River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1892-10-13
MY ELDEST SISTER.
The Pretty Romance That Bright
ened Her Life.

Certainly we Trevclvans are an emil
nently gOod-lOOlSing family.
I say SO with the less fear of laying
myself under an imputation Of vanity.
because il long ago became a settled
point that 7. the sixth member thereof,
am the only one who can possibly be
called plain, and that. as brother Max
consOlingly observes. would not be the
case in any less favored circle.
But Ella, our youngest. Is the very
Ideal of a lovely girl of eighteen. and
Gertrude and Kathleen were recognized
London beauties before they were
snapped up at the close OF their re-
SpectIve Introductory seasons,
Then where would You find hand
sOmer young fellows than Max, our
Guardsman, or Lawrence, just entered
at Christ's church?
And Janet-dear old Janet, the main
stay and guardian Of US all-she must
have been pretty, long agO-In the
same style as the rest, dark-haired
and bright complexioned-bt fore he~
brown eyes began to show crow s-feet
at the corners and her cheeks 10 grow
thin. with the color in fixed red lines,
instead of that lovely bright flush
which comes and goes But my mus
ings on the merits OF my family are in
terrupted by Elias CAV voice:
''Gracic, oracle. YOU ineorrigible
dawdle; do you intend TO go to Wiehnor
this morning OF note"
jump MP in hurry. The pony cart
is at the door, and Janet, as usual, on
the watch
Children are you ever coming?
Don't forget my list of commissions.
and especially be sure to bring the ice.
Cook i almost in despair, and the
weather grows hotter every day"
Five minutes more and we are bowl
ing merrilv along the three miles be-
tween our home, Brookfield manor, and
the cathedral town OF Wiehnor.
1t is Saturday and marlSet-day. and
we are engaged To lunch with some Of
our friends, and expect to obtain
cursory view OF good many others,
either in the cathedral or the close.
Therefore | have exposed nv new
frock To the perils Of dusty drive, and
Ella has donned her Paris hat, well
knowing that it makes her laughing
brown eyes and delicately tinted face
more irresistible than ever.
But Janet's commissions prove more
troublesome than we have anticipated.
and we have barely finished them in
time for luncheon This. at Canon
LightwoOd's hospitable board. is al
ways lengthy performance. and we
have to hurry off almost as soon as il
is over. or we shall lose our usual
seats
Ella is hot. Hurried and little cross.
and l reluctantly suggest giving mp the
service. hut one Of her favorite an
thems is to be sung. and she viii not
hear of staying away.
80 we rush through the cool, dark
clOister. and the old verger bows and
smiles US into the stalls. and then we
find that. after all. there are a few
minutes to spare, and Ella smOOths
her ruified features and becomes inter
ested in watching the incoming con
gregation-
just before the choir and the dean
make their appearance. there enters a
solitary gentleman-tail. thin, middle
aged-whom the vers-er proceeds to in
duct To one of the vacant seats imme
diateIy opposite ours. Ella looks up
and gives NV arm little monitory
pinch. She has had a Thackeray fever
upon her Just lately-Ella i the reader
par excellence of the famiiy-and / am
not surprised when she whispers ex-
citedlv: ''Col. Newcombe in flesh and
blood. Isn't it wonderful
But. as look again, hardly give my
little sister credit for her usual dis
cernmcut. The stranger is too young,
and too distinctly a soldier Of modern
times. 10 be identified with the dear
old Anglo-Indian colonel
He NAV be fortv-tive but scarcely
looks so much. though his long mus
tachc and close cropped lsair are abund-
aut'y g~izzlcd; and his face. thin. aqui-
line aud regular-featured, is brown
with exposure to tiercer suns than are
ever felt ON European shores. But the
service begins, and I try To give my
whole attention t. my dcvOtiOns. and
steadily resist the temptation TO study
INV aNosjte neighbOr until nv thumb
and ELIAS are touching each other
under tire anthem-book.
Then look across once more. and
am startled 10 meet the steady gaze Of
pair Of keen. clear gray eyes fixed on
my sister
Elias color deepens under the
srrctiny Of which Sire speedily becomes
aware. Then she suddenly looks across
full at the stranger. bright ray of in
spiration ilIuuiues her lovely face. and
"a we sit down she whispers eagerly;
''The man whose photo j. on papa's
mantslniece, knew ! had seen him
somewhere
- -. Z
ing in the clOister. talking % our newly
found acquaintance as If we had only
parteN yesterday
Tor Sir Francis Ferrars is one of our
fathers dearest friends. and though
we have not met for ten wears, even
Ella, as soon as she hears his voice, has
some shadowy recollection Of the good
natured soldier who use 70 patronize
her in the old days of childhood.
lie had only just arrived in England
after ten years OF absence, nine OF
which have been spent in India. For
the last few months his name has been
prominent among our heroes OF the
Soudan. and as look into his face
see that Il wears the worn look Of suf-
feriug-nay. Of bitter disappointment
that have seen on the faces Of many
who have ris.zed their liveS-alas, in
vaiu-.o save that Of England's last
and greatest martyr
Sir Francis grasps my hand with
friendly warmth. aud asserts that he
well remembers his little friend Oracle;
but he looks long and searchingly into
Elias dark eyes. a. Il in them he found
again some treasure unseen for many
long gear
The color mautles in her sweet face,
Is ~ last he turns away. rnurmuring-
How hke-how very like you are 10
your sistsrl could fancy it were the
same facs-Only-"
"Whichsn demands Ens. in her pref