The Penn's Grove record., 1883-09-29
My Sisters Lover.

The month of May, and through my
half-epen window came stealing a soft
wind, filed 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
upon two figures slowly walking down
the garden path--a man and a woman.
The man was tall, and strong, and
masterful, yet tender as a mother with
her first-born, gentle as a girl in all The
little acts and courtesies of life. The
woman was young and very beautiful,
with a figure slender and swaying like
a reed as she walked, and dark, lus-
trous eyes, which brought to many a
man his hearts undoing.
l fancied the light in them now, as
she lifted them to Geoffry Branscombe's
face. He was her guardian, and he lowed
her. She was but my half sister, five
years my senior, and 20 | was not entitled
to her confidence. Indeed, only a little
month ago | had returned from school,
with my education completed, in the
fashionable sense of the term, and since
then | had been very i'll. Over-study,
the doctor had said, but | 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 inflicted torture.
1t was my heart, Tot the body, that
suffered-the heart that had forever
passed into Geoffry ~Branscombe's I'M
conscious keeping. / loved him-he
who was to be my sisters husband.
If | had never suspected it before, l
should 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,
that things should be as they were ?
Did not guardians always love their
words, and wards their guardians.
/ had never read book which treated
of such a relationship in which such
was not the sequel of the tale. And
yet-and yet, did it make it easier for
me to bear.
1 turned my gaze away from that
other picture, and lifted myself up from
the depth of the great chair in which i
lay, until / could catch a glimpse of my
own face in the mirror opposite.
What a cont. asst My eyes, the only
beauty l possessed, looked many times
too large for the thin, dark face and
my hair, which had been the rival
beauty to my eyes, was close cropped to
my head.
They had cut it off as I lay delirious
with fever, and crying that its weight
hurt me.
sank back, with a groan. AT that
instant my sister, returning, entered
the
"Mabel, " she cried-"Mabel, darling
| am so happy !"
And rapidly crossing the floor, sht
sank down on her knees beside NJ,
chair.
The constrast was too great. Nevei
/ had ! seen her half so beautiful.
"Don't tell me-don't" l hastil,
exclaimed and lifted up my hand, as i
to ward off a blow, 81 know" 1 con
tinued. 81 congratulate you; but don
say any more"
"You know dear 2" she answered,
look of surprise sweeping over her face
"How is that possible ?"
"Don't ask me. Only, l know. T.
But | could say no more. My weak
ness conquered my strength, and burs
INTO bitter weeping.
"Poor child Dear little Mabel I
she whispered, tenderly. "Do you Low
me so well that you hate to lose me
But you viii not really lose me deal
When / am married"
"Hush !" / interrupted. 81 won
hear any more" and, sobbing bitterl!
buried my face in my hands.
OF course no heroine would have don
such a thing, but l was no heroine.
was only a foolish child, who had live
but eighteen years, and could only loO
forward to a long, long life of lone
7 misery-for / loved Geoffry.
He had not meant to make me 10y
him-I know that but when / hf
( come home for my Chistmas holiday
Alice had been away ON a visit, and SC
: had seen him every day. We had ridd,
and driven, and walked together, an
as / have said, his manner held uneo
scious and inherent tenderness iowa