The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1892-06-01

all the distinction possible between her
daughter and myself; and my father, !
am sorry to say, was quick to follow
her example. Any little action on
Mary's part which was cunning or at-
fectionate commanded great attention
and was talked about and commended
as though II was the most wonderful
thing imaginable, while the same ac-
tion on my part would have met with
a heartless rebuff and / would have
either been roundly upbraided or re-
ferred to as 'smarty," term, by the
way, which was invariably applied to
me whenever / ventured TO say or do
anything cunning
In the matter Of personal appearance
I don't think there was \ marked DIFF
ference between my sister and myself.
think we were both fairly good look
ing, and II any difference existed I
think II was In my favor. Yet father
and stepmother, and, In fact, everyone
else, pretended, that there was
the greatest difference and that It
was all TO my disadvantage. Even
traits Of character that we possessed
In common were given different def
inition, being considered laudable In
her and pernicious in me. So with per-
sonal appearances What In her were
considered as charms were In me looked
upon as defects.
Mary and were both quite positive
In our views. In her case that trait
was commended, because, as they said,
1t showed frmness Of character; while
with me II was condemned, because II
denoted hateful stubbornness We
both liked reading, fact which, as far
as she was concerned, was noted with
pleasure, since II showed . love Of
learning; but which on my part denoted
laziness. And 80 II was through the
whole category. She was always right;
was always wrong. That which was
commended In her was condemned In
me.
Our hair was alike In color, length
and texture, yet she had auburn locks,
while had simply rcd wisps"-she
was "auburn-hsirei," was rod
headed" In every particular where
there was likeness between us II was
spoken Of In her case rs charm, while
with me 1t became . hideous defect.
These things, Of course, were mere
trifes, but they were enough 10 make o
sensitive child very miserable, notwith-
standing.
In spite Of the vast difference mada
between us, and the feeling Of Jealousy
that sometimes rankled In my breast
because of II, loved my sister dearly,
and did everything that 1 had the power
TO do to make her love me In return.
For time she seemed to be very fond
OF me, and often when wept In loneli-
ness and sorrow she came TO me, and,
putting her arms about me, kissed me
and took away that feeling Of desola-
ton that was sometimes so heavy on
my heart But that was when she was
very young and before her mother had
instilled into her mind the principles Of
her own.
My stepmother made II q point TO i'm
press her daughter with the idea that
though we were sisters wide gulf lay
between US, and that her life and mine
lay in widely separated grooves. This
teaching, persistently. pursued, had It's
effect In time, and gradually my sister
and drifted farther and farther apart,
q chasm across which we could never
clasp hands, opening wider and deeper,
day by day, at our feet.
Mary grew 10 look upon me as be-
ing inferior TO herself and as one not
worthy OF her consideration. The little
love she had held for me died out Of her
heart, and she had neither sympathy
nor care for my sufferings and heart
aches. The change in her was not 80
gradual rs 10 escape my notice, and
many were the tears I shed and many |
tho hours OF agony experienced as |
watched her love slipping from me and |
knew there was none other TO lean on |
for sympathy.
Oil what would I not have given |
for the power Of retaining my sisters
affections and Of drawing her closer TO
me and making her feel for me as I felt
for herl What sacrifice would have
not made TO retain the little love, scant
though 1t was, which she had given me?
What sacrifice, In short, did not make
10 that endP willingly gave up to her
the best Of everything-willingly con-
sented to her having all the new
dresses, the jewels, the musical instru-
nents, and in fact all the beautiful and
things that came TO the house.
Of course In such self-sacrifices made
virtue Of necessity, since she would
have had all these things, anyhow; but
I was q virtue, nevertheless, for loving
'uch luxuries as did It required great
,ffort Of will-power not to covet them
lot TO feel that they should be in part
nine.
Furthermore, made myself servant
or my sister, and was ever ready to ad-
minister TO her wants. would do any
eryice, no matter how menial, II there
" she could be favored. would deny
myself any pleasure or comfort, If by
o doing her pleasure was augmented.
abased myself at her feet, In short, (
nd all In the hope of retaining her |
owe.
Yet my sacrifices availed me nothing. ,
70 matter how / denied myself for her
AXE, Mary thought was only doing
ny duty. No matter how abased my
elf for her aggrandizement, my sister
elt that I was simply rendering TO her
he homage that was her due. She
howed no appreciation of my sacri-
ces, and failed to SO much as return
1e thanks for my services. In spite of
II my efforts my sisters heart closed {