The Washington critic., 1886-09-13

some rights2 During your stricken
sisters Illness ] consented to waive
these, but now she is gone, and l want
you"
Don't Joel, DON'T"
II tell you do, and | cant help It,"
cried Mr. Kirby with grim humor.
when / couldn't move you by letter
resolved I'd come and speak for my
self. You used to say you loved me,
Roxy. Cant you-"
"You know plenty Of other ladies,
Joel, younger and more pleasing"
faltered Miss Roxanna, nervously
smoothing the pale gliding of hair that
framed her temples in Gothic arch.
They are nothing to me-" replied
the gentleman. curtly, almost 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 cur.
rent of his being must needs set toward
this unresponsive woman of thirty? 1t
had been ever thus with Joel Kirby
from his perverse childhood, when, if
he wanted cake, no human power could
induce him to nibble gingerbread.
mo, Roxy, there's only one woman
softer tone. "Your brother is of a
different temperament. Has 1t never
occurred to you that he may marry
second timer"
"Broiher marry Oh, no, indeed,
he'll never marry-never!' cried Miss
Roxanna, rooted and grounded in the
belief that her brothers heart was en-
toned with the dead Climena. mo,
k, - s.t, n1
and you see he has only me. couldn't
be so cruel as to leave him."
To all Mr.. Kirby's subsequent plead.
ings she made this reply, but 1t soothed
his chatting spirit not little that she
made 1t 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 and hurried into the
| kitchen to see about the belated sup.
pei. Mr.. Perrin, still gloating over
castles in Spain, looked up with the
roguish purpose of greeting her as
"Mrs. Kirby" but, dismayed at her
troubled countenancc, remarked in-
stead that "the days were getting
shorter"-a fact that she had observed
| before.
He felt as If he had received 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 had dreamed that a
mans affections were like granite
bowlders, incapable Of change, and
she was awakened with q shock. Hap
less RoXannal She, too, had her trials.
Keenly sympathetic, the magnanimous
brother concealed his own disappoint.
ment as best he could, and layished
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,
ostentatiously heaping his plate with
cream toast. Glow should | ever get
along without you"
| "That'll make her feel that appre-
ciate her, If Joel DOESN'T" he mused.
benevolently, while she, on her side of
the table, was thinking: "lt's just as
l suspected; it would kill brother to
lose me-"
sob, you'd manage somehow. May
be you'd marry" she ventured timidly,
almost hearing the luttering of the lost
Climena's wings.
"Pohl pohl sister, nothing seems
less likely" answered her brother, in
q voice SO sad that Miss Roxanna chidcd
herself for having opened his old
wound afresh. But she had done it
for Joel's sake. She owed i. to Joel to
make sure that there could be no mis-
understanding.
The October days, with their noon
day patches of sunshine and their heavy
borders of twilight, came and went. In
spasm of hope that the charming
widow might yet consent to share the
domestic sccptre with his sister, Mr..
Perrin made second proposal, only to
receive a second decided though fatter.
ing refusal. Mr.. Kirby repeated his
call upon Miss. Roxanna, and departed
cuIsing fate and by no means loving
Mr.. Perrin, whom he supposed per.
fectly acquainted with the relations be
tween himself and Roxanna. Over
taking Mr.. Perrin walking home one
day from the post Office, Mr.. Kirby,
with inward reluctance, asked him to
ride. With equal reluctance, Mr.. Per-
Iin accepted the invitation, rejecting,
"If | amt civil he'll take it that I'm
mad because he doesn't renew his offer
to RoXanna, and | won't humor him.
Heavy frost last night" growled
Mr.. Kirby.
Very" assented the other, con
scious of an inward chill, winter is
upon us. Shall you spend it in Maine?'
my plans are uncertain" snarled
Mr.. Kirby, adding mentally, "Thank,
to you, SIR"
"Of course you can choose your own
climate. There's the advantage OF
having plenty of money and no family
ties. -
"No family tiesl Whose fault wa'
it that he had no family iles?" unused
the iratc bachelor, making rapid passe,
over his long beard rs if he would
mcsmerize the pain in his breast
"Might not RoXanna have been hi.
wife years ago but for the necessitie;
of this selfish brother?"
"Though I've lately heard 1t limited
Joel, that you were thinking of marry
ing" Mir. Perrin blundered on, il
his embarrassment saying the very
thing he had resolved not to say.
Mr. Kirby snapped his whip and
trausfiXed his companion with a glance
so frigid that poor Mr., Perrin shiv
cred as if he We're impnled on au icice
Your cousin is fine girl, Joel-ar
uncommonly fine girl. II congratu
late You" he stanimered, wishing i
would do TO get ont and walk.
"You are too kind, Perrin; too kint
by hall" sneored Mr.. Kirby, letting e,
the reins of his anger. "You'vt
robbed me Of one bride. sir, and nov
you want TO make amends, do you, by
choosing me another?'
Why, Kirby; what are you raying