The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-01-04
MY SISTERS LOVER.

The month was May, and through
my half-open window came stealing a
soft wind, filled with Summer warmth
and Summer fragrance. The trees in
the garden were full of blossoms. The
early roses were in bloom, but of all this
[ saw nothing. My gaze was fixed up
on two figures slowly walking down the
garden-path-a man and q woman.
The man was tall, and strong, and
masterful, yet tender as q mother with
her first-born, gentle as a girl in all the
little acts and conrtesies of life. The
woman was young and very beautiful,
with figure slender and swaying like
q reed rs she walked, and dark, lustrous
eyes, which brought to many a man his
hearts undoing.
fancied the light in them now, as
she lifted them to Geoffry Branscombe's
face. He was her guardian, and he
loved her. She was but my half-sister,
five years my senior, and so l was not
entitled to her confidence. Indeed. on
ly little month ago | had returned
from school, with my education COM
pleted, in the fashionable sense of the
term, and since then had been very ill.
Over-study, the doctor had said, but l
knew better. TO my own soul could
whisper the humiliating truth, could
pour out the cruel confession, with a
sort of savage pleasure at the self-in-
fiicted torture.
1t was my heart, not the body, that
sutfered-the heart that had for ever
passed into Geoffry Branscombe's I'M
conscious keeping. l loved him-he
who was to be my sisters husband. If
] had never suspected it before, Ishould
have known it by the new light in her
eyes, the new radiance of her beauty,
as it burst upon me on the day of my
return.
And what could be more natural than
that things should be rs they were? Did
not guardians always love their wards,
and wards their guardians?
| haG never read book which treat
ed of such relationship in which such
was not the sequel of the tale. And
yet-and vet, did it make it easier for
me to bear?
turned my gaze away from that
other picture, and lifted myself up from
the depths of the great chair in which
l lay, until could catch a glimpse of
my own face in the mirror opposite.
w nat II COnlTdSG! MY eyes, IlC OHlI
beauty possessed, looked many times
too large for the thin, dark face; and
my hair, which had been the rival beau
ty to my eyes, was close cropped to my
head.
They had cut it off as l lay delirious
with fever. and crying that its weight
hurt me.
| sank back, with a groan. At that
instant my sister, returning, entered the
room.
mabel" she cried Mabel, darling,
l am so happy!'
And rapidly crossing the floor, she
sank down on her knees beside my
chair.
The contrast was too great. Never
had seen her half SO beautiful.
Don't tell me-don'tn' l hastily eX-
claimed, and lifted up my hand, as if
to ward off blow. Il know" l con-
tinued. Il congratulate you; but don't
say any more"
You know. dearp" she answered, a
look of surprise sweeping over her face.
''How is that possibleP"
Don't ask me. Only, l know. /
But 1 could say no more. My weak
ness conquered my strength, and |
burst into bitter weeping.
''Poor child! Dear little Mabeln' she
whispered, tcnderly. ''Do you love me
80 well that you hate TO lose me? But
you will not really lose ME, dear. When
| am married-'
''Hushr' | interrupted. 81 won't hear
any more" and, sobbing bitterly, buri-
cd my face in my hands.
OF course no heroine would have done
such thing; but was no heroine. L
was only foolish child, who had lived
but eighteen years, and who could only
look forward to long, long life of lone
ly misery-for | loved Geoffry.
He had not meant to make me love
him-I know that; but when l had
come home for my Christmas holidays,
Alice had been away on a visit, and so
/ had seen him every day. We had rid
den, and driven, and walked together,
and, as l have said, his manner held
that unconscious and inherent tender
ness toward things weaker than HIM
self which had charmed my heart into
recklessness pouring forth its unheeded
treasures at his feet.
My excitement in repressing all this,
and seeing the seal set upon my misery,
brought its own punishment. For a
week my life was again despaired of.
Then. because l did not wish the
boon, strength came slowly back. Ev-
eryday he came; everyday he sent me
flowers, or fruit, or some sweet mes
sage; but it was all an added torture.
At last. when grew better, the ply
sicians said must have change, and so
they sent me to the seaside, to visit an
aunt who had house at Wofthing,
l was glad to go. Had l stayed at