The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-03-26
SIBYL'S SLIPPER.

Sfal Gage as governor and military COM
mander of the New England province, he
at once set to work to make himself and
the kings cause popular, in social way,
by giving series of fine entertainments
in the stately province house.
To these entertainments were hidden all
the Boston townsfolk who were loyal to
the British crown. Among such, none
were more prominent OF made more wei
come than Mr. Jeffrey Merridew and his
pretty young niece, Sibyl.
Mr. Merridew was stanch royalist,
though he was by no means violent hat
er of the rebels.
His only brother, DR.. Ephraim Merri-
dew-Sibyl's father-was rebel at heart,
though in faraway Barbados, where he
was at that time engaged in business, he
could not serve the rebel cause in person,
as he would gladly have done.
But he left behind him a son, who, in
full sympathy with his fathers views,
ranged himself boldly on the rebel side as
part and parcel of the American army.
A rebel relative in Barbados was not
matter to trouble ones self about greatly,
but rebel relative on the spot, SO to speak
for young Ephraim was only six miles
away at the Cambridge rallying ground
was a different thing. The young man
could not, of course, be allowed free inter
course with his sister.
ssWhat harm do the king soldiers think
poor Eph can do them by now and then
uncle scornfully.
tsHarm?" You are very young, S1byl,
and don't understand these things. Your
brother has chosen very foolishly to join
the rebel forces, and SO has made himself
one of our acknowledged enemies, and l
never heard of declared enemies in time OF
war walking in and out of each others
houses like tame cats, - answered Mr.. Mer-
ridew sarcastically.
ssYou think Eph would be SO mean as
to tell taless" exclaimed Sibyl in high in
dignation.
STell tales!' repeated Mr.. Merridew,
finging back his head with irrepressible
laughter at Sibyl's ignorance. sWhy, my
dear, the reporting of important facts,
however gained, in times of war, is part
of war tactics-it is not called telling
tales
Sand would you-would you, If you
were in Ephraim's camp as visitor, would
you"--
"Tell taIes?" laughed Mr.. Merridew.
"Indeed 1 would, if I heard anything
worth telling-anything that I thought
would serve the cause believed to be a
righteous cause
Then, more seriously, "Why, Sibyl, it
would be my duty to do it,.
"Oh, oh!'' cried Sibyl, ''it is odious,
odious, all this war business.
eyes, I grant you that, but who is to
blame for bringing this odious business
upon us? Who but these foolish malcon-
tents, these rebels, Ike
ssLike my father and my brother, !"
broke in Sibyl hotly as Mr.. Merridew
hesitated
ssYes, like your father and your brother,
am sorry to say" concluded her uncle
gravely.
''No, no, no, cried Sibyl excitedly. "It
is not they who are to blame. They are
good and brave and wise. They only want
Justice and fair play. 1t is the kings folk
who are to blame-the kings folk who
want to Cypress the people with unjust
taxes that they may live in grandeur.
Mr. Merridew stared in silent astonish-
ment at this unexpected outburst. Then,
in a severer tone than his niece had ever
heard from his lips, he said
$50 this is the reasonable talk you
have heard from your brother-these are
the teachings that he has been Installing
into you? All, it is none too soon that
you are cut off from the influence OF that
headstrong boy.'
stAnd you're to dance the last dance
with me, remem Der, Miss Merridew"
Indeed, Sir Harry, will not promise
you that.
"You will not promise? But you have
promised"
"Haye promised? What do you mean,
sirp I think YOU are forgetting yourselfp'
and Miss Sibyl Merridew lifted up her
graceful head with little air of hauteur
that was by no means unbecoming to her
piquant beauty.
But young Sir Harry Willing was not
to be put down by this pretty little pro-
vincial-not he-and SO, lifting up his head
with an air of hauteur, he said to Miss
Sibyl:
81 crave Miss Merridew's pardon, but
perhaps if she will reflect moment she
will recall what she said to me yesterday
morning. when begged her to give me the
pleasure of dancing the last minuet with
her tonight"
''But I never reflect"
$50 1 should judge, madam" retorted
the youth wrathfully, "but perhaps" he
went on, eff Miss Merridew will deign to
bestow a glance upon this,'' and the
young fellow pulled from his pocket gold
mo.nted card and letter case, out OF which
he took a tablet, upon which was written;
'tMet Miss Sibyl Merridew this morning
on the mall She promised to dance the
last minuet with me tomorrow night.
Mem.-Send roses if they are to be had IN
the town"
Sibyl blushed as she read this. Then
lifting the fowers-Sir Harry's roses-to
her face for moment she dropped de-
mure courtesy and said, with CLEAN OF
finn in hnr ewes.