Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-11-06
Tales aud Sketehes.
A SISTERS STORY OF A BROTHER.

blbIEhS SIVkl VI BkOTHEk
More than fifty years ago my brother
Stephen and lived together. in village
about ten miles south Of London, where he
was to practice as a surgeon. Stephen was
thirty-two, and eighteen. We had no re-
lations but sister five or six years older
than myself and we'll married in London.
Stephen was solitary man, living some
what apart from his neighbors, and stand.
ing almost in fatherly position toward
me. Through the years we had lived to-
gether no one had thought of his marry
ing. Thus it was when the events have
to tell began. The house next to ours was
taken by Mr.. Cameron, feeble looking
man, rather past middle age, with one
daughter, Marion by name. How shall /
describe her, the most beautiful creature /
old l never knew precisely. A tall. slight
form, fair complexion, dark chestnut eyes
and hair, and an expression more like that
of an angel than human being. Though
l was much struck with her appearance,
Stephen did not seem to notice it and We
might have remained unacquainted with
help Mr.. Cameron over an awkward stile
opposite our house. Acquaintance once
made, they soon grew familiar, for they
had two feelings in common, love of to-
bacco and Swedenborgianism. Many
summer evening did they pass, smoking
the one and talking the other, Marion
sometimes joining in. for she generally
walked with them, while my chest. which
was weak at that time, kept me at home.
One day they quilted Stephen at the gate.
and as he entered the door said to him
'How lovely Marion is? ! am never
tired of looking at her.'
''Look at her while you may" said he !;
''she has not three years to live"
1t was only too true. She had some
dreadful omplaint-aneurism, think it
was-which must carry her off in the
flower Of her days. Stephen told me that
he had consulted the most eminent doctors
without getting any hope; and the emo.
tion, rare enough In him, that he dis.
played, told me that he loved Marion. !
said no word to him about it, knew bet
ter; but saw with what dreadful doubts
he was perplexed. Excitement might
shorten Marion's lfe--such an excitement
as declaration of love from him might
be Of material injury; and even If it did
not prove SO, how could he condemn him.
self to the prolonged torture of seeing the
life of beloved wife ebb away, day by
day ? Besides, he did not think she cared
for him. !, who had watched her cease
lessly, knew that she loved him with her
whole heart. He struggled with himself
hercely, but he Won the fight. He lett
home tor some weeks, and returned, look
ing Older and paler; but he had learned to
mention ner name without his voice quiy-
cring, al d 10 touch her hand without hold
ing his breath hard. She was pining away
under the influence of his changed man.
ner, and dared not help my two darlings
to be happy. An unexpected aid soon
came. MIR. Cameron, who was in bad
health when we first saw him. died sud
denly. Poor Marion's grief was terrible
to see. Her father was dead. Stephen. as
she thought, estranged; and there was NO
one else in the world who cared whether
she lived or died, except myself. brought
her home with mt, and was with her hour
| ly until Mr. Cameron's funeral. How we
got through that time l hardly know
Then came the necessary inquiries into his
affairs. He had died. not altogether poor.
but in reduced circumstances, leaving
Marion an annuity that would scarcely
give her the luxuries her state of health
required And where was she to live and
what to dop Stephen was the sole execu-
tor, the one adviser to whom she could
look. He took two days and nights to
consider, and then offered her his hand
and home. AT first she could not believe
that his offer arose from any thing but
pity and compassion; but when he had
told her the story Of the last few months,
and called me to bear witness to it, great
light seemed to come into her eyes. and q
wonderful glow of love, such as l had
never seen. over her face. left them to
themselves that evening, till Stephen
tapped at the door of my room and told
me all-nothing, in fact. but what knew
long before. In their case there was little
cause for delay. Trousseaux were not
the important matters in my day that they
are in my grandchildren and Marion
was married to Stephen, in her black,
within month after her fathers funeral
The next few months were happy
time for all of us. Marion's health i'm
proved greatly. The worried. frightened
look she used to wear left her face as she
recovered from the depression caused by
her constant anxiety about her father. and
the loss of rest she suffered in attending
upon him at night. 1t seemed as ii she
was entirely recovering; and Stephen, if
he did not lose his fears, at least was not
constantly occupied with them.
How happily we used to look forward
to the future, for Stephen was beginning
to save money; and many were Our day
dreams about professional eminence for
him, and fashionable life in London. part.
" for Marion, but mostly for me. have
tried fashionable life in London since, but
never found it so happy as our days in
that dear old Surry village.
"Well, our happy time did not last long.
Marion caught cough and cold as the
winter came on and was soon 90 i'll as to
be taken to London for advice. Stephen
came back alone, with a weary, deathly-
looking face. Marion had broken small
blood-vessel on the journey-not anything
serious in itself, but ominous enough.
They were to go at once to warmer cli-
mate--not day to be lost. Sorrowfully
l packed up the necessary things. and
went with Stephen to London the next day,
to say goodbye to Marion, who had been
forbidden to return home. The same al
ternoon they were on board trading ves-
| sel honnd tn TpOhOrn Inekilv Marios,