McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1884-10-02
MY SISTERS LOYE.

mer fragrance. lne trees III tuf Sal
den were full of blossoms. The earl
roses were in full bloom, but of all thi
/ saw nothing My gaze was fixed ur
on two figures slowly walking dow
the garden path-a man and a woman
The man was tall and strong an
masterful. yet tender as little girl i
all the little acts and courtesies of life
The woman was young and very beau
tiful, with figure slender and swayin
like reed as she walked, and dark
lustrous eyes, which brought to man
a man his hearts undoing.
| fancied the light in them now, a
she lifted them to Godfrey Brans
combe's face. He was her gaurdial
and he loved her. She was but M,
half-sister, five years my senior, and 81
| was not entitled to her confidence
Indeed, only little over q month ag'
| had returned from school, with my
education completed in the fashionable
sense of the term, and since then wa!
very i'll. Over study, the doctor haC
said, but | knew better. To my OWL
soul L could whisper the humiliatine
truth, could pour out the cruel confes
sion with a sort of savage pleasure al
the self-intiicted torture.
1t was my heart, not my body, that
suffered-the heart that had forever
passed into Godfrey Branscombe's I'M
conscious keeping. l loved him-he
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 re-
turn,
And what could be more natural than
that things should be as they were?
Did not guardians always love their
wards, and wards their guardians?
| had never read book which treat
ed of such relationship in which such
was not the sequel of the tale. And
yet-and yet did it make it easier for
me to bear?
l turned my gaze away from that
ether picture, and lifted myself up from
the depths of the great chair in which
l lay, until l could catch a glimpse of
my own face in the mirror opposite.
What a contrast! My eyes, the only
beauty 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 lay delirious
with fever, and crying that its weight
hurt me.
l sank back with a groan. At that
instant my sister, returning, entered
the room.
'.Mabel," she cried Mabel, dar-
ling, am so happyr'
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't!' 1 hastily
exclaimed, and lifting up my hands as
if to ward off blow, 81 know" l
81 congratulate you; but
don't say any more"
''You know, dear % she answered, a
look of surprise sweeping over her
face. Glow is that possible ?''
''Don't ask me. Only [ know. 1
But could say no more. My weak
ness conquered my strength, and l
burst into bitter weeping.
'.Poor child! Dear little Mabel -
she whispered tenderly. ''Do you love
me so we'll that you hate to lose me ?
But you will not really lose me, dear.
When / am married."
'sHush ~ 1 interrupted; 81 won't
hear any more" and, sobbing bitterly,
buried my face in my hands.
Of course no heroine would have
lone such a thing but I was no hero
ne. was only foolish child who
lad lived but eighteen years, and who
could only look forward to a long,
ong life of misery-for l loved Geof-
rev.
He had not meant to make me love
lim-I knew that, but when [ had |
come home for my Christmas holiday, |
Alice had been away on visit, and so |
had seen him every day. We had |
idden and driven and walked together
md as 1 have said, his manner held |
hat unconscious and inherent tender
less towards things weaker than him
Cil WulCu Cldl luCu LILY hCsllU lhCO |
in pouring fourth its I'M
leeded treasures at his feet.
My excitement in depressing. all this
nd seeing the seal set upon my misery
its own punishment; for a
week later my life was again despaired
#.
Then because 1 did not wish the
,oon, strength came slowly back.
Every day he came; every day he sent
ne flowers, or fruit, or some sweet
Message; but it was all added torture.
At last, when grew better, the ply
icians said l must have change, and
o they sent me to the sea side, to visit
N aunt who had a house at Worthing.
I was glad to go. Had 1 staid at |
ZONE should have gone mad. Alice
md Mr.. Branscombe went with me to
he train. had babe her goodbye,
md the train was just about to start,
When he put his head in through the |
window.
sIYou will LOT mo ooma RI COO Won >,