Wichita eagle., 1890-01-29
HECLA.

| When nature made the twins Lucy and
| Sara knight, she blundered in haste or care
! Licences. or was guilty of practical joke
| upon highly respectable and unimaginative
parents. 1t was patent to mother, nurse and
visitors that she had misplaced the infant
! souls, By the time the children were SIX
months old. When they were grown. it was
! a standing Jest in q community just then ad-
oiicted to ''Pinafore," that the facetious
mother of us all had ''mixed these niaidens
up"
Their twinship seemed absurd, even to cas-
ual acduantances. Not feature or trick Of
tone or manner betrayed it. Lucy was tall
brunette and Junoesque in build. The curl
of the short upper lip was pride incarnate, her
deep, gray eyes had black shadows in their
depths; she bore her head aioft and walked
as queens should; her cortralto voice had a
| sub-tone of repressed passion. SO inconsistent
with the trite propriety of her speech, that
people were surprised and provoked when
they could elicit nothing else. She looked
like Metlea whose very Gains were deadly,
and portended tempest Her family knew
her as an amiable pack horse, her friends as
the meekest and shyest OF social lay figures,
conscientious to fault, patient TO mir
acle.
''You have 10 more character than a bowl
Of vanilla junket!n said Sara, GeTcaly, to her
enc morning. as they talked over a party
they had attended the previous evening.
Most people spoke OF Lucy as "Sara's sis
ter," despite her superiority i'll size, and the
fact that she had preceded her twin into the
world by half an hour. The lesser ruled the
larger, as Titania ruled Peascod and Cobweb.
Sara was the fairest Of blondes, and petite.
Her hair would have been haXen but for the
golden Ciints upon the waves; her eyes were
wide and pure blue; her lips cherry ripe; her
cheeks had the violet flush, at once soft and
clear, one revels over in the heart of a
Katherine Mernit rose Brom sunny poll to
twinklmg toes, she was alive and electric
the sauciest, daintiest, daringest sprite that
ever turned a lovers head and shocked a
duenna
While Lucy sewed now upon long white
seam, her exquisitely nodded hand drawing
tie thread out in slow lengths with Rhythmic
regularity, her sister and sovereign, perched
aDon the head of lounge close by, twittered
like a sun bkeached linnet.
''Milk and water is sauce tartare by com
parison," she continued, nipping and rending
with her pink nails a water lily snatched
from bowlful upon Lucy's washstand.
Dan Hyde had sent them, an hour before
and the present TRADE sprang up from this
circumstance.
''Why, l Just couldn't keep it to myself
another minute Dan would murder me if
he knew had let out his secret. He charged
me not to breathe it to auybody-leaSt of all
to you-you ungrateful, non-susceptil1e ala
baster slab! He calls YOU his still, pale
angelv l don't believe angels veins run iced
glycerine. Lucy Knight il you don't blush,
or prick your finger, or break your needle,
or do something abnorinally like other peo-
pie, shall fall upon you and tear you limb
from limb! | verify believe this flower has
more human feeling than you. You take the
news that one of the finest fellows in town
loves you to distraction as coolly as if had
said: Lucy, do you know that water lilies
have yellow centersrS
Lucy did not lift her eyes, or intermit the
setting Of minute stitches Of uniform length.
Il do not see that there is anything for me
TO say" she answered, il a deep monotone
that never more than limited at leashed feel
ing You are very kind, am sure, to tell
ne all the pleasant things Mr.. Hyde said to
you of me, and he was very Kind to say them
In wrath that would not wait for words tn
convey it, Sara flung the naltreated lily at
her II hit Lucy's cheek and fell upon her
white work" She picked it up, hooked at
it as if to see whether or not it could be re-
paired, and apparently deciding that it was
hopelessly injured, dropped it into the waste
paper basket, and went on setting minute
stitches Sara swung her toe against chair
and upset it.
II don't see what he sees in sach con.
struction Of starch and plaster to care for"
she ierked out. 1T did not seem so prepos
ferrous while he was telling me in the con.
servatory-and the band was playing soft
love nusic-row he bad loved you for three
years. and could never get near enough to
you tointimate the truth. he looked 30 miser
able, and tragic and nice that | couldn't help
saying what a perfectly lovely disposition
you have, and how helpful and unselfisa you
are, and how devoted l am to you, and that
nothing would please me more than TO have
him for brother. There! l am glad of itr'
in savage sincerity
Lucy had run the point of toe needle under
her nail. Her brows contracted and her
whitening hps were pressed closely together
as she dipped the wounded member in the
bowl of water and then stanched the blood
with her handkerchief.
at does bleed doesn't ite'' remarked Sara,
cool and malicious. That does surprise NE
somewhat
In the next second she collapsed into an
unexpected bunch of blue foulard and faIen
fluff upon the white work" and, buHying
her fearful face in Lucv's hchu, begged her
10 forgive her far all the despicably abom-
Unable things she had said
Lucy fondled her silently. as she might
hurt kitten or frightened rabbit.
Il know YOU dont mean all you say. dear
she said. with unnoved gentleaesS And it
is awkwardness. not EGratitrde, that makes
ne seem Ulsracio-S. | am not quick of
speech as YOU are. Or OF wits, either, for
that matter You rust bear with what can't
be cured
And you will be kind to Dan when be
asks You 10 marry him, won't your pleaded
the other. with wet ewes and treul bling
mouth. He will at the first opportunity.
He said so. And be is so doubtful Of your
feelings that slight rebuff will drive him
away from the subject. You see, La. you
never had al offer ard don't understand how
much encouragement a modest man needs In
such circumstances. You must do your part,
c. you'll lose nI-i TO 4 dead certainty"
a wave Of color. 50 faint shst Sara could
not guess how i, scorchAi the dark, sal face,
aickered over Lacy's forehead
Since ne did 10, mean for you 10 speak Of
it TO any one, wouldnt il De i4onorsoLe for u
To ist tha matter drop here and t-Y not 10
think of it asains she SAID, in her level tones,
as she picked Up the white work and gave it
q - 70 <-.r nS :
weight had left in il
Sara stared at her in intensest s>cEu-
III say another word I'll DE sorry for il,