The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-04-04
A SISTERS SACRIFICE.

~ .
She was little thing, and pretty
as a picture-great laughing gray
eyes, soft browns hair, pink-and-white
skin, pearly teeth, and the hands and
feet of a fairy.
She sat at the feet of white hair
ed old lady, daintily holding in her
daity hands two caskets-one of an
tique appearance, containing set
of pearls more than two hundred
years old the other of modern times,
scintillating with superb set of dia-
monds.
"They are both his gift but which
shall l wear, Aunty. Ruthven ?" she
suddenly asked, lifting her eyes from
the jewels to the old lady's lovely
face.
"Do try to think which he would
wish me to select. / do want to
please him." she concluded with a
pretty blush and laugh "and, since
you have been like mother to him
all these years, you ought to know
something of his tastes"
The old lady laughed, stroking the
silken hair lovingly.
"And have | not been a mother to
you ALP she asked land have you
not had good opportunities to dis
cover his tastes ?'
"You have, you dear saint" cried
the girl. drawing down the soft white
hand and kissing it fervently. sand
/ suppose | ought to say yes to the
last question, but-but somehow it
seems to me / never fathomed Os-
wald's tastes. Somehow / feel so
shy with him-he seems so far, so
very far above me-"
She spoke with a mingling of ten
der pride and gentle regret, and the
old lady replied hastily:
Nonsense, my pet; he is not the
least above you. Don't spoil him
by putting that notion into his head.
But let me settle the vexed question.
Go down to the library and ask him.
You are sure to find him there at
this hour"
The girls lovely face flushed
brightly.
would your" she asked shyly.
would you really 2"
Really, my dear" smiled the old
LADY.
Very prettily, very softly, very
shyly, did Leah Clifford open the Ii
brary door and look into the room.
As she had intimated to Mrs. Ruth
ven, she was a good deal in awe of
her grave, handsome lover, and it
was something of an ordeal to face
him with the two caskets and ask
the momentous question.
But as she blushingly glanced in
to the room, she forgot the gewgaws
in her hand.
First wild surprise dilated the
great gray eyes then an awful terror
darkened in them; then such woe
such an awful, speechless woe-a
woe that set her charming features
in the paleness and rigidity of death.
Like carved image she stood
staring at the scene before her, in
capable of speech or motion. 1t was
strange scene for a man'spromised
bride to gaze upon.
Near the window, plainly visible
in the early dusk, stood two figures
the figure of her promised hus-
band, Oswald Liscomb, and the fig
ure of her own twin sister. Rachel
Clifford.
The mans cheek rested tenderly
against the brown head pressed TO
his breast, and torrent of passion
ate words rushed from his lips
words instinct with tender anguish
and pathetic dispair, words that de-
clared only too plainly that one sis
ter possessed his promise, the other
his love.
Suddenly breath f1uttered shud-
deringly across the white lips of Le-
ah. 1t seemed to arouse her. She
took one faltering step into the room
and then as quickly drew back and
closed the door as noiselessly as che
had opened it
In the hall she paused. staring
with a dazed horror straight before
her. But the opening door and the
entrance of a servant to light the
hall startled her into fright
Still grasping the caskets, she few
up the wide stairway and into her
own chamber. Locking the door
behind her sne sank into a stony
despair upon q little couch drawn
close to the blazing CRATE.
And tomorrow night | am to be
his bridel" she gasped in hollow
tones. His bridem p
The caskets slipping from her ner-
vousless clasp to the rug drew her
eyes from the ruddy Goals.
With clenched hands she sat gag
| ing at them, the image of stony de-
spair.
Time slipped BY minute by min
ute. till an hour had passed. The
Ginning timepiece and the light tap
of her maid aroused her. She arose
and opened the door.
.Oh, Miss Leah, / knew you must
be all in the dark" exclaimed the
girl, "but I did not Ike to disturb