The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1896-01-09
BOB'S SISTER.

NJ. .BOB'S SISTER.
In a small house at Bigham, Surrey,
lived Alice Baines and her sister Bob.
Both their parents had been dead for
some. years, having bequeathed to their
daughters modest patrimony, upon
which they were able to subsist in sim
ple comfort. Alice, the elder, was just
on the far side of 30; Bob, the younger,
was now in her 18th year. There was
thus a considerable difference of age be-
tween them. But the difference did not
end here. Two sisters more dissimilar
in looks, in character, in disposition,
would have been hard to find. The
strength and self-reliance of Alice made
themselves appear in every line of her
face, in every tone of her voice, in every
motion of her body. Her blue eyes
'shonc with steady, fearless light. The
carriage of her mouth was firm and
etanch. The squareness of her we'll
formed chin was full of power. Her
manner had the calm ease of perfect
assurance. Her beauty was the beauty
of a capable woman.
With Bob it was different. Bob had
little strength, and no self-1eliance.
Such tender, anxious, appealing face
was Bob's. It reflected every ray of
sunshine, every passing cloud that ap-
preached. In those brown and gentle
eyes often q hundred varying emotions
would be born and die within the hour,
and as many smiles and quiverings
would rulfle her mobile lips. She was
pretty, very pretty; and winning, very,
very winning. Yet it was child's ma
ture that gave it's life to her expression;
twas a child's sweetness that charmed
you in her look and manner.
4 Before she was we'll Is Bob had found
q lover. Some people expressed SUR
prise that Ronald Armleigh had chosen
Bob in preference to her sister Alice.
And, indeed, it had appeared for some
time doubtful toward which of the
two girls his real attention was direct
ed. First of all, Alice had seemed to
attract him the more. This was what
might have been expected. Armleigh
was a man of the world, experienced,
and mature in judgment. He prided
himself, not without reason, upon his
sound sense and his practical views.
In his then position-that of a bar
rister Just on the threshold of profess
sional and social SUCCESSIVE had every
need of a clever, capable wife. That
was exactly what Alice's qualities fitted
her for. And it was by these qualities
in her that he seemed at first to be at
tracted.
But after little came a change. Ex-
actly what caused it would be difficult
to say. Perhaps Alice had repealed him
by her cold demeanor. Perhaps he had
grown alarmed by the signs of master
Gulness in her character. Or, perhaps,
love had got the better of prudential
considerations. 1t was probably one of
these three. It may have been all COM
bined. At any rate, there twas. And
soon it became apparent that it was
Bob, the 'winsome child, not Alice, the
capable woman, who held the key OF
Ronald Arnleigh's affections.
This circumstance discovered a new
side to the elder sisters character. Till
now Alice had, been more than a mother
to Bob. Her love for the younger girl
had been q touching thing to see. In
furtherings tBob's interests, in promot-
ing Bob'a happiness, in shielding Bob
from harm and annoyance. Alice had
never been known to consider herself.
She had, in everything, yielded to her
sister pure and unmixed devotion.
But from this time forward all this was
changed. Alice suddenly began to treat
her sister-so the neighbors said, and so
the poor child herself felt-with posi-
tive cruelty.
Perhaps there never yet lived wom-
an devoid of jealousy. And though
some may manage to conceal it better
than others, yet tbs seldom, indeed, that,
upon adequate provocation arising,
they are able to conceal it altogether.
Nc one could deny that, in this present
case, Alice Baines had received ade-
.quate provocation. 10 be.admired by a
handsome, fascinating mana man,
who, all things considered, wasa dis
tinctly eligible parti, was, of course,
flattering thing. Tohave that admira-,
ton unaccountably withdrawn, and
then openly transferred toa younger sis
ter, under her very nose, was equally, Of
course, eprovoking. And Alice B p q e !!
might have been excused any ordinary
exhibition of jealousy. There was, how
ever, no occasion for her to behave with
such exceptional meanness as she did.
Her meanness was twofold. She
tried the effect of one kind first, and
upon that proving failure, she had re-
course to the other. Her first meanness
was malicious attempt, worked by an
insidious process of suggestions and
innuendoes, to blacken Armleigh's
character in her sisters eyes. Arm
leigh had not yet actually proposed to
Bob, and Alice wished to bring it about