Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-02-21
Gales ano Sketfbfs.
MABEL

ana 08fe say nave ABOUT TIC u>udi
amount of vinegar in my composition and
severity in my countenance, perhaps more
than ordinary specimens.
Years and years ago, when my dear
father lived, he used TO say: .'Ellinor,
You will be an old maid to a certainty:
and his prophecy came true, though at
that time laughed and was unbelieviDg.
We were left quite alone when father
died, Mabel and Harold. twins. and N.Y.
self. five years older than they. | claim
ed good deal of authority over the
children because of being 50 much older.
but fear ] was not very successful in my
management of them, for every one said
they were wofnIly spoiled.
They were ID when papa died. and
] was 20, quite woman, and very
sedate and grave one, considering my
years for since my darling mothers death,
three years before. had been house
keeper at the Rosary, our pretty home
Mab-Queen Nab. we used TO call her,
or ofttimes oueenie-and Harold were a,
school when was left alone in the world
and they were to remain there Tor two
years longer. Then Harold was to go Ia
India, to look after the business our father
had been partner in, and which Mr..
Drydeed, the lawyer, often wasted hours
trying to explain to me. for never could
clearly comprehend why 1t was necessary
for our only brother to leave Us and go so
PARKWAY. For in those days-close on 30
years ago-going to India was serious
matter. There was no Mont Gents tunnel,
and no Suez Canal. or the numberless
other methods Of expediting the long and
dangerous journey. When Queenie was
IL she came home To me, and we settled
down to a very calm. even sort Of life in
the quiet country village where our home
was. Our only neighbors were Mr.. Gill
bert the rector, DIR. King and the Clifiords
of High Leigh.
We had beautiful garden at the Ro-
sary, plenty Of splendid flowers and fruit.
q glorious old library. besides all the new
est books sent US from London by Mr..
Drydeed. Music and drawing we both
loved; riding and boating were also very
great pleasures which we had every IA
cilitv for indulging in. and on the whole
think we were two very happy girls.
We often went TO the rectory, but
though we dearly loved Mr.. and Mrs. Gil
bert, it was rather n quiet house to visit
ut, as there were no young ladies, and
ROydon. their only son, was away travel
ing in Palestine. before his ordination.
We used to 90 to High Leigh to play
croquet sometimes. and very pleasant
evenings they used to be. There were
four Miss Cliffords, elderly ladies', as like
four Dutch dolls "a it was possible for
anything to be. The Christian name of
the eldest sister never heard; the three
others were Misses Ophelia. Amelia. and
Cordelia, or 'Feia." "Melia," and "De-
lia." as they called each other. They
were dear. good. kind-hearted, sociable,
cheerful spinsters-not old enough or sour
enough to be termed ''old maids loving
good gossip. or even n little dish of
scandal to season their five O'Clock tea
but never dcgeneratng into malice or i'll
nature. They were warmly attached to
Queenie but should like to know who
was not. Every one the child came in
contact with loved her. How shall | de-
scribe her. "a she was mt seventeen. with
her wealth of sunny curls dancing over
her shoulders, her violet ewes tender or
mischievous, one moment east down
shyly. the next dancing and twinkling
like starsp Never in all my life
did | behold such glorious eyes, in
which such tenderness. sweetness and
latent passion lay concealed. People
sometimes say of her picture over my
chimney-piece, What n lovely facet
But the painting falls far. far short of the
original. She was a perfectly beautiful
woman, the most perfect | ever beheld.
the most finished specimen of all Gods
created things
She was neither vain nor selfish, and
beyond the fact that she. from her innate
good taste, always liked to he and always
was well dressed. she troubled little about
her appearance. OF her hair. which was
ripping. waving. living gold, she was rs
proud "a child is of some pretty toy
She would take up Il ringlet. and holding
1t in the sunlight say, "Ellnor, is it not
pretty? What shame that il must grow
gray some day. and short and thin" In
disposition Queenie and | were very diff
ferent. She was like sunbeam dancing
hither and thither, leaving gladncss wher-
ever she went, singing snatches of gay
songs. dancing as she walked. full Of life,
mirth and happiness. was always the
very reverse; grave and sedate rs child.
grew up so rs woman. No one ever,
In all the course of my life applied more
affectionate epithet tn me than "Elliuor
dear; - no one ever called me Nellie" or
any other short pet name. l was never
supposed to care about pretty things or
childish amusements OF any sort; indeed
l believe | never had doll or dolls
house. My father loved me very dearly,
but il was more as = friend and companion
than as a child. He used to talk to me on
the most serious subjects without the
smallest hesitation. Mr.. Drydeed used to
say l was marvelously clever little
woman; and if an intense love of books
and an extraordinary thirst for knowledge
constitute cleverness. WAS so. | was
very sensible. suppose. and acted in
quite = motherly way with regard to the
children: but believe. until Queenie came
home from school and IIerold sailed for
India. never knew what it was Ia he
girl. Then my sister and were dear
friends; we told each other all our secrets.
and discussed our plans for the future.
After Nab had been year at home.
Roy Gilbert returned from the East. and
was appointed to his fathers curacy. He
brought on visit with him gentleman
he had met at Athens. Ernest Gray, an
artist, poet. and--a philosopher.
Then new era dawned on us at the
Rosary. our lives were no longer even
and unbroken. for we lived in constant
f4,,ff ar of ovcitomanf