The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1876-05-11

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very foreign to them, and sank as sud.
denly and heavily as IL their lashes had
been lead a faint SILVER ran through her
shoulders, rs though q cold wind had
blown on her; she looked almost like
one who struggles to repress a sudden
terror. 1t was a minute, perhaps, dur.
ing which neither responded to the in,
PRODUCTION, and then Philip Abingel
stepped forward and took her hand,
muttering some commonplace words
Neither of them understood the phrases,
nor cared to, and he turned away with
n strange air of troubled constraint
Poor Cecile's face discovered her disap,
pointment. 1t was hard to think that
these two should dislike each other, even
from the very first, a it was too plainly
evident they did-these two, upon whose
affection for each other she had builded
so many cloud castles that must nov
fall, like the rest of them!
But before long Philips saroir.tair,
and Cccile's pretty attempts TO enter.
tain him warmed the first frosty air in.
to n of pleasant freedom. Madeleine
joined in the talk after while, which
o o became animated enough, yet will
still an indescribable shadow in the
midst of all the cauSerie
When he had gone away, Cecilc curl
ed herself on the floor at her sister.
feet, with her warm, bright hair shining
down her shoulders.
"He is not, is he, quite what you fan,
cied he would be, Madeleine dear?'
half whispering the tender words.
"What / fancied?" said Madeleine,
with odd Impotence. "But what ha.
that to do with itp lie is not my fairy
prince, Cecile." But she added, with
II quick change of expression that GOV
cred the former one, "Still he will dc
very well for one, considering the days
he lives in. like him-yes, Cccile.'
"But you are disappointed, Made,
leineP" said Cecile, raising her eye.
doubtfully.
cam IP" Madeleine held her head
on n side in characteristic fashion
looking iixedly at the Goals dying in tn,
crate. "No, Cecile, | do not think
am. You surely would not have m,
value him quite so highly as you do?'
Two great tears had gathered SLOWLY
in Cecile's violet eyes and rolled unno
ticed down her cheeks while her sistcl
was speaking. She made no answer,
for her voice was untrustworthy.
Madeleine rose and went to the dress
ing glass, beginning to take down ant
braid her hair. She looked into The
mirror ut the pale, handsome face be
fore her, with uneasy, Swallowed eye.
beneath the contracted brows. What
her thoughts were it would be hard t,
guess, but they surely were Unpleasant
A long-repressed sigh, stiiled painful,
on the lips, caught her ear presently
and with II sudden horror of herself sh,
turned from the glass and walked i'm
pulsively to her sister. She leaned owe
her, with both hands on her shoulders
hating herself for the SILVER of rcpul
sion that accompanied the act, an,
kissed her tenderly twice on the fore
head.
Philip Abinger wondered at himsel
no more as he walked down in front q
the block of clearinghouse. 1t wa
the path that his feet were most accus
toned to tread nowadays, and he SCI
dom came thither without some rar
token from the upper world, some frui
or flower which had hitherto been Du
n name to these dwellers in the barre
shadows of poverty.
Yet Cecile was not quite happy
There was no open enmity bctwce
Philip and Madeleine, but far less tn
quiet agreement and affection she ha
once hoped for. There was an avoid
ance, a restlessness, in their eyes, and OF
ten an u~naccountable bitterness in thei
words. Yet Philip, she knew, cam
sometimes when he was aware that he
duties took her from home. So sh
still, vaguely and without reason,pro
ised herself the time would come whe
they would forget their strange antipi
thy.
A less trusting heart than That of G,
cile might have suspected there wa
another reason than that of dislike tC
ward Philip to account for Madeleine
unquiet II and evident unhapp
ness when her sisters lover was near
but to Cecile the explanation came wit
the force of a calamity whose approac
could never have been imagined.
One lovely afternoon in the spring
when the earth was fragrant with I'll
breath of the budding flowers, the il
ness of a pupil gave the little teacht
an unexpected holiday, and fully tw
hours earlier than usual she turned ht
steps toward the old boarding-hous,
As she turned the corner nearest HON,
she saw Madeleine and Philip walkin
Sio"i1 uoNh VII thC ptlti SlNS VI u
street. Philips head was bent down
perhaps no closer than the need of tai
required in the midst of the roar of IL
city streets. Madeleiae's face W,
turned aside and dropping. There WI
surely nothing strange in it that 81
chung closely to Philips arm in acrow
like this; nothing so strange in so me
an act of friendship that it should mai
Cecile's heart thrill with such a sicl
deadly pain. What vas she afraid OF
Cecile walked homeward with an eve
tagging foot-step, a pallid half-smile c
: her lips, and putting out her hand i
stinctively to aid herself, for her ey
hardly guided her, saying over and ov'
to herself, whether aloud or silently 81
knew not: Madeleine is right. / a
very foolish. Maddie is always rigt
: o God! what a terrible thing it is to
so Cery foolish!n