The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-07-08

She was the ncghborhood scamstross. a
small, pale girl of quiet manners and in
finite patience.
Mary was Der name, and we all doomed
it fitting. Her eyes were, as the village
gos.ips put it, her only beauty. They were
large and blue gray. There was a wistful
sweetness in them that won the hearts of
such of her patrons as occasionally let a
Thought stay from darts and leg o. NUT
tons and revors TO the silent fashioncr Of
the same.
Mary'S unohtrusive personality was re-
licctcd in the gray gowns and hats which
she always wore. Some of her employers,
angular of lace and figure and unlovcly of
character, might have found cause for com.
plant in their hirelinp's prediction for
the sunshine and color and JOY of life. So
Mary adhered to nunlike shades and her
remarks were confined to inquiries about
the comfort giving qualities of the gar
mcnts she manufactured
She had come from the nearest city five
years before. She had lived quietly Gin
rooms" and those who peddled sensations
in their own "sets" found her humble lit
tie affairs Of no concern. One or two
would be gullants found she had a remark
able talent for aloofnoss. 1t was the same
with the few young women who might
have sought her society. The women
whom she served regarded her as cheap
and skillful machine, and there their in
terest ended. Hers was lonely life, and
it was some unknown influence that kept
her so well poised and quietly cheerful.
Mary had romance. When asked about
| It, she responded with bushes and happy
glances.
1t was not very different from that of
other girls as poor and patient as Mary.
| They had grown up together-that phrase
that embraces so much Of youthful hope
and sympathy! Their parents had lived
side by side. Hers died first. She had
learned the trade from city dressmaker
and had come to the village because there
were so many of her vocation In the big
town. That was all, except that Frank,
too, became an orphan and his task Of get
ting through the law school had been
doubly hard for that reason. He had just
completed the task and was going to locate
in the capital Of the adjoining state. She
could not see him so often now, but II all
went well they would be together In q
year. Then her little sister lived there with
her aunt. Frank had never seen her, but
they would soon be friends because of her.
"Is your sister like you, Mary?" asked
the merchants wife as she hemmed a ruff
| le overland.
"Oh, nor said the little seamstress. 81
have not seen her since she was a child, but
she was beautiful then. Frank cannot
help liking her."
Mary told the rest of the story a year
later with her head pillowed on her friend s
broad bosom and her slender, gray figure
shaken by the storm of woman's great
grief.
"Don't mind me, Mrs. Brown, she said
when she felt big tears falling upon her
hair. sit was probably for the best. She
Is more suitable wife for Frank. l
couldn't keep pace with him when had
to sew all day and in the evening" too,
and she is so young and bright and lovely.
She didn't know and he couldn't help low
ing her. Don't blame them"
The neighborhood stHgnstress, worn
from her close companionship with the
bright, slender needle that won for her her
bread, had yielded to her aunt's and sis
ter's invitation and gone to the capital for
q fortnight.
Besides, as she wrote Frank, it was high
time she did some shopping In the city, for
she needed some of the things for her
modest little outfit" Frank made no ref
erence to this pretty little passage in his
reply. She Thought this was due to his alb
sorption in his cares and tried not to be
panied by the omission.
Her "little sister," grown into won
drously pretty young woman, and Frank
were at the station to meet her. Ruby Is
greeting was warmly affectionate. The
proprieties did not admit of Franks being
so, she knew, and she scolded herself for
the dull little pain at her heart because 1t
was so. She was glad to see on what friend
ly terms Frank and Ruby We're. She was
so glad they liked each other. But she had
been sure they would.
II found it out that evening"" she sob
bed. "It was only little accident that
told me they loved each other But a
womans heart is clever, if her brain isn't.
had good excuse for going to bed carly,
for was tired from the journey. I never
slept at all. Mrs. Brown, l could see how
well Frank and Ruby looked together.
The picture of them standing under the
gaslight drove me nearly crazy. l knew
she was wife Frank could be proud of,
and / wasn't. But my life was so empty
without him. My love for him and plans
for little home of our own were the only
bright things in 1t. / knew why his letters
had been so few and short when saw him
look at her that evening. l thought
would go mad that night. l believe
should have. But toward morning peace
! came to me-that kind of peace, you know
that comes after storm on the ocean
that leaves the shore strewn with wrecks
Still it was peace. That came after made
up my mind to give him up.
, "Oh, Mrs Brown, it was SO easy fol-
him. He just said, I'm sorry, Mary, but
he looked as though he would have said
Il am ashamed, Mary, and he didn't ash
me why. He knew l knew all about it
but she never did. Dear heart I'm go
ing to make the white dress over to fit her
and the other things too. oh, yes, will
You know, Mrs Brown, I'm not used tt
I it yet, and 1t breaks my heart to look a
:, them. They will he married next month. )
They We're. Mary, She little seamstress
still lives in the village, but she ha
= changed much. The blue of her eyes ha
faded into the gray, and we think some
times her cheeks are taking on that asher