Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1886-08-12
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was your duty 10 become my wife, L
should stand some chance of getting
you; but unluckily for me, you've cher
ished the notion that you must keep
house for your brother until you"
Brother needs me, murmured Miss
Roxana, tears swelling in her eyes OF
''baby blue"
"And don't need youP Haven't l
some rightsP During your stricken
sisters illness l consented to waive
these, but now she is gone and want
you"
Don't Joel, don't"
IL tell you do, and | can't help II"
cried Mr.. Kirby with grim humor.
'When l couldn't move you by letter /
resolved I'd come and speak for myself.
You used to say you loved me, Roxy.
Can't you"
"You know plenty of other ladies,
Joel, younger and more pleasing" fall
tered Miss Roxana. nervously smooth
ing the pale gliding of hair that framed
her temples in a gothic arch.
'They are nothing to me-" replied
the gentleman curtly, as if he esteemed
the fact matter of regret.
Assured of the favor of more than
one pretty girl of his acquaintance, was
it not little hard that the full current
of his being must needs be set toward
this unresponsive woman of thirtyp Ii
had been ever thus with Joel Kirby
from his pcrverse childhood, when. if
he wanted cake, no human power could
induce him to nibble gingerbread.
mo, Roxy, there's only one woman
- H.. mould g, ~ h., -.
softer tone. Your bro her is OF diff
ferent temperament Has it never &C.
Cured to you that he may marry
again.
Brother marry! Oh. no. indeed,
he'll never marry-neUer!" cried Miss
Roxana, grounded and rooted in the
belief that her brothers heart was en-
tombed with the dead Ciimena. mo,
he could not take another wife. and you
see he has only me. l couldn't be so
cruel as to leave him."
To all Mr.. Kirby's subsequent plead
ings she made this same reply, but it
soothed his chatting spirit not little
that she made it with faltering, and
that she parted from himself with tears.
AS the sound of his rapid wheels
died away in the distance she hastily
dried her eyes AM hurried into the
kitchen to see about the belated supper.
Mr.. Perrin siill gloatng over castles in
Spain, looked up with the roguish pur-
pose of addressing her as "Mrs. Kir-
by" but dismayed Mt her troubled
countenance, remarked instead that the
days were getting shorter"--a fact
that she had OBJ erved before.
He felt rs if he had received a blow.
For him there was, there could be, but
one Interpretation of his sisters un-
wonted emotion. She loved Kirby, and
Kirby no longer cared for her. Poor
girl, she dreamed that man $ affections
were Ike granite boulders, incapable of
change, and she was awakening with a
shock. HapleSs Roxana She too had
her trials. Keenly sympathetic. the
magnanimous brother concealed his own
d appointment as best he could, and
lavished upon his sorrowful sister an ex-
cess of tenderness.
You have the knack of spelling me
for other folks cooking, little woman,
that's the truth" said he at tea-time,
ostentatiously heaping his plate with
cream toast. ''How should ever get
along without youg"
"That'll make her feel that / APP
preciate her if Joel doesn't, he unused
benevolently; while she. on her side of
the table. was thinking. "lt's just as
suspected; it would kill brother to lose
me-"
''Oh, you'd manage somehow. May
be you d marry" she ventured timidly,
almost hearing the fluttering of the lost
Climena's wings.
-Poh! poh! sister, nothing seems
less likely" answered her brother. in a
voice so sad that Miss Roxana chided
herself for having opened her old
wound afresh. But she had done it for
Joels sake. She owed it to Joel to
make sure that there could be no mis-
understanding.
The October days with their MONDAY
patches of sunshine and their heavy
borders of twilight came and went In
spasm Of hope that the charming wild
Ow might yet consent to share the do
nestle scepter with his sister, MIR. Per-
rim made second proposal, only to re-
ceive second decided, though flatter-
ing refusal. Mr.. Kirby repeated his
call upon Miss .RoXan;- aud departed.
cursing fate, and by no means loving
Mr. Perrin, whom he supposed perfectly
acquainted with the relations between
himself and Roxana. Ovcrtaking Mr..
Perrin one day walking home from the
luctance asked him to ride. With equal
reluctance Mr.. Perrin accepted, reflect
ing, If / amt civil he'll take it that
I'm mad because he doesn't renew his
offer to Roxana, and l wont humor
him.
''Heavy frost last night" growlcd
Mr.. Kirby.
Very" assented the other, con-
scious of an inward chill. "Winter is
upon us. Shall you spend it in Mainep''
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 oil
having plenty of money and no family
.sNo family tiesl Whose fault was
lit that he had no family ties?'i unused
the irate bachelor, making rapid PAGES
over his long beard as il he would mes
merizethe pain in his breast might
not Roxana have been his wife years
ago but for the necessities of this selfish
! brotterp" - -
Though I've lately heard it limited
Joel, that You are thinking of marry
ing. y Mr.. Perrin blundered on, in hi,
embarrassment saying the very thing
he had resolved not TO say
Mr.. Kirby snapped his whip. ant
transfixed his companion with glance
so frigid that poor Mr.. Perrin shivereC