Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1891-09-12
A SISTERS TREACIIERY.
BY HATTIE KYLE.

Six o'clock. The hands in MArd-
ley's factory stood ready, shawled,
and bonneted, waiting for the signal
OF dismissal, and when the clamor OF
the noisy bell broke on the arr, they
were out in the streets of Lowell,
pushing, iostling, hurrying like flock
of frightened sheep released from
bondage.
The crowd dispersed in twos and
threes, but Margaret Miller walked
apart. There was no companion
ship for her in all that noisy throng
no companionship in all the
wide world A strange life for
so young a woman to lead, but
those who would win love must earn
it, and Margaret neither wished nor
courted human sympathy. But per-
haps for her there was some excuse.
an orphan, just old enough to feel
her loss, she had gone from happy
home OF luxury to distant kindred less
akin than strangers. She had fed upon
the bitter bread, of charity ,loathing it's
taste the while, until she was old
enough to toll for her own support.
The father, who had seemed to her
childish eyes all goodness, was spoken
OF with a convert sneer, as one who
had failed in his duty to his children
and the world. The baby sister
whom she idolized was separated from
her, as their guardians had agreed.
Her SISTERS guardian was wealthy,
and this adopted child was destined
for little offashion, while Margaret S
was plain man, who looked upon the
world as a great workshop.
The children with whom she lived
looked upon the homeless orphan as
an interloper who robbed them OF so
much OF the good things OF this life as
| fell to her share; and Margaret, proud
and passionate and impulsive grew
morose and bitter, and lived within
herself, as far remote as possible from
those who worked under the same
| roof, yet continued to eat at thesame
table.
There had been but one bright spot
in all the dull years. One drop OF
honey in her cup OF life, and that had
turned 70 bitterest gall.
Margaret at seventeen had been a
/ wonderful beauty, and .lergreat black
eyes and peachy color had caught the
fancy OF John M'ArdIeys son, who
had taken no pains to conceal his adj
miration, but sought her company
whenever it was possible.
At last it grew common thing for
| him to walk beside her in the winter
twilight, on the road that lay between
the factory and her home, and these
walks were the events OF Margaret $
life, and there were tender whisperings
that would have been highly disap-
proved by the young mans prudent
father had they come to his ears.
Margaret grew very gentle in these
| days. 1t was so sweet to think that
some one watched for her coming
when the weary days work was over
that some one thought of her when
she was absent. So sweet to know
that some one loved her, that she was
tender to all the world for that ones
sake. The girls began to grow fonder
| Of Margarep, and some, even when
| they guessed the secret of the change.
chung to her still, while Others were
filled with envy and spite toward the
girl who was no better than they, yet
aspired to the friendship Of John NJ
! Ardley's son.
But all this came to sudden end,
and Margaret never knew the reason.
She could only guess that the young
mans father objected to their inter-
course, for he had met them once or
twice together. They parted as tender
ly as ever, but there was no leave
taking, and shortly after Arthur
NJ Ardley left his native town, and for
five long years she heard no more OF
him. This love which had seemed so
much to her, was, with him, but an
idle fancy.
But there had been a nine days
wonder and gossip about young
MArdley and Margaret Miller, and
Margaret resented this, a2d was shyer
than ever of the girls who had so con-
cerned themselves with her affairs
Those who disliked her increased in
their dislike, and those who would
have been kind to her grew tired Of
kindness which met with no return.
Margaret went slowly homeward,
thinking, as she sometimes did, even
yet OF her boyish lover, how eagerly
she had quickened her footsteps that
he might not think she waited for him.
The days we're so like one another.
| She should 60 home TO eat and sleep.
Perhaps spend an hour or two over
her sewing, silent, while others talked
of things that were less than nothing
to her. But this day was destined to
be unlike all the rest--a day never to
be forgotten.