Connecticut western news., 1883-08-22

her so much that she declared that should not see her.
 | I did not care to see her. If Mar garet was soothed or comforted, or her time frightened by anything like 8 com forter, I cared not who the comforter was. My sister was my only object of solicitude; and to save her an hours loneliness or grief, I would sacrifice any thing on earth. They only, whose affections are narrowed down to a single object, can appreciate my de- votion to my sister. A mother could not be more tenderly careful of her than I was, subduing my stern mans nature to feminine watchfulness, averting from her every shadow of evil, or even annoyance. And not less deep and strong was her affection for me. "We were but twop One of our little, home band had found grave beneath the waters; another, 8 bright, rosy, laughing girl, radiant with life and health, had sunk suddenly beneath acute and sudden fever, and then our father and mother departed to the land of shadows. What wonder if we chung to each other?
 That year, October was brighter than that bright month usually seems. l used generally to get home sometimes during the shortened twilight, and per haps once or twice week I was able to reach it time enough to enjoy the sight of the gorgeous Autumn sunset. One afternoon came quite early, intending to take Margaret out in the gchaise to witness the glory of the brightening woods.
 came softly into the room, and with Margaret a lady was sitting by the win dow, reading aloud. Her voice was clear and musical; her intonation per feet. I stepped forward, after listening to the silvery chime for a while, and Margaret introduced me to Miss Leigh ton.
 She had scarcely acknowledged my awkward bow before she was gone. I did not see how, nor when she went, but knew that, in the brief glimpse I took of her, I thought her the ugliest woman I ever saw. As turned round from depositing my hat and coat, there was no one there but Margaret.
 ''I told you so,!' said gravely.
 "Told me what ?" said Margaret.
 "That your friend was only a creature of your imagination I replied; Ca shadow, an Sgnsts .f0tasus-and could never be identified. How otherwise could she have disappeared
 Naturally enough" said Margaret, ''out of the window"
 "And this is the woman you have been calling handsome. all the summer ?'' said I.
 Margaret fairly cried at my badinage and my contempt for the beauty she had been praising. I could not tell her what particular feature thought ugly, in the brief glimpse had taken. It was the general impression of the whole face.
 "Why, she looks, beside you, Mar. garet, ike-like-forgive me-like a tiger lily by the beautiful pale thing that we drag, with its long, slender stem, from the deep ponds where it hides.''
 ''She was Albert Thornton's friend, J said Margaret softly.
 ''So she was," I responded, ''and l oh hn1. She shall, henceforth, be as beautiful as you choose to think her. Gan say any thing more ?'
 That night Margaret and I sat up long, watching the lovely October moon-the glorious harvest moon-as she sailed through the magnificent blue arch over head. We talked long of the living and the dead-of those whom distance had separated from us, and of those whose memory was still more sacred because death had set its seal there.
 We talked of Albert Thornton; and then Margaret told me, for the first time, what peace and resignation had come into her heart; and how patiently she waited for the hour which should unite them again.
 Then she talked of Albert's cousin Flora, and told me how earnestly she had hoped, ail through the summer that should see and become interested il her; that it would have been so pleasan to her to feel that, should she leave me as she sometimes thought she should bt called to do, she should not leave mt tender care of me, which thus pointed to my welfare, even when she should b, no more.
 It might have been ten o'clock, whe1 some one knocked at the front door, ant ) asked if that was Mrs. Leighton's house Hannah directed them, and we heard } footsteps on Mrs. Leighton's gravellet walk, then joyful cry of recognition ) and the low hum of conversation sue l ceeding.
 We were both silent-I, from strang curiosity to know who was this stranger } Margaret, because something, as sh afterward told me, struck her as strangel familiar in the voice that asked for Mrs . Leighton. Then came 8 step to tn our garden window, and Flora's voic called us quickly and impatiently. ''Come in, come in, Miss Leighton, , = said. Margaret must not face thi l night air."
 = She came in, and seemed to hesitat