The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-08-15
A SISTERS SACRIFICE.

brown hair, plnk-and-white skin, pearly
teeth, and the hands and feet of fairy.
She sat at the feet of a white-haired ,
old lady, daintily holding in her dainty
hands two caskets-one of antique APP
pearance, containing a set of pearls
more than two hundred years old; the
other of modern times, scintiIlating
with asuperb set of diamonds
They are both his gift; but which
shall | wear, Aunty Ruthven?n she sud
denly 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 Idowant to please him!''
she concluded with pretty blush and
laugh; and, since you have been ike
mother to him all these years, You
ought to know somethingof his tastes -
The old lady laughed, stroking the
silken hair lovingly. !
And have | not been mother to
you ala she asked; and have not
you had goodaopportunities to discover
his tastespn Id BaA1G.# ysE.
"'You have. you dear saint!'' cried
the girl, drawing down che soft white
hand and kissing it ferventlg. And l
suppose ought to say yes to the last
question, but-hut somehow it seems to
me i never fathomed Oswald tastes.
Somehow | feel 50 shy with him-he
seems so far, so very far above me -
She spoke with a mingling of tender
pride and gentle. regret and the old
lady replied hastily.
'.Nonsehse, mypeti he is notthe least
above you! Don't spoil him by putting
that notion into his head But let me
| the library and ask him. You are sure
| to find him there at this hour =
The girls lovely face flushed bright
ly. Would you?" she asked shyly,
would YOU really a.
Really, my dear, = smiled the Old
lady fondE.4 sL IL I'll E
| Very prettily, very softly, very shy
1 " did Leah Clifford open the library
i door and look into the room. As she
| had intimated to Mrs. Ruthven, she
| was good deal in awe OF her grave,
| handsome lover; and it was something
of an ordeal to face him with the two
castsets and ask the momentous ques-
| ton.
But as she blushingly glanced into
| the room. she forgot the gewgaws IN
rhand First a wild surprise dilated
| great grey ewes then an awful ter.
ror darkened in them; then such woet
such an awful, speeches. woe!-a
woe that set her charming features in
the paleness and rigidity OF death. e
i Like a carved image she stood .glar-
/. ing at the scene before her. incapable
of speech OF motion. 1t was strange
scene for mans promised bride to
gaze upon.
Near the window plainly visible in
the early dusk, stood two hgures-the
figure OF her promised husband, Oswald
i Li5comb, and the figure of her own
twin sister, Rachel Clifford.
The mans check rested tenderly
/ against the brown head pressed TO his
breast, and a torrent of passionate
words rushed from his lips-words in
sunct with tender anguish and pathetic
despair-words that declared only too
plainly that one sister possessed his
promise, the ether his love.
Suddenly breath futtered shudder-
ingly across the white lips of Leah Ii
seemed to arouse her She took one
faftering step into the room and then as
quickly drew back and closed the door
as noiselessly as she had opened it.
In the hall she paused, staring with a
i dazed horror straight before her. But
an opening door and the entrance''ot a
servant to light the hall startled her in
to fright.
Still grasping the Baskets, she flew
l b.n H.,
chamber. Locking the door behind her
she sank in a stony despair upon a lit
tie couch drawn close to the blazing
CRATE.
''And tomorrow night / am to be his
bride!'' she gasped in hollow tones,
''his bridei''
| The caskets slipping from her nerve
less clasp to the rug drew her eyes from
the ruddy Goals.
| With clenched hands she sat gazing
at them, the image of stony despair.
Time slipped by minute by minute
till an hour had passed The chimiug
simepieee and the light tap Of her maid
aroused her She arose and opened
the door
''OE, Miss Leah, knew you must be
Ill in the dark, - exclaimed the girl,
''but I did not like to disturb YOU Mrs.
NutEven SAID she tanc1ed you would
wish to be alone"
Mrs. Ruthven was right, Beta, "
answered Leah. "But now am ready
to be dressed, and you must do you1
best tonight
And Beta promised, wondering at the
strange sound of the sweet voice, and
the strange whiteness Of the face OF
which the lights she carried fell.
But no one noticed any change in he1
when later she descended TO the draw.
ing-room, dressed for the late dinner
A touch of rouge simulated the usual
lovely damask of her cheeks. and hei
eyes were like stars in their brilliancy
Il her gaiety had triAe of restlessness
IN it, no one wondered, ID
Il Was not it her last night of nader
, freedomp
So the evening passed and "the NOR
row came. BY sunset the great house
was oveltflowing with guests. The
bridal hour drew on apace.
III The hair dresser had Just gone. leav.
ing Leah, and her one chosen brides
maid, Rachel, alone with their respec
tive maids, when Leah, 10 the horror o
the latter. and the undisguised amaze
ment of her.sister, summarily dismissed
both.
1--WE will dress each other, NIX dear,
: she smiled brightly in answer to the en-
quiring eyes Rachehhad fixed upon he:
But no sooner had the key been turn
n Il 4 H.