Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1891-09-12

offered, nay forced. on Margaret's &C
ceptance an equal share of the fortune
which had fallen to his adopted child
when his affairs were all arrang-
ed.
"And Margaret. said the writer,
you are my darling sister; though |
have forgotten even how you looked
when they took us from each other. |
have loved you ell my lifelong, and
you must come and live with me,
and we shall be so happy togeth
err.
And Margaret went, rejoicing.
1t was snowy day in winter, when
Margaret alighted at the house that
was to be her home. Bessie flew to
meet her. Standing at the portal,
with her golden hair blown backward
from her smiling face and
welcome spoken with bps and
eyes and outstretched hands,
she looked to Margaret's eyes
like an angel at the gate of Paradise.
When the first greeting was over
Margaret and Bessie sat together be-
fore the fire OF glowing anthracite,
talking of the past Margaret in a
great SLEEPY Hollow" chair, and
Bessie on little ottoman at her feet.
They were as different as sisters
well could be. One tall, dark, and
stately; the other dminutive blonde
with fairy like figure, and full OF life
ana motion, and pretty winning ways.
As they sat there, deep in reminis-
cences, Bessie fell to caressing her
sisters hands with hers, patting them
GnftIxr lav-fnn NhaFs, met hon
cheek, and Margaret, feeling the gentle
touch, looked down and thought with
a sudden pang, how different they
We're. Those tiny rose-tipped fingers
made her own look so large and
coarse.
They have the factory stamp on
them, Bessie" said the elder sister,
and Bessie, who had been thinking OF
anything rather than this, blushed
with embarrassment, and then sprang
from her seat and threw her arms
around her sisters neck for the hun
dredth time since their meeting, call
ing her various endearing names, and
for a while they were very happy.
But Margaret stood before her mir
ror that night, and laughed bitter
laugh.
The stamp of the factory is on
me" she said Money can never
give me back what have lost. She
/ might have been the drudge and 1 a
lady with soft white hands, but for
the merest chance.
But the morning brought better
| thought. No one could long have
| lived with Bessie Miller without par
/ FOL -tr,rr eArr,a,,.i - h,,,
ture. She was living sunbeam, a
creature like the birds and flowers, re-
| ioicing that she lived; but underneath
her gayety there was well OF pure,
deep feeling which Margaret could not
! understand.
Her characterization taught her the
| bitterness of her sisters life, and she
was very tender OF her feelings. The
envy and jealousy ofall things lovelier
or better than herself, the bitter feel
| ings nourished by the life Margaret
! had led, would betray themselves at
/ times, and strive as she would, Bessie
could not fail to see them. But when
the serpent's head peeped out she tried
her best to smother it with flowers
And Margaret grew less bitter day by
/ day, and gained an interest in life she
had never before possessed. She never
/ felt her deficiencies of education or
manner in her sisters presence, and
found herself well received among her
sister friends, at first for Bessie sake
and finally for her own.
One evening the two were sitting
| alone; the elder idly dreaming-she
was always idle now-the younger
| planting roses in a barren field of can
! vas.
Margaret" said Bessie, in voice
that was scarcely more than a breath,
II have something to tell you. /
wanted to tell you before"
| Margaret laughed and reused her
self to listen. One look at the blue
eyes, glowing like winter stars, the lit
tie mouth quivering with it's tender
smile told Margaret what the "some-
thing was.
"Come, Bessie, and tell me all about
it now. Better late than never"
So Bessie left her needle in q half
blown rose and nestled in her favorite
seat at Margaret's feet.
Margaret" said she, "some one
likes me-" then hid her crimson face in
Margaret's draperies.
'How very STRANGE" said the other,
laughing. as that all?"
This time Bessie drew her sister
down to her with both her hands, and
whispered in her ear, as though it were
a guilty secret that she was engaged
to be married, and the day was set.
"And who is the happy MANI" said
Margaret. "Who am to have for a
brother-in-law?"
Just then the door bell rang, and
Bessie sprang to her former position
just as twogentlemen we're announced,
"Mr. M'Ardley," Margaret heard the
servant say, and the name came to
her like voice from the buried past.
Shecould have prayed it might not be
the one whom she had known.
But there he stood, not greatly
changed. She had ceased to care for
him, yet she could not feel to him as
to a stranger. 1t seemed like living in
dream to hear his voice and touch
! he bu, ana;,,