The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-09-23
A SMALL BEGINNING.

A SMALL BEGINNING.
A little ground-hoor room, little fire
in a small stove, burning DULY as fires
are apt to do at times when their blaze
might be worth something in the way of
cheer; out doors the raw gray of q spring
thaw; on the window-seat two girls
crouched together, and looking out with
faces as discOnsolate as the weather.
Such was the picture presented at No.
- Farewell Street, three years ago last
March.
Farewell Street was so named because
of its being the customary route of exit
from the old cemetery; the point where
mourners were supposed to turn for a
last look at the gates which had Just
shut in the newly-buried friend; and
this association, as well as the glimpse of
the tall cemetery fence, topped with
moulnful evergreens which bounded the
view, did not tend to make the sad out
look any the less sad on that dismal
day. For it was only fortnight since
Della and Hetty Willett, the girls on
the window-seat, had left within those
gates the kind old grandmother, who
of father and mother both.
THE Willetts,'' as the neighbors
called them, using the collective phrase
always, were twins, and Just eighteen
years old. Bearing to each other even
a stronger personal likeness than twins
customarily possess, they were in other
points curiously unlike. Della was soft
and clinging, Hetty vigorous and self
reliant Della loved to be guided, Hetty
to guide; the former had few independ-
ent views and opinions, the latter was
brimful of ideas and fancies, plans and
purposes, some crude, some foolish, but
all her own. Yet, oddly enough, it was
Della very often, who gave the casting
vote in their decisions, for Hetty's love
for her slender twin was sentiment so
deep and intense that she often yielded
against her own better sense and iudg-
ment, simply for the pleasure of yielding
to what Della wished. Della in return
adored her sister, waited on her, petted
consoled, "eXactly as if she were Hetty' 5
wife, Alnt Polly said, land the worst
was they suited each other so well that
no one else would ever suit either of
them, and they were bound to die old
maids in consequence
But eighteen can laugh at such augur-
les, and there was no thought or ques-
ton of marriage in the minds of the
sisters, as they crouched that afternoon
close together on the old window seat
A very different question absorbed
them, and perpleXing one; how they
were to live and to keep together while
doing 50, which meant pretty much the
same thing to them both. Grandmother S
death had left them with 50 very, very
little-her annuity died with her. There
was the old house, the plain, worn furni-
ture to which they had been accustomed
all their lives, and about hundred dol
lars year! What could they do with
that?
eff one of us only happened to be
clever" sighed Della. eff could paint
pictures, or you had talent for writing,
how easy it would be-"
II don't know as to that" responded
Hetty. "Seems to me I've heard of
people who did those things, and yet
didn't find it so mighty easy to get
along. Somebody's got to buy the pict-
ures after they're painted, and read the
books, and pay for them" She spoke
in an absent tone. and her brow was
knitted into the little frown which Della
knew betokened that her twin was
pulling hard over something.
Don't scowl, it'll spoil your fore
head, she said, smoothing out the OBJ
jectonable frown with her fingers.
"Was lscowling? Well, never mind,
I'm trying to think, DEFY. You can't
paint, and | can't write. The question
is what can we do?'
"Ihat is the question:" said a voice
at the door 1t was Aunt Pollv's voice
She managed on most days to drop il
and give look to them, the lionel,
little creeturs," as she would have eX
pressed it.
you're consultin', see," she said
taking in the situation at glance; tn
room, the depressed and fearful cheek
of the two girls, the lack of comfort anC
cheer. She twitched open the stow
door as she passed, threw in a stick O
wood, twirled the damper, and gave
brisk, ranting shake to the ashes al
with a turn of the hand as it were-at
tentions TO which the stove present.
responded with a brisk roar. "Well
it's time you did. l was planning t.
have talk with you before long, TO
you ought to settle to something. Pu
the blind down, DEFY, and Hetty, 20
light the lamp, and come to the fire bot
of you, and let's see what we can max
of it. It's tangled skein enough,
don deny it; but most skeins are that
and there's always a right end som,
where, if the Lord'll give us sens
enough to get hold of it and keep o
pulling out and winding up"
Presently the girls were seated clos