Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-07-25
my OWN SISTER"
She Is Now Something a Thou
sand-Fold Bearer.

sand-Fold Dearer.
How sweet it was to think and speak
of my dainty, darling Sisley like that!
She was my own sister-all and only
my very own!
1 had no brother to share her pre-
cious affectioni
And no one but me could take in her
dear love brothers place-not even
Howard Martmar, although he was the
handsomest and best fellow in the
world, and adored her as he would
have adored an angel-not even Dicky
Sheldon, although he had heart of
gold and would have walked I'M
shod over burning plow-shares for
her dainty sake!
How / used to smile at their wasted
devotion. For was she not my own
sister?-was not her own and only
brother? Then how could any of her
myriad worshipers ever be as near and
dear to her as L?
And yet l could not wonder at the
enthusiastic devotion she inspired
from her countless admirers.
For she was the loveliest and most
radiant creature who ever walked the
earth since Eden was in it's prime of
gladness, and glory, and bloom.
Her figure, in it's delicate curves, in
its perfection of Hebe-like symmetry
and grace, was lovelier than any which
ever charmed sculptor's dream
No canvas ever immortalized a face
SO dazzling as hers. with her rich,
dark skin. with her lustrous. jetty,
black hair tumbled in silky little rings
all over her proud little head. with
Aer great, luminous, midnight eyes
fringed by long, witching lashes. curl
ing low on her soft, round cheeks.
Then Sisley had the daintiest little
feet; and her hands were like lily Pc
tails. so exquisitely white, with deli
cately pink nails. and ravishing little
dimples where knuckles are supposed
to be.
And Sisley's voice was such won
drous melOdy-like the strains of some
mystic Eastern song. like the delic-
ious music of the nightingale singing
in the dewy dusk amid the summers
freshest perfumed bloom
And. besides, she was gentle and
gracious; she was earnest. sincere and
true; she was refined and accom-
plished.
And yet she disdained no homely
duty, if done for love or for duty's
sake.
And with Sisley dress was an art
which she knew without being taught;
and her every gown was poem, Just
as her every attitude was picture.
She was sister of whom any
brother might be proud-and can one
marvel that loved her as never man
loved sister before?
/ was five years older than my Sis
ley.
When 1 left home for college she
was laughing. coquettish miss. with
a fleece of raven curls ripping far be-
low her tiny waist.
When l returned. after three years
of study and an additional three years
of educational polish and of travelling
experience in Europe. she appeared
before me as revelation.
My shy yet coouettish. my saucy
yet demure, little maid had been trans
formed to dazzling young lady. whose
entertainments bewildered me-
My puritan blossom. with her thou.
sand merry and innocent inconsistent
cies. had bloomed into brilliant
tropic flower-inconsistent still, but
infinitely more adorable.
How well 1 remember what she
wore, how she looked. even every
SYLLABLE she uttered on that memor
able day of our meeting.
Twas lounging in big. tempting
Turkish chair. which somebody hat
Struggled into the music room. wher
suddenly, straight before my eyes. TIVE
exquisite hands drew a dull. crimson
portice apart on either side, forming
an admirable frame for the vision
which appeared between the parted
.olds.
/ saw a tall girl of eighteen. in I
marvellous gown of lusterless and oil
aphanous white, with broad bands o
unjeweled dead gold about her bars
arms, and about the swan-like neck. 81
ehasteiy draped with misty lace. 4
mass of wonderful hair. lustrous AND
black as midnight. was piled high OF
q proud little head; and in that glori
GUS hair and upon that lovely bosom
she wore tiny knots of some delicat<
flower. brightly red. like drops O
blood.