Daily Kennebec journal., 1881-07-01
Gales an1 Skettbes.
THREE THREADS.
,Conrinuea rrom Yesterday. J

had to do with her life Under this tree
they had quarrelled. Near thsee rocks
he had told her that no other woman
could have said such things and been for
given" and-forgiven her. Over every
walk was written remember, The very
empty chair beside her caused her a throb
of pain. He had sat there. All her songs
he used to sing them with her. She
sang them now with Charlie Grierson. In
fact, she flirted with that misguided young
man, and then. when he presumed, sent
him over without remorse. She was
quite determined to make no sign but all
the time she failed in health and looks.
and when her elder sister, Mrs. Hesperia.
came down she found Matte in rather a
pitiable case.
Mrs. Hesperia was emphatically We
man of tact. Finding that something was
wrong with her favorite sister she asked
no questions, but used her eyes and ears.
OF course it did not need quite half day
To discover that Miss Grierson hated Mat
tie. She could never leave her alone.
You could hardly believe, Mrs. Peri,
how Matte has fried" said Miss Grier-
son, on the piazza. Now you need not
look at me- dear. You know you did.
though / admit you have behaved much
better lately. Indeed, we have all been
dull enough since Mr.. Musgrove went
away. He was our incest young man.
We used to call him the Inimitable slylv
you know"
Matte cast quick glance at her sister.
She felt that she WINGED and blushed un-
der the Grierson's stab; but Hesperia,
wiscst of women. understood nothing
Nothing. None 40 blind as those who
won't see. She remembered that Mr.
Musgrovc had been Nellie's pet partner
last winter. The hotel books told her
when he had gone away. and while she
sat waiting for further revelations some
body wrote her a letter from Fern Cliffe.
ale il 40 arr petits soiaS with pretty
little Miss Blodgett," ." wrote the fair gos-
sip, "but in a melancholy way. IL is the
common belief here that your sister Mat
tie threw him over. If she did | wonder
at her. He is the best young man / have
seen this season.
And now Mrs. ITesperia had the whole
story.
That was a cool season; and in August
they had fires at Shorespoint. SO one
evening found the two sisters sitting in
the twilight before flicker of flame on
the hearth while the rain beat outside.
What weary world" murmured
Matte. dolefully. wondering where Tom
was now.
What weary people. rather" answer
Nd Hesperia, lightly. depend on it,
Matte. half our WEAKNESS is OF our own
seeking and buying. | have Just had a
letter from Maria Hunter, bewailing her
self. You remember she quarreled with
her fiance. Arthur Slade; and now they
are both miserable, because both are too
proud to make advances"
And quite right" cut in Matte. II
mean she is right 1t is the mans place
10 make them"
"Are you sure of that ?" returned He's
peria. quietly. ''Supposing it is the wo-
man who is in the wrong? But granting
it. for the sake of argument, do you really
think it worth while topay over the whole
happiness of u life to make good some
theory about man or woman's place
Maria knows that Arthur loves her One
word from her would end it all If she
refuses to speak that word, is it not be-
cause she loves her pride better than her
love? II so. let her go. There will be
no heart-break in the case. But il it were
my case. if thought man worth loving.
and believed that he loved me. | should
not be turned out of Paradise so easily
Nothing should stand between us-not
even my own self-love."
Matte started. and looked curiously at
her sister. for Hesperia had spoken with
rather remarkable energy. But Hesperia
went on in her own ordinary manner
IL was reminded of Maria's case bv
getting letter from her. about which ]
wished to consult you. She is at place
called Fern Clife. and is anxious that we
should Join her. What do you say? 1t
seems to me dull enough here"
Again Matte looked hard at her sister.
hut she could read nothing in that artless
woman's face. Three DAYS later they
were at Fern Cliffe. Ma,tie's pride re-
belled sorely. The move looked so much
like following Tom. But Hesperia's
words rang in her ears Nothing shall
stand between us-not even my own self
love-
Are there brief telegraphs. more subtle
than those worked by electricity? All
that day Toms thoughts had been busy
with Matte. Kitty was pretty and fresh.
but he was little tired of being listened
TO and admired. Matte kept him on his
mettle. With her he must prove himself
what she wished him to be. Kitty and he
were not betrothed. spite the gossips of
Fern Cliffe. but they were close on to it.
He knew all the few possibilities of her
child's nature. and what answer she would
give if he should ask her: but how could
he ask her. when it made him catch his
breath only to think of the romance that
he and Matte had lived together' Some
thing of this sort he was thinking. Kitty
on one arm. her pink and white shawl on
the other. AS they came up from the beach
when he caught a glimpse from the piaz
"a that made him start A dainty little
figure. marked by certain saucy self
assertion in every gesture n mass of
blonde hair. brilliant face. not altogeth-
er regular in feature, nor with set color.
but face that bloomed like pink-tinged
leaf; and peculiar. distinct deliberate
intonation--a little dash of affectation
about it (but such pretty affectation y
rs she stood talking with very hand
some woman. also a stranger; in brief.
Matte and Mrs. Hesperia.
There was just one course tor Tom. He
seated Kitty, went up to the two ladies.
and took off his hat. The muscles about
his mouth did quiver little. and Matte
did turn pale. but both acquitted them
selves very we'll. You tould hardly have