The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-01-23

passed bis arm under hers. Poor Sis
ter Anne thought she would sink into
the earth.
"Go away Please to 60 away, Sirl"
she cried, half fainting. 81 don't
know you don't wish you to follow
mel'
"But really / can not be so ungallant
as TO let you walk alone said the
young man, pertinaciously. "Pray let
me see you home
81 have no home!' cried Sister
Anne, in an agony of fear.
"Oh, oh!' cried her companion; $50
that's it, Let me offer you one,
then"
"Oh!' murmured the poor girl, 'if
Stephen Basque was only here!"
"Who calls for Stephen Basque7'
said passer-by, suddenly catching the
words and stopping.
Ill cried Sister Anne, rushing
to- ward the newcomer. "Do you
know him?"
"Why, Sister Anne! Is it possible
that this is you7" cried Stephen himself,
winding protecting arm around her.
"What's the row p
"That man-that mani" sobbed Sis
ter Anne, pointing to a respectable
looking fat, old gentleman, who had
just stopped, attracted by the scene.
Stephen marched up to him instant
ly.
"What did you mean, Sir" said he,
"by insulting this lady7'
"Mel" exclaimed the man, 81 never
saw her before in my life?'
"Oh, it isn't him y cried Anne, who
by this time had recovered her senses,
then looking round for the true deln-
quent, 1t was found that he had van
ished Stephen, of course, offered his
apologies to the bewildered old gentle
man. and explained the mistake; then
making Sister Anne take his arm, he
burst through the little crowd that had
already formed around them, and
marched up the street.
81 knew you were in the city," he
said to his companion, as soon as they
were clear of the throng: ''the editor of
the Aloe related to ma curious inter
view he had with you to day. Where
are you staying?'
"Nowhere," said Sister Anne, red
with shame.
"Why, how is that p
81 have no money. | expected to
be paid for my poems," and the poor
child sobbed bitterly.
''That, indeed, was expecting much.
So you really wrote those delightful
poems7 Why, Sister Anne, or Filbert,
you are a genius J"
That's very good to me if l cant
make money" said Filbert, still SOB
bing.
"Not by poetry, certainly. But has
it never entered your little head that
there is style OF composition named
prose. People always pay for prose"
Sister Anne lifted her head. There
was a CLEAN of hope in this
"Do you think | could write prose ?"
she said, timidly.
''If you try hard, | think you might.
| know very respectable old lady who
keeps nice boarding house on Fourth
Avenue. You shall go there tonight
n the morning | will see if | can not
get some newspaper to give you an en-
gagement 10 write some pretty
sketches. You can call them
Dried Leaves, or some other vegeta-
BILE title, and they will he sure to sue
ceed'
Sister Anne said nothing, but CRATE
fully pressed Stephens arm, and that
night when she was installed at old
Mrs. Brtton's boarding house, she
blessed the young fellow with virgin
prayer.
SO, after all, Sister Anne staid in
New York, aud set up for herself.
Stephen got her an engagement on the
Weekly Cong and very soon some
sensation began to be created by her
series of sketches entitled "Lichens,"
under the signature of Maitland
Moss She was paid for these tolera-
bly, well and had the triumph of writ
ing home to her family that she was
now supporting herself.
After she had ben six months in the
city, and had been asked to Miss Ran
sacks literary soireeS, and actually was
on the eve of publishing book, Ste
phen Basque came into her room one
day with dancing eyes.
"FIlbertr he cried, 81 want you to
come and pay visit with me-"
"Where ?" said Filbert, raising her
head from her desk on which she was
writing.
"At a lady's answered Stephen with
an exulting smile
"What lady's," and Sister Anne felt
a foreshadowing of evil.
"'WeIl, Filbert, the fact is, I'm go
ing to be married, and Why, Fill
bert, what's the matter?"
Poor Filbert was as pale as death.
She bent her head over her desk, and
her whole frame quivered. Poor child!
she had loved the young fellow silent
ly for two long years, and he was now
going to take another to be his darling.
1t was very hard for her to bear
"Filbert are yon i'll ?" cried Stephen
lifting her hand gently.
"No, Nor she cried impatiently,
from his touch. at was
only pain produced by STOPPING so
long. | am ready, Stephen let us go
and see your bride y and Sister Anne
rose with a steady countenance, and
proceeded to put on her bonnet.
"lou will not have to 60 far cried
Stephen, with strange, joyous twin
kle in his eyes "She is waiting round
at my studio
"Comel" said Sister Anne, marching
to her martyrdom with sublime resolu-
ton. Tell me, Stephen, is she pref,
ty ?"
"Lovely as the dawn y
"Young 2"
"About seventeen.
"Clever p