The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1886-07-22
LEOLINE.

ooh, mother, I wish we were rich!
l think il is shame that we are oblig-
ed to live in this little hut, while my
naughty cousin lives in a mansion and
wears the diamonds that should have
been mine"
"My dear, how can you call this
pretty cottage hut, and how can you
complain when you are doing so we'll?
Let May wear her diamonds, and
please, dear, for my sake, if for moth
ing else. do try to be contented."
Florence Arleigh made no reply, but
pressed kiss on her mother forehead
and left the room.
As the door closed, Mrs. Arleigh
leaned back in her chair and watched
the last rays of the setting sun, while
her thoughts flew far away to the home
of her childhood. Her cheek was fan
ned by the soft South wind and no sound
disturbed her musings of by-gone days.
She gazed into the blue sky, where the
clouds foated and floated away in the
distance, but she saw not the clouds,
for her mind pictured the old home,
Nsare her infant footsteps had been
Guided by the tender hand of a mother.
Then she saw herself, happy
maiden, in the shady, old forest,
twining a wreath of flowers and crown
ing herself Queen of the May. She
smiled as she thought how surprised
she had been to learn that an artist
had been sketching her while she adj
dressed the trees as her subjects. How
her young heart had leaped with de-
light as she saw the admiration express
ed in the eyes of the stranger. Then
she thought how she had been wooed
and won by the artist and how he had
taken her TO the residence of his father.
Then tear after tear fell from her eyes
as she thought how she and her hus-
band had been turned away from the
home of her father-in-law, and how
her husbands proud sister had said:
"When l marry, l shall not disgrace
my family by marrying the child OF a
DOOR farmer" Oh! the days that fol-
lowed, the happy days, in which she
home for Leon, who worked early and
late 10 paint the pictures which brought
enough money ~ support them. Bit
terly She wept as she thought Of the
brilliant June day when death entered
her home and her brave, handsome
Leon was laid in tbs little parlor and
her two children walked on fip-toe say
inc, over and over, ''Papa is dead, and
mamma is sick" Her reverie was in
.errupted by sounds of mirth. which
came from the chamber of the little
cottage which Mr. Arleigh had been
pleased to will to his sons widow.
Upstairs is coy room in which
Florenes and Leoline Arleigh do the
copying by which they earn their bread.
They have been copying, but are not
doing so now, for Leoline is laughing
heartily while Florence stands before
the mirror saying. in tragic tones,
"How have the mighty fallen! And Ar
leigh n4ust earn her bread by the sweat
of her brow. MheTe is the poet who
will immortalize the fair face reAeetsd
in Won mirror? Where are the brave
men who will gaze with admiration up
ON these golden tresses, these azure
eyess Where are they? Alas! they
are here, but they aff pot the ones in
whose pockets the gold dollars jing.e
merrily, for the men whose money
would make them acceptable in my
sight pass my beauty una.a9,d].orneH and
bow at the shrine of nay cousin, y
Leoline leaned back in her chair and
laugh until the tears started from he1
eyes. ooh, Florence" she said, ''are
YOU crazy or are you rehearsing for pr.
vate theatricals?''
Neither, but, seriously, Leo, I was
not intended for this kind of existence.
was not born to spend my life daub.
ing my fingers with ink. l was born tc
walk like this through rooms which ar
had done its most to beautify," and
Florence raised herself TO her fal
; height and walked majestically across
the room.
WELL" said Leolinc, 'if you have
finished, we will continue our work. .
.Oh, dear! Work! work! Nothing
but work! I think our grandfather
was too mean for anything or he would
not have given aH bis property to Aunt
Emma and left US WITHOUT cent"
Florence, said Leolile grayely
. '.our grandfather is dead and whatevel
, his faults may have been, we are not tt
) Judge him. He gave us this pretty cot
! tage and we are doing nicely"
.,There, ysp little saint; | take it al
back. Let us have peace, said Flor
! ence, kissing Leolipe and h4rryipg to ;
! small table on which were scattered
r pens, ink. paper, ete.
! Not long after this Florence ans
Leoline had been out for walk ant
were returning home when they wer'
met by one of Mrs. Leslie's servants.
ooh, Miss Leoline." said the servant
"your cousin. Miss May, is very sicl.
and Mrs Leslie sent me to inquire
you would assist in nursing her.
Leoline thought q m0McEt ana fhe y
said. Tell Mrs. Leslie | will go
mother is willing"
"Ohi' exclaimed Florence, ''yOu ar
= q little idiot TO think of going, and
, hope mother will not permit you to 60
q The disease may he contagious an,
YOU will come home sick and vel
have no end of trouble. Yes, and VIII
j is to do al the copying while you ar
$ gomez Let Aunt Emma hire some one
/, I am sure she has enough money
r ..You need not copy any more thai
:. usual. You know I have a little none
which saved for u rainy day. and W
will manage some way. So dom loo
y SO cross, for feel it my duty to CO.
/ DUTY! Fiddlesticks! Aunt Emm
/. did not think OF duty when poor fathe
= died."
By this time they had reached HON
!. and Florence rushed in exclaimine
L Mother, May Leslie is sick and Aun
9 Emma wishes Leo. to help take care .
r her, and Leo. says she is going and
d know she'll catch the smallpox o
something dreadful, and Florence 50
down, out Of breath, while Leoline knee