Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1874-07-31
A SACRIFICE OF THE SCOURGE.


| A SACRIFICE OF THE SCOURGE
There was great excitement in our lit
tie household when Robert came hom
one evening and announced that Cousin
Max was coming to visit us. We girls ha6
never seen him, but Robert and he ha(
spent a 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 in the world, oul
aunt and her husband both dying when he
was quite young. HeWas almost Roberts
age-Was tall and fair, and that was all
we knew. Robert never very good at de
scription-had indeed attempted to give
us some idea OF his appearance, but was ST.
fenced by Claire and Birdie, who both ex.
claimed they would rather keep their fan
cy picture than the caricature they knew
/ he was drawing. We were very happy to-
gether and contented generally. We had
been able to keep the old house, and Rob
ert's income from his professionals was a
lawyer, like our father-supported us very
comfortably.
/ 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 if
she wasn't pretty enough to suit me as she
was, and Birdie would dash off into de-
scrlptlon OF the life she would lead as a
prlma donna, and how every night she
would see old Rob and Oracle looking Sc
we're propriety from one Of the boxes. And
SO my little trouble always ended with a
laugh.
| was the old maid in the family. Rob
ert was the only one that knew why, and
kept my secret faithfully. l had got over
being unhappy about it, and Robert and I
made up our plans very contentedly-
we could live ON in the old home when the
| others had fitted, and what q genuine
| ''old maids castle'' it would be. I was to
Robert what the others-dearly ash loved
them-never quite could be, and we did
mot think our separation possible.
J We had expected Cousin Max for weeks.
and yet he came quite unexpectedly at
last. We were sitting in the porch
Claire, Birdie, and when we saw Rob
ert coming, and with him stranger, who
Birdie declared she was sure was Cousin
Max. He was talking and laughing with
Robert, but I noticed that, as they came
closer, he started violently and passed his
hand over his eyes; but, recovering him.
self Immediately, he greeted us with gen
lline warmth of affection which took all
our hearts by storm.
A gay evening we passed. "Comine
events" do not s:cast their shadows he.
fore," Whatever people may say. 1 had
never known how really beautiful Birdie
was until that night, but as she stood bv
the piano, in her soft white dress, with the
passion flowers in her hair, I saw Cousin
Max gazing at her like one entranced.-
Claire's beauty did not seem to impress
him at all, perhaps because she was SO like
himself, for indeed they might have been
brother and sister. Both had the same
regular features, blue eyes, and blonde
hair. Beside them Birdie looked like some
tropical flower. Max was never tired OF
watching her quick, graceful motions, and
Robert and [ had laugh together over
our little pets conquest
Cousin Max was soon thoroughly at
home with us all, though Birdie still kept
her place as chief favorite. They were
much together, for Claife was soon to leave
the old home, and our new brother, AL
fred, spent most Of his time with us. ]
was very closely occupied with my house
keeping, with preparations for the wed
ding, which was to be in September.
| Robert was away all day, so that Birdie
and Max were left to amuse each other
He was quite an artist, and greatly to Biz
dies delight had offered to paint her pic
ture. The rest of us were excluded from
the studio; for, as it was his first attempt
at portrait painting, we were not to bt
allowed to judge of his success or failure
until the picture was finished.
Blind-blind! Did no one of us ever SET
that the child smile had passed away from
our darling's face? Did no one ever thinl
that the soft shining in her dark eye
might be the light Of a woman's love?
The picture was finished On my birth
day, and was the gift of Max to me. w
were all taken in to see it, and never sine
have beheld so beautiful picture. BIZ
dies very self stood before us, dressed a
Max had first seen her. But the face
the exquisite dewy softness of her eyes
the lips just parted in a happy smile In
others were congratulating Max. | coul
only clasp Birdie in my arms and hide m
foolish tears on her shoulder.
That evening we were all sitting in tn
moonlight. Max was smoking by the VIII
dow, and Birdie in her usual place on
foot-stool at his side. He was UNUSUAL
silent, and unless by an occasional Wof
to Birdie took no part in the conversation