The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1900-02-23
Silver Bangles.


''Why, can't replied Nell. 'I'vc got
my practicing to do yet. and you know
papa and Aunt Matte will be here by 5
o'clock. What's the reason you don't
| want to go, kate?'
Kate declined to answer, but there was
Il look ON her face that her sister under
stood quite as we'll as words.
Nov, you re going to he angry with
me-" she said, rather plaintively. you'd
| my place, and this is my last chance
'Oh, please yourself. by all MEANS
was Hates brief retOrt, as she opened
| the closet door to find her cloak and hat.
Kate was in one of her moods, and
Kate Carnegie's moods were not alto
| been in an uncomfortable frame of mind
| whenever her sisters practicing had been
mentioned of late.
Her mother had IL vague suspicion as
| to the reason of Hates ill humor, hut it
| was too seldom exhibited in her presence
to excite reproof. and the others were
quite unaware of the "cnvy. hatred and
malice which filled her Jealous little
| mind.
why don't you want to go?' persisted
Nell.
Because Christmas will be here in a
week and | have work enough for two
| weeks left to do. | don't suppose that
| answered Kate, slamn1ing the door be-
! hird her as she left the room.
"Much Nell cares for anybody in the
world but herself! She thinks of nothing
but that old duet nowadays. l wish to
goodness Id never learned the piece, or
that Id never played it for Aunt Matte
Hateful thing! l wish l might never
see it again.
These unamiable thoughts were not
uttered, and, fortunately, too, there was
no one to see the unlovely expression of
her face as she surveyed the Innocent
looking sheets of music that stood open
| OH the piano.
She had gone into the parlor to find Il
letter that her mother wished her to
mail, and here again she was confronted
with fresh cause for her i'll humor.
If Aunt Matte had imagined the hid,
den strife and heartburningS which were
occasioned by her letter, it assuredly
would never have been written.
Aunt Matte was Mrs. Carnegie's only
sister. She lived in New York and was
i sort of fairy godmother to the little
Carnegies. Somehow or other their So
cret wishes We're always discovered. and
made into delightful realities by this
aunty.. who had no children of her own
and who was almost as nice as mamma.
the children thought 'for things were
| always jolly with Aunt Matte, but mann
ma mad to scold and look grave some
times
Walters Sorrento saw and TOMS
printing press had come from Aunt Mat
tie, and for the girls there were continual
proofs OF their aunt's loving memory of
their little needs and wishes. The piano
| Itself was Il gift from her when it was
decided that Kate had musical talents
wMch deserved cultivation. She had
taken great interest in the progress made
ny her little niece, and was as pleased
and proud as Mrs. Carnegie herself over
| each step that was gained
indeed, there was reason to be Dr0ud
OF Rates music, for she played remark
ABLY well for a little girl: but since she
had no better standard of comparison
estimated her own performance. and took
state-ln Secret-accordingly.
Nell was inclined to be lazy, and if WAS
with 4 view of squirting her ON to fresh
endeavors that Aunt Matte had written :.
lf Nellie will undertake to learn the
primo of the 'Caliph of Bagdad' over
turc, and play it as well as Kate Dlayed
IL last year she shall have those silver
bangles that | heard her wish for-the
prettiest pair that l can find in New
York.
And that was the secret Of Hates dis
comfort.
Nell was lazy; but Nell wanted the
bangle bracelets. and had practicel in
dustrioussly. The result was that she
felt as though the ornaments were sub
stance in possession" And Aunt Nlattie
was coming tonight.
"She never offered me bangles"
thought Kate jealously, land I've prac-
ticcd twice as hard as Nell ever did,
She had resented from the first hav,
ing to take second part in the duet, The
primo was distinctively hers. and she OBJ,
jected to Nelrs playing her music, and
still more to Nelfs being rewarded for 50
doing. And having INDUCED in this
frame of mind for weeks, it is no wonder
she anticipated her aunt's Christmas
visit with sense of discomfort never
known before.
She took up the music as she stood
there.
II wish we didn't have it," she said
to herself, and with the wish came sud
den temptation. Its mine.'' she
thought. 1T has my name on it. I've
got right to do what l please with my
own things. And Nell hadn't any bust
been told to put it away when she's done
with it. There it isn't all here now. 1
suppose Bridget had the window open
and some of the leaves have blown away
Welr'-shc shrugged her shoulders slight,
ly-"if it isn't all here, she can't play it.,
and it's not my fault
1t really seemed as though fate had in
terposed to save her from the meanness
she had contemplated With feeling of
ed out.
On the piazza the temptation met her
in n new form. It was as she supposed.
Bridget had opened the windows to wash
them and the wind had played havoc
| with the loose sheets of music. She had
picked up all she had seen, but this one.
blown far up into the corner, must have
escaped her notice. There it had waited
to test Kate's power of resisting evil
She doubled it up and thrust it, in her
pocket, uncertain as she did so what her
future determination might be.
The ground was covered with snow,
soft and white, as Christmas snow would
be; the air was gray and thick with it.
Kate hurried on toward the village, re-
volving the matter in her mind as she
went. Should she. or should she not
take it home? If Nell had put the music
away properly it would have been safe.
Now, Kate had only to toss it over the
nearest fence, where the wind might have
blown it without her assistance, aud
where it would soon be covered by the
snow. It was a mean thing to do and
Kate hesitated; but the alternative that
Nell. her younger sister, should have
bracelets when she had none, and have
them as a reward in Hates own special
study, seemed intolerable! The paper
huttered out of Hates hands. Her de-
cisiOn was made. :. &c., =,
Then she ran, without stopping to lool,
where it fell, but fast as she ran, her
thoughts pursued her. -
what mean thing to dor
The thought gathered emphasis with
every step she took, and by the time her
errand in the village was accomplished
her strongest desire was. to get back be-
fore the wind had blown it quite away.
and while it was still light enough to look
for it. ssss &s 4. ~ .4s:s sss { z
She ran along breathlessly and had al
most reached the place where she hoped
to find it. when the sound OF sleigh bells
and familiar voice calling her name
filled her with dismay. 5s5z
81 Is that yoll. Kate ~ called her fa-