Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-12-30
Calls aud Sketfhss.
1--WE THREE WOMEN"
lcoNTINuED FROM YEsrERDAY.(

did seem hard that a woman of thirty
seven might not accept half a dozen hya-
cnths from man of her own age, with
out even her sisters wondering what
it meant; and Priscilla, apparently UNDER
standing the spirit of the interruption,
went on:
You know. Hetty, we three women
stand quite alone, so am The head Of the
family, and, that being the case, am
obliged to think of things that otherwise
would not enter my mind. Now, have
talked this over with Mercy-she is more
observant of little things than am" O
thought OF the hyacnths, and doubted if
| it were possible,-"and she thinks that if
DR.. Flemming finds any attraction it must
be you. Now, Hetty, fl say if--this
should be the case, what am l say to hm?"
And suppose he is in love with your
self all this time, Priscillap'' ea
But my sister evidently considered this
remark beneath her notice, and said calm
ly:
PLEASE answer my question Hetty 1t is
necessary | should know before he pays
| this visit" .efss.I
''Oh, tell him to go about his business"
| answered rather rudely.
TO tell the truth, was Just little hurt
that Priscilla should think had forgotten
my love-dream, when her own--far less
real than mine-had left SO lasting an i'm.
preston. and perhaps Priscilla guessed
my feelings, for she said gently:
THAT would scarcely be the message of
lady to gentleman who had offered her
the greatest compliment that it was in bis
power to offer; but suppose that it ad-
mits OF but one construction, and can
- into c,,,f. ~ 1a ~,
"Means just this, Sister PRISCILLA said
Mercy, in her simple kindly manner,
that Hetty possesses as lite of the
faculty OF forgetting as you or I: and we
| three women, having shared each others
the troubles that for some wise purpose
have come to each one of US, will Just
keep together to the end"
And at that moment. as was best--for
Mercy had said all that could he said on
the subject-PriscilIa was summoned
away 10 her interview with DR.. Fleming.
whilst Mercy, having advised me try to
sleep a little, sat beside me, and I. shad-
ing my eyes with my hand-for had no
wish that even she should see the tears
was shedding over the wound that time
had never been able wholly to heal-tho't,
as the most contented old maid sometimes
must think-and no shame to them either,
for the thought springs from one OF Ma
lures holiest instincts-that there was
something sad in the knowledge that we
three were destined to go through life un-
blessed by any Of those ties that constitute
the happiness of other women. And
glancing at Mercy, fancied she must be
| thinking of something of the same kind,
| for there was a far-away look in her eyes.
and her lips quivered once. M
But even then thought, as have done
| at many other times, that it is well for the
suffering and helpless ones of earth that
| there are women like my sister Mercy In
it, who, having no family ties of their own,
| go on their quiet, sei-sacrifcing way,
looking upon all those around them as
members OF one great family, into the
midst of which they themselves have been
sent as humble opponents of the Divine
truth that it is 'more blessed to give than
10 receive" -s-.i.. 81. .t-s 7f.f
| | suppose I was restless and excited at
all events, Priscila's information had fair
ly driven away my drowsiness, and, find
ing myself utterly unable to obey Mercy's
Injunction to sleep, at the end of about
half an hour | went to sit by the window.
Mercy, who was quite as impatient as my
self to hear the result OF DIR. Flemings
visit, followed my example.
| have often thought that no time in all
the year can be half so beautiful as o
bright spring day, when nature seems to
rejoice IN her renewed life, and my eyes
rested with quiet kind of pleasure on
that part of the garden which could see
from my window. Presently the picture
was complete, for Kitty, in her walking
dress, went down the steps and paced
slowly up and down the walk before the
| house.
| "Iiow pretty she is" said Mercy.
With my sisters remark, which seemed
like the echo of my own thought, |
readily agreed and, though | knew that
to me Kitty will always seem beautiful
even if it were possible that could live
to see her with feeble form yet. when
am thinking of her most tenderly, mv
thoughts go back to that day, and see
her as l saw her then, thoughtful and pre-
Occupied. whilst | wonder what has come
over our favorite. l did not know then
how should know p-that she was look
ing into the future with eyes rendered
keener by the consciousness, half sweet,
half sad, that she was standing just at the
point where girlhood and womanhood
meet; and Kitty was too good, too true,
to lose sight OF her responsibilities, even
in the first fiusk of her happiness.
We had been sitting there looking at
her for some minutes. and suddenly we
became aware that Priscilla's ordeal was
over. for Doctor Flemming went down
the steps. and joining Kitty, who paused
as she caught sight of him, walked with
her towards the gate.
Dear me, thought the doctcr bad no,
at all the appearance of disappointed
man-why, had never seen him walk SC
briskly or seem so animated He was act,
ually talking. and Kitty listening as il they
two were the most confidential of friends
Could he be trying to induce her to use
her interest to prevail upoh Priscilla "a
commute his sentence to baeishment from
the Hawthorns, insanely wondered; and
| remember thinking thar, even were such
the case, he need not have held kittys
hand SO long when they had reached ,hs
gate, nor she have kept her head bent 80