Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1889-09-13

brothers first kiss.
l took reverently as a royal sub
Ject might take the hand of his SOY
erign; | looked admiringly at the
pink nails, at the witching dimples.
1t was a perfect hand, and the
hand OF perfect woman.
But Ibid not avail myself of her
indulgence.
NO." said |, still feigning resent
ment, lit is dear, lovely, most
precious hand, but | would have nv
own sisters lips for her brothers
first kiss"
"Beggars must not be choosers, :"
she retorted gayly, as she drew the
hand away and moved idly toward
tn piano.
The year succeeding that happy
homecoming was n year of unceasing
and undisturbed delight.
We had always been n rarely hap
Ply and harmonious family at all
times.
There were but four OF us, my par
ents and myself and-Sisley.
My parents were as proud and as
fond of Sisley as was l.
And she had even been the most
loving, devoted, and faithful of
daughters.
And, besides, we were wealthy
family: we had no tastes, no needs,
which our riches could not crafty or
supply. And then tastes we're all
simple; we cared much for quiet in
tellcctual pleasures, and not at all
Tor social cXtravagances.
So there was no sane and sensible
reason why we should have been
otherwise than happy.
But the shadows crept at last about
us; the clouds gathered, and at
length the storm settled upon our
household-the long, chilling, sun
less storm!
We were spending n few weeks in u
coy gray nest of village, nestled
in a tiny, emerald valley which was
surrounded by fragrant pine woods.
Before the little village was a
stretch of old ocean, and Just be-
hind doomed up IL range of noun
famous hills.
OF these hills, the lower elevations
were heavily timbered The higher
peaks showed vast masses of naked
rocks--mighty, out jutting bowlder
and tracks, here and there, of
rankly luxuriant thicket, which in
many places was impossible.
In fact, among the more wildly
picturesque sections of the irregular
range there were spots which-so far
as known-had never been trod by
the feet of man since the days of the
Inflated aborigines.
Sisley and liked the rugged grand
eur of those wild hills, and nothing
delighted us more than a long morn
ing tramp, as near as we dared to
go, to the eternal businesses of the
loftier peaks.
1t was in the very beginning of
those glorious tramps that the shad-
Ows crept upon us.
| discovered that | was no longer
best and nearest to my own sister.
Sisley' my dainty darling, my idol
lied one, had bethrothed herself to
Dicky Sheldon-simple-m minded Dicky
who had a heart of gold, but who
was no more worthy to be mated
with Sisley than he was fitted to be-
come the cOnsort of crowned
queen.
| was stunned by the announce
ment of Sisley's betrothal, agonizcd
to the depths of my being
AS the wife ofsimple, dull, plodding
Dick Sheldon, where would be the
blessedness of the affection between
me and my-own sister?
"Why did you doit, Sisley? can
not believe you love him." l com
planned to her.
She averted her eyes from mine and
was silent.
"And yet" continued, 81 cannot
reproach you-for | have myself com
mitted the same folly"
Then she lifted her great eyes with
n look-a strange, Observation-Disclosures
which | could not understand, but
which pierced me to the heart.
"You!" she repeated. "You! oh,
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