St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-11-06
MINNIES CYCIJE.

1.-The niche my sisters death left vacant
years ago Minnie. darling, we have been
/ sisters in love ever since our school days,
| let us be sisters still. | ain wealthy, you
are left poor by this days sad WORK. Now
| let lie plead for your presence your love.
| Come home W til me? You may sew.
teach. WI tie. anything you will, but let my
home be yours You ale 100 young TO
live alone; come, brighten my Iathers life
and mine"
And after much pleadiag the young petit
toner won Minnie to her VIII.
The pretty chldlike girl who that day had
! buried her father, ha ing been m0therleSS
| from infancy. was indeed too young too in
nOcent and lovely, to 1--we alone i'll this cold,
| censorious world. She had been the petted
dar ling OF her father, who had been so lavish
of his salary to supply every desire or whm
| of his child that LIS death left her penni-
| less. Laura Goodwin, her chosen friend at
| school, had come FROM her slant CITY home
TO comfort Minnie in her sorrow. and
brought her fathers cordial invitation to
| the orphan to make MS house her future
home. Widowed himself, with one Gil Id,
he could readily sympaliZe in Minnie's Sor-
| row. readily second Lauras generous de-
! SireS.
He was waiting at the depot for the trav-
elers when they reached P. and in the
dim twilight Minnie could see his tall, erect
| figure and dgnified carriage, bat his face
was not distinct in the gathering darkness.
| But whea in his own parlOr he drew her
| Into his arms aud Sa d, gently: You must
| let me fill your father place, my child"
Minnie saw that the face pending over hers
was kind and good. noble aud true. and she
shared Laura goodnight KISS with sigh
of relief, feeling that her new home was
second only to her own.
The few days immed ately following her
arrival she submitted to laura and rested
from grief and anxiety. pleased to let her
weak frame and sore heart rest in the love
and tenderness of her friends stronger ma
ture They were very unlike. these girls,
whose love bound them ST. closely together,
and their very dlsSlIniiarity increased their
affection.
Laura. tall stately and resolute, with her
noble firm nature. was Ike the Roman
matrOnS in her d gniiied beauty, her gener-
Gus impulses, and hrm. clear Judgment;
while Minnie, petite. pretty and care5Slng,
timld and gentle. clung To and leaned upon
this noble nature as ivy winds around the
oak.
Mr. Goodwin. who almost idoIiZed his
child. and had gwen Name place in his
heart for Laura's sake, soon learned TO love
tine winning little beauty for her own.
Not many days elapsed. how
ever, before Minnie insisted upon
maintaining her independence, and
Laura procured for her from her own
friends dainty embroidery we'll suited for
such fairy fingers and for which she was
we'll pad. Whether the sums gained or
lost anything by passing through Laura's
myers Minnie never thought to inquire.
And soon after Mnnies advent into the
family there came another change. Laura.
the stately beauty, found that her heart had
wandered from the home boundary to rest
upon another love offered and accepted.
Her lover was a man in every way calcu-
lated to make her happy; true. good man.
and Mr.. Goodwin gave willing consent 10
the MARI age.
The long evenings following the an
nOuncement of this engagement were very
pleasant ones for Minnie. Her own mourn
ing kept her from gay assemblies, and Mr..
Goodwin was very well pleased to let
younger escort take his place beside Laura.
He was getting old he said. though but
| little past 80. felt the cold severely, and was
apt to come home languid after the business
| of the day was over
|
to her kind protector to hear her read. sing
or talk, and. as these long evenings drew
| them more closely together, she found her
| ch EFF pleasure was to listen to the words of
| advice, wit or wisdom that he gave her.
! She was to him sweet. loving chld, to be
| gu .ded, taught and petted; he to her be-
| came a hero, man to revere, honor and
/ trust.
1t wanted but month of Laura's we'd
| ding day. when. one afternoon. as the girls
were sitting in the par.Or waiting the sum-
mons to dinner, heavy fail overhead
startled both. Mr.. GoOdwin's library,
which was directly above them, was evil
IDENTIFY the room whence the noise came,
and. after a moment of silent cOnSterna-
ton. the two ran swiftly up~ta rs. The
friend and father lay upon the floor, where
he had fallen alter leaving his chair, struck
| down with paralysis, insensible.
1t was many days before speech was re-
stored. more before motion came to any
limb; but i'll the long illness Minnie threw
off all timidity, and Laura herself was not
a more tender or careful nurse. The APP
pointed wedding day was over, when one
morning Laura beckoned Minnie from the
invaid's room and took her into the Library.
Her face was pale but resOlute. her eyes
| full of suppressed pain, as she sad:
Minnie, will you do painful task for
meg"
You know that Will do anything for
you, Laura"
! Then you will see Herbert for me -
/ day and tell HIM this: DIR. Holmes said
/ to me to day that my father will never re-
! gain the use of his lower limbs. His mind
! is now clear, and he can Use his arms and
! hands. but from the lower limbs the power
! to move is gone for life. He will be Grip
pied. almost helpless, and L. his child, can
never leave him"
''Dues he know?"
/ Father? Yes. DR.. Holmes told him."
But of your decisinn?"
Not yet. l will tell him. while you-
you tell Herbert; | cannot. Tell him not
| to try to see me, for L cannot bear it! Her
/ bert"
1t was waiting cry of parting. but Min
MES lips smiled as she drew her friend 5
head to her bosom to careSs her and s0othe
! the unSpOken agony. After long silence
she said:
Come with me to your father and tell
him now" and Laura complied.
Mr.. Goodwin heard the resolve silently.
though his bowed head and grieved face
| showed how deeply he felt the necessity
for such sacrifice; but as Laura bent cares
siEgly over him Minnia'S va ce. low, sweet
ana clear. broke the sad silence.
Il will not tell Herbert, Laura. nor must
you break your engagement. You will not
hesitate to leave your father in my care; my
hands will minister to him as tenderly as
yours; my feet shall fill the place of his;
my"
Stop This must not be-" said Mr..
Goodwin. Il cannot consent to bind your
youth to my inlirnity, your activity to my
helpleSsness."