Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1895-04-04

A week later "the little sister" ar
rived from her Paris school, fresh US o
newly fedged butterfly.
$50 you are to be my brother !" she
said, smiling up at Dick. "Hadn't
you better kiss me?"
The officers ball of the season was
nearly over AMI only few couples
were enjoying the last waltz, while
Others, shrinking in dim corners, were
making the most of final moments.
Marion Temple stood alone by the
door, scanning the dancers. She
looked very tired, and the fresh white
dress seemed out of keeping with her
haggard weariness. Presently she
turned from the brilliant room, with
its glare of flags and colored lights,
and passed slowly up the staircase,
glancing furtively behind screens and
fern bowers, which were everywhere
about the corridors and landings.
Once she halted, and her heart
missed beat when, through the green
of bank of plants, she caught
glimpse of yellow hair beside a patch
of scarlet. '"The little sisters" voice
reached her family, but the tones of
Dick wero distinct. Marion stood
there only q moment, then hurried
away 20 the cloak-room, the mans
words throbbing in her brain, and an
insistent ache expressing her like
nightmare.
Marion was one of those bravo
women with an insignificant outside,
whom nobody credits with emotion.
Her pain was expressionless when,
afterward, she faced the girl whose
Joy added gall to the bitterness of
disillusion.
"Hasn't it been lovely, Marion?"
cried the little sister, when they were
seated together in the carriage. 'I
have enjoyed my first ball And all
my partners danced superbly: and
don't know whether to laugh or cry
with happiness.
Dick commented on Marion looking
''rather tired" when he said good
night to them, and involuntarily she
shrank from his touch.
"Come around Tomorrow" she
said, in tones slightly querulous,
'1've some news for you, Dick"
When alone in her room she neither
sobbed nor fell into melancholy.
After changing her ball dress for
loose wrapper, she dragged out box
from a cupboard, and with quiet de-
liberateness, turned out its contents
until the bed and all the chairs were
laden with the miscellany of trous-
seau. Every stitch, every shred of it
was an evidence of her misery, and she
fingered the things with the lingering
touch of goodbye. One frock,
prettier than the others, and trimmed
with little pink rosebuds, she fondled
very much, and finally, in guilty
haste, put it on, standing before the
glass shamefaced. The candlelight
fickered in her shaking hand, casting
odd shadows about herself as she
turned this way and that admir1ngly.
$50 l shall never wear them after
ALL" she moaned, when ut last, she
folded and replaced each thing. gazing
with unutterable tenderness into the
depths of the box, as if into the earth
hole of her dead.
Then, for the second time, she
turned the key on hallowed hope,
and so began again her desolation.
1t was all over. Dicks head was
buried in his arms when Marion ceased
speaking, and moved to the door. The
twilight shrouded them, SO he couldn't
see how pale was her face when he
went toward her with outstretched
hands and humble words of thanks
"No; don't say any MORE" she
pleaded. 'It was my fault not to
have better understood. You have
been very good to me, Dick, and Pm
sure that Philip is grateful"
1t was Dick who sobbed, not the
woman, and as they stood there, their
hands clinging together, he realized
what a soldiers girl can be.
Someone opened the door and an
nounced that "tea was ready" and
perhaps some of Marion's pain melted
into the caress she gave "the little
sister"
"We were just talking of you, dar-
ling-Dick has something to tell
yo,, IT ,oDJon Ao,,ro,,