Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1892-04-22

rifl. hal walked down TO the old will
lows az the foot ~ the lawn. and Poca-
hunias. fpr the amusement Of her guests,
had related the little story connected
with thom.
4 think II was all great foolishness,"
Norma declared. IF she loved the man
why not marry him at once like sensi-
ulc woman The idea Of making him
wait three years and watch publishing
little tree just because his brother would
have made n scene. What il he did
make scencl lie would soon have sub
united to tho inevitable and made
friends The lady couldn't have cared
mach for her lover to be willing to put
up with that driveling probation"
she did love him." retorted Poca-
huutas with annoyance, land she
proved II 10y being willing to sacrifice a
little 81 her happiness to spare him
the bitterness Of quarrel with his own
brother. The men were twins and they
loved one another, until unnatural riv-
airy pushed family affection into the back
ground. II the matter had been settled
when both were at white heat an es-
arrangement would have ensued which
would have taken years to heal-if it
ever was healed. There's no passion SO
unyielding as family hate. They were
her kinsmen, too. men Of her own blood;
she must think Of them-outside Of her
srlf
The welfare Of the man she didn't love
must be considered IA well as that of the
man she did love-more, il anything,
because she gave him no much less.
| How could she come between twin
| brothers and turn their affection to
hairedi She knew them both-knew
that her own true lover would hold firm
for all the years Of his life, 30 that she
could safely trust him for three. And
she knew that the lighter nature would,
In all probability, prove inconstant; and
! II he left her Of his own free will there
could he no III feeling and no remorse."
Norma laughed derisively. "And in
this fine self sacrifice she had no thought
Of her lover, quoth she. His pain was
nothing. She sacrificed him too"
And why notl Surely no man
would grudge paltry three years out
II his whole lifes happiness to avoid SO
| dreadful thing as i'll blood between
twin brothers. IL she could wait for his
sake he could wait for hers. A woman
must not cheaper herself; il she Is worth
winning she must exact the effort"
II think it is n lovely story" Blanche
interpnsed decidedly. The lady be-
haved beautifully. just exactly as she
should have done. A quarrel between
brothers il awful, and between twin
brothers would be awfuler STILL"
In her eager pnrtisanship, Blanche's
language was more concise than elegant,
but she wanted Pocahontas to know that
che sided with her.
Norma regarded her sister with amuse-
mrnt not unmixed with chagrin. These
new friends were stealing away her
follower. Blanche was becoming eman-
cipatr,l.
ANY woman who trifles with her
happiness because of n scruple is fool, "
she repeated dogmatically.
| Pocahontas held back the angry retort
that was burning on the tip of her
tongue and let the subject drop. Norma
was her guest, and. after all, what did it
matter what Norma thought? But after
that she rcfrained from repeating old
stories before her, and of the two sisters
Blanche became her favOrite.
As she entered the parlor with smiles
aud words Of welcome, Blanche held out
her hands filed with late roses and
branches Of green holly, bright with
berries
See" abe said, 1.-TWO seasons in one
bouquet. The roses are for your moth
rr ! found them on bush in sheltered
corner. and a. we came along l made
Nesbit cut the holly for me. l never can
resist holly That tree by your gate is
the lssrlicst thing have ever seen; just
like those IN the store windows at home
for Christmas. only we never had such
profusion Of berries. and don't think
they were M bright. Do you think the
holly we get at home is as bright,
| Norma
"Oh, yes: 1t looked always pretty
much the same. We got beautiful holly
every Christmas" replied Norma, who
lid not like Virginia exalted at the ex-
pens" ~ her native place.
hut not with such masses of berries.
just look at this branch; was there ever
anything more perfect Princess, please
give me something TO put it in. It's far
too pretty to throw away. Can have
that vase ON the pisnoT'
Pocahontas smiled assent. She could
have holly by the cart load, but she liked
! Blanche's enthusiasm. While the others
chattel, Blanche decked the vase with