The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-03-06
SIX TO ONE.

pride ana satisfaction realized, as soon as
they could communicate with one another,
that they were incidents and not events.
Each one seemed to acquire an apologize
expression under the very molding of the
nurses fingers. This seuseof insignifcance
was so apparent that the clergyman at the
several chrstenings always hestated, as if
doubling the application of SO sacred "A rite
and once asked for the child's number in
stead of its name.
When Benjamin, as Matthew LOOMS
rather pointedly named his son, was con
fided to their joint care, 'the girls, from
being vassals, became slaves. Perhaps
though, on account of their willingness,
they should be termed priestesses to the
Lares and Penates which the lad represent
ed. Theynever suffered the sacred fires Of
his Importance to dwiudle until he grew
old enough to take charge of himself, and
then Of course the flames were augmented
The Loomis sisters were indeed good
girls, though not one of them ever had the
face to quote Handsome is that hand
some does" Abigail, the oldest, set the
pace The others followed like Indian war
riors In her very traces. They were thus a
corrective to her, as she was an emulation
to them. 1t was moral game of follow
your master" Each sister put on her cid
clothing. And there was an abundance of
this latter in the household, for the girls
grew like weeds-that is, likcstringy weeds
Their good mother was always boasting Of
the day when they would begin to I'LL
out" Alas, when the final stature was
reached nature had exhausted her material!
And so, when they were all young ladies
that is, when Judith, the youngest had
reached the age where the others awaited
her-the family page was rs replete with
exclamation points as a sketch by a dialect
writer. However the girls were as single
in purpose as they were in destiny. That
purpose was Benjamin, and, like them
selves, that purpose was very plain. Al
though this was in accordance with the
laws of consanguinity, they resolved that
imagination should wipe away that touch
of nature which made them kin. They
each remembered their first collective view
of the child as an unrelated nightmare.
The boy was undoubtedly cross eyed, and
his hair was literary in quality-that is, well
red. One gasp of CONSERVATION, and then
had followed the resolution aforesaid-by
faith to make him whole. Once only was
there lapse for them, although Benjamin
of course was ruddled in six. Poor Han
nah, one of the Intermediates over whose
identity every one, including herself, stun
bed, achieved disgrace and remorst
through an unheeding girlish enthusiasm.
'Oh, the sweet little tootsy wOotsy," she
had cried, I'm sure caught his eye"
Eyes! Sarah, Elizabeth, Judith Rachel,
Hannah, ! mean" exclaimed Abigail Sc
verely, and the reproof became mental
pinmark to the five.
So tender did they grow in this regard
that one day Elizabeth spoke Of the shade
of the pressed brick house building across
the way as golden" and they all con
graduated her on the felicity of the term.
Alas, that golden tiuge was destined
soon to become iaundice to the girls! One
afternoon, when they were starting ont fol
stroll they were severally shocked intc
elongated vibrations by hearing the taunt
ing cry of "giraffes, and by seeing rude
little girl on the opposite porch with point
ing finger and protruding tongue. A pref
" little girl, too, with eyes dancing NOR,
blithely than her tiny feet, and hair tina
the breeze wove into a glory around he
head.
"If that child were mine" said Rachel
consI uous in the flock for blunt speech
81 would shake her" And the Others
while they deplored the condition, applaud
ed its conclusion-indeed, on the following
day they would have moved jointly to it
conclusion had they not been too moved u
do So For there were two haunting voices
two fingers and tongues of scorn two form
that danced, and one, alas, so awkwardly
that affection could not be so blind as t
fail to recognize,
Its Benjamin." sighed the five
Benjamin repeated Abigail, with
moan. '1chabod, rather, for our glory ha
departed"
And truly Ruth Atkins, for this was tn
little girls name, acquired without seek
ing AN influence over Benjamin which tn
girls could never fiud. Doubtless it spran
from contrast, for he learned that with he
his will was valueless except as an alterna
tive Ruth barely endured him. but thi
endurance was his delight. His sister
found that neither cajolery nor menac
could affect his infatuation, so they store,
it away with his eye and his hair. 1t be
came their thorn in the flesh, aud the for
mer was as real as the latter was lacking.
There, too, it remained, though Ruth her
self came to their aid for its outplucking
One day Benjamin lay on the floor of th
parlor, kicking and screaming, while thu
six stood around, each one eXemplifyinl
alike Patience and the Monument. TheI
before the window flashed AN indignant lit
tie form.
you horrid boy" cried Ruth, ito trea
your sisters so! | never want to speak /
you again, 50 therel If they are giraffes
you are hyena, and cross eyed On
too"
But in vain The "hyena" became bu
another count in the Indictment agains
Ruth, and the stoutest proof under it wa
that Benjamiu's Partially was not mod
fled by it, save as plants are forced by a fel
want haat fTb. lad had am pIp pbanpa 7
inflict his mpanionship. He believed with
the old song that there was no place like
home, especially since that home was across
the street from Ruth's Besides he had no
distraction. He was not liked by the boys
Of his age. How could he beY They were
accustomed to give and take: he was
taught only to receive. He was persistent
and Ruth good natured. And so they con
tinued playfelows just as Indifference and
alteration often mate. Aud the six appraised
IL spatulate palms in adherence.
There was another cause, not reason, for
the sisters dislike of the little girl 1t was
not to be supposed that, because they were
self inundated on the altar of devotion,
sentiment might not penetrate where love
was repealed. Indeed they shared soft
passion, the softer and hence the more
agreeable because unknown and unsus-
pected beyond the ideal virgin bosom in
which they had each a one-siXth interest.
There was the young doctor around the
corner, the exposure of their dreams, the
sleeping Endymion gazed upon by half
dozen Dianas-Dianas, alasl each without
beau. Poor young man, to pursue the
dull routine of his profession in ignorance
Of such store Of bliss near BY as the hus-