The record-union., 1894-06-02

he found means TO become regularly in
stalled as mail-carrier between the an
cient postoffice and the summer resort
hotel where he tarried.
So he came eacn day upon his wheel.
and first from quiet chattings with old
Peter upon the porch, genial acquaint-
ance with Matthew. the mountain car
rier and finally through deft little prot
fers OF assistance with the pouches when
they proved too burdensome for the girls
to handle, he gradually broke in upon
the reserve the little Postmistresses had
maintained towards all strangers, and at
last stood proudly upon the footing OF
welcome and confidential friend.
Little incidents like these often shape
the destiny of human lives, and Ned
Watson young as he was, soon found his
own airy, needless, sunny nature chang
ing to seriousness and intrOSpectlon un-
der the strange influence of his new as
sociations. The oddness of the girls sit
uation and character first attracted him.
The iugenuouSneSs of their ways and
speech, with their unflinching devotion
to their hum BILE duties, fascinated him
by their ondrous contrast to the gay
and tri1ing lives about him. And the
depths of their sweet and loyal natures
filled him with an awe he had never be-
fore known.
The strangest revelation to the city
bred youth was their extraordinary
knowledge of the great outside world and
its tremendous activities and affairs
''How on earth do you learn anything
in these mountain wilds?" he inquired
eagerly one day as Sister had finished
lively discourse upon life in the Orient
The sisters led him into the little low
parlor of the old hostel, and there. ranged
against its oaken walls, he saw hundreds
of books-books which had been brought
and left for century past, by hunters,
trappers, anglers and adventurous sum-
mer wanderers from the great Babel by
the sea; books enough for fine gentle
mans library; books which the two lone
lives had absorbed again and again until
the very essence OF the printed sentences
had been transfused into their hearts and
minds.
BESIDES" said Sis, the younger, as
they returned to the Office, ''see here!'
She dextrously doubled over newspa-
perS, magazines, scientific and art peri
odicals, removed them from their wrap
pers in a twinkling and spread before
their astonished queStloner score OF
opened publications, when the two rat
tied on and on. naming the strong work,
the most exquisite attractions and the
salient points of each, with the profund;
ity, precision and celebrity OF an exchange
editor upon metropolitan journal.
after old Peter has gone to bed we
sometimes sit up until midnight" said
Sister, with a tone Of mischievous trl-
umph in her voice. Then we read and
read and read. oh, what feast it is,
Nedp'
"Yes, we know all that's in them,"
added Sis roguishly, "before any of the
fine folks over at the lake have seen them
at all. But Sister, there, pores over the
horrid medical magazines. l Couldn't
do thatp
''Pores over the medical magazines"
responded the astounded listener, whose
dillydallying studies had been decided
for him in the direction OF medicine.
"Merciful heavens What for?"
''Oh, Sister is going to be doctorD'
"a doctor?" gasped Ned Watson.
He looked wonderingly at their simple
raiment, then involuntariIy at the pinched
and common surroundings and finally at
the girls bare feet.
Not so very soon, perhaps. But some-
time, sure, sure" returned the elder girl
quietly, recognizing his doubts by his
silence.
And I'm going to be a painter?" added
the younger girl radiantly. running to
her room and returning with an armful
of sketches and oil studies for Ned Wat
sons inspection.
"Well. well! Did you do all these, Sis"
inquired the young man more and more
bewildered.
"Oh, yes, Ned. There are more in the
garret, unfinished"
And without a teacher?"
'Of course. Why not? If one knows
how to do thing, or finds out how, all by
themselves, why have teacher"
It was new view OF things to the young
man from the city. although he was al
ready a senior at college.
Il suppose Sister will be a doctor with
out teacher, too?'' be at last said with q
tinge of bitterness.
If | could, yes" she answered, turning
her dark eyes upon their companion with
a tremulousneSs which limited OF many Il
heartache and aspiration behind. II
don't know how it is To be, but surely
it is to be somehow. Is that fatalism,
Ned?"
"Whateyer it is, it is absurd. Did you
ever realize the years Of labor, prepara-
ton, eXpense?'
Labor ard preparation are nothing"
she replied quickly. The cost is every
concluded. with Il simplicity of faith
which startled him.
Il certainly hope it Will not" answered
Ned w watson almost petuiantly.
''Why do you hope that?''
because / am going to be doctor my
self"
And what has that to do with my be-
ing one or n0t?''
"W eli, il / must tell you, l have been
thinking l would like to be great one
and rich one. and every summer of nv
life come up here and~"
~ Isit with the Postmistresses of So
| honk just as you are doing noWir
Here the Two little bareiooted women
laughed so loudly, so tauntiugly and so
merrily that old Peter upon the porch
started from his doze and dropped his
pipe upon his pudgy knees.
No, Sister, | would like to make Won
that great DOCTORS wifei'
Ned Watson was as scared as the elder
PostmistresseS of Sohonk who was vet
scarcely 10. at the boldness of his speech.
He colored deeply and tidgeted in the old
rawhide-bottomed chair where he sat.
while trying to think just how the brave
words had escaped him. He wondered.
too. what the strange creature before him
would do. Some pretty thing and coyish
no doubt, he thought But here he was to
be bewildered again.
She sprang upon the little bench among
the date stamps behind the row of boxes.
held one knee in her hands with a Judi
cial air. while the toes OF her disengaged
foot entered upon sort of lonely race
back and forth upon the old brick floor.
| Then Sis clambered up beside her, gath
cred both of her knees in her arms and
looked curiousiy from one to the other.
1t was the oldest wooing Sohonk had
ever known. though it might not be the
strangest nor the last.
L have never thought of that,u she at
last answered, looking far into the cell