the other, lovingly. per.
haps by and by, when we have had a
little meat"
STEAK and stars!' laughed Mena
Hathaway. "What a very absurd
conjunction; food is your panacea for
everything. But, Meta don't you
ever grow hungry-hearted!" :" Then
without waiting for reply, she con-
timed, Il do. Now, sister, don't you
think me foolish and weak when |
tell you tonight believe in Lewis
Thursion. | think there was some
mystery'at the foundation Of our sad
affair, which might have unrarelled
had | not been SO horribly proud
Don't look so insolent, dear, / know
that any explanation would be vain
now-know that in all probability
Marion Leslie holds the place in his
heart l once possessed, but that don't
alter my belief in him. You never
saw him, Meta. Let me see-our last
meeting was on the very evening you
returned from Germany. Don't you
remember, you hadn't been home but
an hour or two when he came. He
couldn't stay but n few minutes, but
promised to return, if possible, in or
der TO make the acquaintance OF my
darling little twin-sister. and"-llere
the retrospect was broken by sud
den sob.
"Mena Haihaway,'-and the sisters
voice had III it a healthy tone of indig-
nation-"Lewis Thurston is dead TO
you, whether he is TO be believed in
or not, aud the calling up OF that har.
rowing name is not wise To- either of
u.s. lie, without one word of expla.
nation, wrote, asking TO be relieved
from his engagement. You have not
seen or heard from him since. And
/, for one, cannot but think that no
real love could have demeaned itself
in that manner. Come now, dear,
and help me told tins dress; Miss
Leslie will be getting impatient, and
l must take IL home as quickly as pos
sibie.'
II wish were going with you,
said Mena. wistfully. as with good.
bye kiss Meta took her bundle and
turned away in the twilight.
"What for:" And she turned al
most tiercely and looked into the sad
longing eyes. $50 that you may
make your misery far more complete
by a look at the beauty he has chosen
TO supplant your little fragile self
: Better stay ut home, my darling. y
And with another kiss on the Yuiver.
ing, rose bud mouth, she hastened
away.
Il WISH" she cried to herself, "tha'
MeHa could be convinced of that tel
lows worthlessness. Her love fol
him would long ago have turnedeo
+ contempt, had it not been for hei
+ strange faith in his nobility. l alwayi
mistrusted that he somehow suspect
ed fathers pecuniary condition anc
anticipated matters by breaking VI
the. engagement. | wish could SET
I the man once, two minutes would suf
j flee to give him my opinion of hi
|: shameful conduct. Harry neve
I could have acted So"
I And then her thoughts went back ;
! few months, to time when her love
!. had been taken from her by powc
whose workings no mortal dare ques
I ton.
II am glad it was DEATH" she mur
S INJURED. THAT is the kndest, aftel
: all" But Notwithstanding, ther
! were tears in the patient eyes, as sh
!, stood on the stoop of Miss Leslie's a
she stopped moment to wipe then
off before ringing the massive bell a
her right.
"Tell Miss Leslie that I wish to SCI
Y her before / go," she said to the ser
e want who took the robe from he
: hand. II will wait her leisure here.
! And she walked into the sittiDg-room
!, and she seated herself back in shad
p owed corner. The gas bad been Ii
!. in the hall, and was family reflected
:, in the little apartment, in whicl
. there was no other light
i She sat there for an hour or more
J: but no Miss Leslie appeared. Proba
!, bly, the fact OF a waiting seamstrcss ha'
e entirely escaped her memory, AM
,; Mena Hathaway had just decided tha
Il she must return home without tn
3 ?. wherewitbal for nutritious supper
! when in from the adjacent dining
= room came two gentlemen. One sh
r. Immediately recognized as Miss Ie'
d lies brother; the other she never re
y membered having seen before; bu
" Mr.. Leslie's call Of "Thurston" 500
satisfied her of his identity with he
i sisters former lover.
81 will wait until they go out,'' sh
decided quickly. ~They won't b
likely to stay long
But neither gentleman showed an
/. desire for an Immediate change