Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1876-10-09
The Two Sisters.

stories, painted photographs, and sewed.
doing whatever else came in the way of
her deft fingers. Cecille was nursery
gOverness.
Tonight the weary lessons were fin
ished, the villain in the last story dis
posed of by dose of prussic acid and
the pretty tOilers, lonely orphans though
they were, sat enjoying the simple COM
forts of their poor little roOkery.
1t was Madeleine whose voice inter-
rupted the musical performance Of the
teakettle
lit is rather strange. is it not, Ce-
cile, that l have never seen him ?" she
said. thOughtfully.
Cecille looked up quickly, with a
startled blush. But she required no ex-
| PLANTATION, perhaps because her own
thoughts had been treading the same
path.
"You will see him tomorrow, Made
leine. He is coming particularly to see
you. | wanted to ask him not to do so,
but it would have been of no use-he
must come some time Everthing here
is 500 different from what he likes
Madeleine laughed a soft, satisfied
laugh, as her sisters head dropped, that
was very sweet and pretty.
'lt is like fairy story" she said.
"TO think you are going to marry some
body as rich as prince, and live in one
of those wonderful houses Oh, Cecile
are you going to forget me quite ? l ex-
pect some day your carriage will 60
whirling past and splatter the mud over
a poor old beggar-wOman at the corner
selling peanuts That will be me, you
understand. Yes it's quite like stO-
ry. ! shall write it, believe. and call
it The New Cinderella Only If l do"
she added, with reflective disgust, 'Phil-
ip AbiHger will have to be turned into
duke in disguise. half killed IN a duel
and you will be made rope dancer who
nursed him back to life, just to make it
picturesque"
Cecile laughed in her turn.
Madeleine" she said. admiringly
watching her, 'yOu certainly have the
lOveliest eyes in the world, but 1 am
afraid of them When I have my car
riage, dear, you shall certainly sit be-
side me and we will make Philip take
the front seat, to hold the parcels when
we go shopping"
The next day was day ofimpOrtance
in the eyes of these two. Fortunately it
was a holiday, and Ceelle could remain
at home and Madeleine, with many a
remorseful but stihed sigh as she thought
of the untouched quires of blank Bath
post lying in her desk, gave herself up
to unwOnted idleness, and to the discus
sion of Philip Abinger's visit. He was
not to come until evening, it is true, but
there was much to be done. After ma
ny consultations as to prOpriety, and the
commendable conclusion that there could
be not much incorrect where nothing
was wrong, it had been decided to re-
ceive their guest in their own room
: rather than in the stufy boarding house
parlor. filed with gOssiping boarders
The pretty plants in the window were
| disposed over and over again /; they wen
to the expense of an investment in new
| ribbons to tie back the muslin curtains
e and the few engravings-reminIscence
of other days-were hung and re hung
q 1t was finished at last, and the sister
contemplated the effect of their labor
with entire satisfaction.
: Philip Abinger sauntered down tn
: streets with somewhat the sensations
a man who walks in dream-land. He re
Y garded himself with vague astonish
) ment as be left the stately precincts
II the avenue of palaces, wandering 0
through the various and so percepibl
E: shades of respectability, till he reache
- block of brick buildings that bore th
signalment Of boarding houses in ever
= square inch, from the grimy upper vii
a dows to the unwashed steps and lttere
re areas. He paused moment before
touched the bell. She lived here, an
W plOdded weary daily round, teaehir
to his Younger brothers and sisters the
VI letters for her bread And then a gel
- erOus emotion glowed in his heart. al
gave another turn to his thinking. II
- woman who was to be his wife II
be brilIiant-eyed and lifeful beauty who b;
ut promised herself to him-she wOu
grace the queenliest Of all the crown
n Heaven bless her How different won
her life be. how beaped with happine'
~ when once it was given into ms keeplnl
nv He rang the bell
Mounting to the little room wbe
b. CeciIe was waiting to receive him.
1t took her hand in bis. and murmured 0
M ns Of those greetings of which words
sc the mcrest nothing. before be was au
aware that Madeleine was IN existen
i'd When Cecile said. IN her tlmid. pref
ne. fashion. MY sister Madeleine Mr.. A
ear niger. be raised his eyes to her for
-. =. FIRST time. CeeIie was looking at
sister for she lOnged to read the