Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1879-11-15
THE TWO SISTERS.

lHH i wv OLD l. E1IICs
Mabel Clarence looked exceedingly
well in hcr lovely toilet Of crystalizctl
lace, and Ermine's bold, handsome
eyes, rested on her in smiling up
proval, as he stood beside her chair,
and leaned lis head near her and
talked in desperately earnest devoted
ness, that set all tho other young To-
dies angrily jealous.
Your character Of Frost is TASTE
fully chosen and artistically repre-
scented, Miss Clarence. DO you know
you ought always to wear white ?
wish you would
Sho lifted her blue eyes in TINT dis
tracing way that had played such
sad havoc with mems hearts.
Then she ripplcd out dainty little
laugh.
Such IN idea Mr.. Ermine! Sup
pose ! should ask you to adopt AZ
your every day apparel, that elegant
md becoming bandit chief costume
you have ONT
He dropped his dark, brilliant face
nearer her sparkling one.
well Would not acccdc to That
or any other request you might make
of me? What happiness to be under
the orders of 30 fair q commander
And the tone Of his voice, the glow
in his handsome eyes, made her
pulses thrill with the hope that had
more than once come to her since
this glorious king among men had
come among them, for the first time
in years, making the magnificent old
ancestral home fairly scintillant with
mirth and gaycty.
Then she laughed.
Would it really be happiness to
serve under my flag Then consider
yourself under imperative orders to
promise to do something for mo that
have u fancy for You to do. Mr..
Ermine, have an idea you could not
select any imaginable disguise in
which, | would not recognize you. ]
want you to try again something
that will prove to you that | can de-
tcct you under the complctcst mask.
Her lovely blue eyes were even
more coaxing than her sweet, pcrsua-
siyc voice.
Her cheeks were delicatcly flushod'
her dainty mouth smiling, and En-
mine thought how passing fair she
was.
SO there was q tinge of something
oven moro marked than usual in his
manner, as he answered:
Il take up the gauntlet, Miss Clar
cncc and warn you beforehand you
will not write success on your ban
ncrs unless dare not ilattcr myself,
dare THAT your eyes arc sharpcned
BY
What he would have added was
most ct1cctually prevented by q
sweet, fresh voice, and Madge Clar-
ence, Mabcl's younger sister, joined
them.
we must be going home, Mabel,
for You remember we promised NAM
ma not to stay later than midnight
Ermine did not SEQ tho quick,
wrathful look Mabel flashed on
Madge, for he was looking at tho pc
tito, slender figure, and the plain face,
and noting the dcm,,re dir Of tho girl
who was beautiful Mabcl's sister, yet
so utterly different that it was hard
to imagine them even distant rela-
tons.
And indeed Madgc looked moro de-
muro than even in her quaint mas
qllcrade costume of 'Charity,' with its
brown shades that matched 80 exact
ly her bright, intelligent eyes.
Ermine protested against their
early desertiOn.
q shall feel quite the inconsolablc
host, with two such bright particular
stars gone. DO stay and let me
trust to my powers ofpclitent pcrsl,a-
sion with Mrs. Clarence, Tomorrow
And SO they went home, and Mr..
Ermine assisted them to their carri-
age and was rewarded by Madge's
CHEEKY THANK YOU and shy, half
worshipful, half-roguish glance from
Mabel's blue eyes.
The September sunshine streamed
in through the windows of the Clar-
cncc dining rOom--a small cosey
room, with gay carpet and pictures,
and table spread in the middle of the
tloor-and lighted up with wonder
fully vivifying radiance, the spotlcss
linen, and simple, pretty china
and glass; and also lighting up, with
no glad reflection Of radiance, the
pale, patient face of an elderly in.
valid lady, who sat YEARLY behind
the breakfast service--Mrs. Clar-
ence, between whom and her beauti-
full daughter, Mabel, were still traces
of vivid, yet pitifully faded resent