Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-03-08
ONLY MAGGIE.
But She Was the Gem of the
Household.


the baptismal appellation OF Margaret
was considered somewhat inferior in
all respects to the three elder sisters.
Miss Nora Clements was artistic.
Miss Georgina Clements was musical,
and her hours were spent executing in
tricacies upon the piano. Miss Cordelia
Clements was a beauty.
Maggie, the youngest, was simply
cheerful, good-tempered, industrious
girl, who aimed at no special display of
either beauty or talent, but was quite
content To be handmaiden for the
others.
eldest OF the family, was a physician
and the head OF the household, the
father and mother being dead. There
was wealth enough TO make pleasant
home when the separate incomes were
combined, and Howard would have
been most unwilling TO see his sisters
leave him for any but home and hus-
band OF their own.
I'VE can all live comfortably to-
gether," he would say, but you have
not enough TO live upon without work
II you leave the house we own among
u.s."
At first the two older girls were quite
anxious TO figure as great artist and
musician, but finally they allowed their
brother 10 have his own way.
The young doctor was very proud of
his sisters and their various attractions,
and when his warm friend and fellow
student, Paul Goddard, appeared to
make him Il short visit, he lead him from
the Office into the house adjoining it,
delighted at the prospect OF showing
OFF the girls to a city gentleman.
A tour OF inspection in the drawing.
room preceded the actual introduction.
Thus:
This scene upon the Catskill noun
tains was painted by my eldest sister
Paul. We spent the summer there for
the express purpose of allowing Nora
to make sketches"
VERY fine" murmured Paul, trying
his best to admire the mountains.
"And the music is Georginas.
Georgina is Sig. Skwallinni's best
pupil"
"a great talent" Paul murtnured
again.
And this" continued Howard, open
ing the photograph album, sis Cor
della"
lie added no more. and truly the
face was sufficiently beautiful TO need
no comment Paul spoke cordially:
what beautiful facel Who is this
opposite your sister, Howard2'
THAT is Maggie. She is my young
est sister"
And does she paint or sing2'
"Oh, no. Maggie has no talent and
no beauty. She is a good little thing
But come to your room. Dinner will
be ready at six"
80 Maggie is housekeeper," thought
Paul, as he looked around the tasteful
apartment assigned To him. IL think
Miss Maggie certainly has something
of her sisters artistic eye. How ex-
quisitely those flowers are arranged
and how cool and fresh It is here, after
a hot, dusty ride"
Seeking the drawing-room again, Paul
found the artistic sister contemplating
the scene from the back windows with
rapt enthusiasm.
"Mr. Goddard" she said, advancing
TO meet him.
Paul made the necessary speech OF
qualification, wondering II II was the
brown of the CatslSill mountains that
was daubed so extensively upon the
skirt of Miss Nora's blue dress. and II il
was artistic meditation that had made
her pin her collar crooked, and forget
her cuffs altogether. She launched al
once into bewildering sea Of techni
| cnlities, and called upon Paul TO admir-,
effects OF cloud and shadow, light anC
| foliage, from the back window, till h,
felt like reprieved prisoner upon the
entrance of another sister, who was in
troduced as my sister Cordelia"
The beauty was superb. Every cur
| of her glossy brown hair was arranged
for effect Her creamy complexion wa
heightened by dress Of soft white
muslin, with tiny green leaves scattered
| over it. She bowed with languiC
grace, but sat as II actually afraid u
move, for fear of disarranging any folt
| of her faultless costume. Georgina ap
| peared as the bell rang and Georgini
| spoke but little. II made her hoarse I,
be always talking.
| Paul was inwardly resolving TO Gu
his visit very short, when Howar,
opened the door Of the dining.roon
and introduced:
MY sister, Maggie"
She was not pretty; she was not arts
tic nor musical; but she was charming
70 Pauls eyes, in five minutes. lie
dress fitted her graceful little flgur
perfectly; her collar and cuffs wer
white aud smooth; her hair was dresse,
carefully aud becomingly; she was eS
quisitely neat.
Not fearing for her voice, she chatte
gayly aud pleasantly; not being anNiou
about her DRESS she moved graceful
and freely; and having no specially O
talent, she could talk sensibly abou
the various topics her brother and hi
friend started.
Dinner passed off pleasantly. Pau
concluded that II Maggie was house
keeper her dinner certainly did lac
credit.
A week passed away, and Paul foun
himself grooming in spirit over tn
Misses Clements lie had wandered i
search OF the picturesque with Nora
had sacrificed gloves and boots in til
pursuit Of wonderful boughs and ina,
cessible fowers lie had listened
Georgina till his ears fairly aehed, an
' ~ nnaa alniAaA An .hiA own unind "A 1