Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1902-11-03
CHAPTER v.

quite united Tor the haDltaClOn Oh
two beautiful and brilliant girls.
Every one who knows Manchester
knows Great Divan street. 1t is
thoroughly respectable, quiet, and
dull. "The Voice of the People made
his abode here, partly because the
house suited his means, and partly
because it was near the chief places
where his business lay. The resi-
dence he had chosen was certainly
the dullest in the street. The rooms
were small and darh; there was not
even a glimpse OF green at the back;
and in front was a row Of houses on
which the sun seldom shOne. Martin
Ray did not suffer much, as he was
generally from home; but to his
daughters it was untold misery. They
knew and understood little of their
fathers politics; they thought he was
a great thinker of very unequal
fortune. ley had enjoyed many Of
the luxuries of lite-now they had to
bear priVatiOns; but that time would
pass, and brighter days dawn. There
was little furniture in the house.
Martin Rays study and bedroom were
the two most luxurious apartments.
There was piano in the little parlor
Martin never allowed his daughters
to be without that-and here, at the
close of a bright May day, the two
girls sat quite alone.
There was not much sunlight in the
room, but what little there was
showed the faded carpet, the shabby
furniture, and the beautiful faces of
the girls. Leah, whom her father in
his self1shness had designed for so
grand mission, whose life was to be
sacrificed to him, was just sixteen;
Hettie, one year younger. Yet there
was the greatest difference between
them. Leah was beautiful, graceful in
the very springtide of life, with the
promise of magnificent Womanhood.
Hettie, though only one year younger,
seemed still child. She was tall,
slight, and uniformed. Her face was
beautiful, too, and gave promise of
even greater loneliness; but, although
like in feature, it differed greatly in
expression from that of Leah. Hettie
had hair of pale bright gold, that was
like an aureole round her head; she
had eyes blue as heaven, large, bright,
and lustrous, with hidden depths seen
by no one yet. The chief expression
of Leah's face was of pride; it did
not lack beauty, but it certainly
lacked tenderness; while the chief
loneliness of Hettie's face lay in It's
softness.
The one year made a wonderful
difference between these two girls.
No one would have treated Leah as a
child or Hettie as a woman. The two
sisters had the deepest love for each
other. They had preserved two tradi-
tions in their lives untouched; one
was loving, sorrowful memory of their
mother-the other, belief in their
father. Of late this latter trait was
just a little less observable. On one
or two occasions their faith had been
somewhat tried; but they had been
loyal-they had said no word to each
other.
On Luis May evening they had been
trying to amuse themselves. The
house was dull, but they could not
leave it; the lovely sunshine lay all
around, but they could not go out to
see it. They had been singing, but
their fresh young voice had died
away, and over them crept the weari-
ness of restless discount.
20, Leah, how dull this isl" crieo
Hettie, at last. my father said yes
terday that we ought to be proud to
be the daughters of a patriot. If all
patriots daughters are dull as we are,
l am sorry for them"
Lean went to her, and threw her
arms round her sisters neck; she laid
her dark head against the golden one,
and the two young faces close to-
gether formed pretty picture.
"It is dull, Hettie," she said, 'but
am not dull. l am trembling with ex-
element. l could not decide whether
I should tell you Or not. They say
you are only a child, Hettie, but in
your sweet, gentle fashion, you are
more of a woman than / am
Hettie laughed.
why do you say that, Leah?''
"It is quite true. You are not so
impulsive as 1 am, Hettie; you are
not so proud. am proud, and 1
lack that gentle consideration for
others which you never lose. You are
wiser and more thoughtful than
am
81 am not so beautiful or so noble,
Leah" she cried. "Wnat is it you
have been thinking about telling me?"
Cali that my father said to me.
am SO miserable about it. Hettie,
when 1 look into my own heart, am
not quite sure if l believe all that he
teaches" and the two sisters ex-
changed fearful, timid glance. 1t
was high treason, indeed, not to be-
Heye in him!
Hettie made no answer; she did
not know or under stand exactly what
her father did teach. Leah went
on
God made the world, and He must
hava framed the laws for if TT seams