Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1899-11-09
AN UNCONSCIOUS ALLY.

have always had large num-
Der Of friends of my own sex. Lest
this should lead people to give me an
undue amount of credit for amiability
and sweetness of disposition, | may al,
well state at once that | have a mar
riageable brother.
Being possessed also of a fair amount
of brains, was never for moment
deceived as to the nature of the atiec-
ton lavished upon me by most Of my
female friends. But when my dear
est chum, the girl l really thought
loved me for myself alone, told me
she was engaged to be married to my
brother, Fred, my grief and anger
knew no bounds.
7 had gone over to stay all night
with Maud, and had laid awake till 3
a. m. exchanging condolences, and all
the time the sneak never said word
about Fred At last | dropped off to
sleep and was Just in the midst of a
glorious dream, in which was lead
ing the cotillon with magnificent
man with soulful eyes and bank ac-
count in seven figures, when Maud
suddenly threw her arms about my
neck, entirely shutting off my wind
and soaring me almost into nervous
prostration, and with burst Of tears
confessed that she had been keeping a
secret from me for two whole days,
and that we were to be really, truly
sisters, not Just sisters in affection, as
heretofore, etc.
I managed to wriggls out from un-
der Maud's arm, and then I sat up in
bed and said things. I don't remem-
ber exactly what they were, but they
must have been pretty bad, for Fred
didn't speak to me for week (of
course Maud had to tell him), and
Maud herself went around looking like
suffering martyr whenever we
CHANGED to be under the same roof.
was convinced that | was the
most miserable girl in the world after
that, and the worst Of it was that ev-
erybody, including Maud herself,
thought that l was only mad because
she was engaged first, an imputatiOn
which l need not say was entirely un-
just.
I'm sure | could not see what Maud
had done that was so wonderful any
way. Fred is anything but brilliant,
and I never considered him even
good-looking, while as long as NAM
ma lives he hasn't penny to his name
except his salary, which is by no means
princely.
But Maud You'd have thought
she'd landed Vanderbilt OF a poet
laureate the way she acted.
pretended not to notice her airs
and nursed my grief in proud silence,
but I had no doubt that I was the
most wronged and unhappy creature
that ever lived, until subsequent
events taught Inc that our affairs are
arranged by an all-wise Providence in
whom we may safely trust, no matter
how dark our way may seem at the
time. I shall never doubt the wisdom
of Providence again.
To begin with, found l was ike
ly to get lot of amusement out of
thi, engagement. Fred was madly
Jealous of Maud all the time, though
anyone could see with half an eye that
she was simply mad about him and in
deadly fear of losing him herself.
He would come home at least three
times a week, pale, haggard and Wild
eyed, man bereft of hope. The rest
of the time he was madly Joyful and
talked about Maud as if she was sew
eral degrees higher than the seraphim.
1t was enough to make St. Bernard
dog laugh just to see him.
also found further consolation IL
the fact that his state of mind inter
fered seriously with Fred's appetite
that l got all the extra pudding and
things that had always fallen to BIZ
share Erred was always a greedy