St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-11-18
brothers heart was entombed with the

himself with tears.
AS the sound of his rapid wheels died
away in the distance she hastily dried her
eyes and hurried into the kitchen to see
about the belated supper. Mr.. Perrin, still
gloatng over castles in Spain, looked up
with the roguish purpose of greeting MRS.
Kirby" but dismayed at her troubled coun-
| tenance, remarked instead that 1.-THE days
were getting shorter" fact that she had
observed before.
| He felt as if he had received blow. For
him there was there could be, but one in
depreciation of his sisters unwonted emo
ton. She loved Kirby, and Kirby no
| longer cared for her. Poor girl, she had
dreamed that mans affections were like
granite bouders, incapable of change, and
she was awakened with shock. Hapless
Roxanna! She too. had her trials. Keenly
sympathetic. the magnanimious brother
concealed his own disappointment as best
he could, and lavished upon his sorrowful
sister an excess of tenderness
You have the knack of spelling me for
other folks cooking, little woman, that's
the truth" said he at tea time, ostenta-
tiously heaping his plate with cream toast.
''How should l ever get along without
you?"
.'Thatll make her feel that I appreciate
her if Joel doesn't" he unused benevolently,
while she. on her side of the table, was
thinking: Its just as l suspected; it
would kill brother to lose me-"
''Oh, you'd manage somehow. Maybe
you'd marry" she ventured timidly, almost
hearing the fluttering of the lost Climena's
wings.
Pooh! pooh! sister, nothing seems less
), rnl hos T. v,1fo0
sad that Miss Roxanna chided herself for
having opened his old wound afresh. But
she had done it for Joel'S sake. She owed
it to Joel to make sure that there could be
no misunderstanding.
The October days. with their monday
patches of sunshine and their heavy bor-
ders of twilight, came and went. In a
spasm of hope that the charming widow
might consent to share the domestic scepter
with his sister, Mr.. Perrin made second
proposal. only to receive a second decided
but fiattering refusal. Mr.. Kirby repeated
his call upon Miss RoXanna, and departed
cursng fate, and by no means loving Mr..
Perrin, whom he supposed perfectly ac-
Quainted with the relations between him.
self and Roxanna. Overtaking Mr.. Perrin
walking home one day from the postoffice.
Mr.. Kirby, with inward reluctance, asked
him to ride. With equal reluctance MI.
Perrin accepted the invitation, rejecting
IF amt civil he'll take it that Pm mad
because he doesn't renew his offer to RoX-
anna, and l wont humor him."
Heavy frost last night" growled Mr..
Kirby.
Very" assented the other, conscious of
an inward chill. winter is upon us.
Shall vOu Snend il in MaiDe9o
My plans are uncertain" snarled Mr..
Kirby" adding mentally, Thanks to you,
sir"
''Of course you can choose your own
climate. There's the advantage of having
plenty OF money and no family ties"
mo family ties! Whose fault was it
that he had no family ties?" unused the
irate bachelor, making rapid passes over
his long beard, as if he would mesmeriZe
the pain in his breast. ''Might not Rox-
anna have been his wife years ago but for
the necessities of this selfish brother?"
'"Though I've lately heard it limited,
Joel, that you were thinking of marrying. %
| Perrin blundered on in his embarrassment,
saying the very thing he had resolved not
to say.
Mr.. Kirby snapped his whip and trans
fixed his companion with glance so frigid
that poor Mr.. Perrin Shivered as if he were
impaled on an icicle.
Your cousin is fine girl, Joel-an un-
commonly fine girl. II congratulate. he
stammered, wishing it would do to get out
and walk.
You are too kind, Perrin; too kind by
half" sneered Mr.. Kirby. letting go the
reins of his anger. You've robbed me of
one bride, sir, and now you want to make
amends. do you, by choosing me another?''
"Whv, Kirby, what are you raving about?
When have l interfered with your concerns,
matrimonial and otherwise?" cried Mr..
Perrin in a tone of injured innocence.
You're laboring under some strange de-
luson."
do you pretend it's delusion of mine
that but for you RoXanna would be my
wife?"
"Oh. he's twitting me on old scores. -
unused Mr.. Perrin, aggrieved. He blameS
me for letting sister give up her prospects
in life for Climena's sake. Sister would do
it, and she never told me there was any
thing between her and Joel. When man
is in a tight place, JOEL he's apt to realize
his own needs better than the needs of his
brethren. suppose, he said aloud, after a
moments pause. But I'm sorry if you
bear me grudge."
Tight place! Do you call yourself in a
tight place, Perrin-a strong. hearty fellow
like you? You ought to be independent OF
your sister. You ought to hire a house
keeper and let RoXanna 60"
LET Roxanna go? Where?" Intercepted
the befogged Mr.. Perrin.
Wherever she prefers to live. | Should
let her decide that after we were marrieu.'
replied Mr.. Kirby. impatiently. The
main point is to get her away from you.
| She says you say you couldn't live without
her."
Yes, did say it; but 1 take it all
back" cried Mr.. Perrin, fairly blinking In
the light that suddenly Illuminated his
! darkened mind. Il see things clearer than
l did, Joel. 1 wont stand any longer be-
tween you and Roxanna."
Your hand on it,"
''My hand on it, Joel. l shall be glad
proud, that is-to give sister to you, and if
you are going on up to the house you can
tell her said So"
Thank you. Perrin, thank You, and if
I've spoken sharply beg your pardon, !"
cried Mr.. Kirby, smiling like a Santa
Claus.
''Oh. it's all right; everything is all
right" replied Mr.. Perrin, too happy to
keep it to himself. Drop me here, Kirby,
please; have an engagement to make.
And make it to-day shall and will, God
willing" he added. beneath his breath, as
he dismounted before the door Of the
Widow Deprv