Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-06-27
A PITIFUL COMEDY.

Lucinda and Eunice Ransom were sis
tiers, and they lived in an old white
house which had belonged to many gem
erations of Ransoms. 1t looked straight
out on the Dawsons place-and to watch
the goings out and comings in of the
Dawson folk had been Lucinda's great
interest in life for the last fifteen years
For Lucinda was a cripple, and her
interests few. Sine and Eunice were
good types of the New England woman.
They were both stiff, reserved and strong
natures. fond Of each other in a cold,
self-contaiued fashion, honest and truth
fu!, but hard ON sinners and religious in
q painfully austere manner.
Eunice bad the weekly distraction of
chapel. an occasional tea party Mt a
neighbours, the excitement of sewing
bees and the great annual picnic-also
she had the care of the rambling, lux
urant garden and the large rOomed old
house. But between Lucinda and eter-
nal monut0ny there was only strip of
road and the Dawsons' back garden: the
garden where the endless coined OF lit
tie things were played cat da Y, This
garden watched by Lucinda rom dawn
to sunset.
'Eunice." Lucinda's tone was sharp
with interest. Patience Dawson has had
her beau with her all this while-well.
since supper, anyway The cripple did
not turn her head as she addressed her
sister, all her attention being focused on
the two dim shadows in the garden Oppo-
Sitc--thc girl who was sitting on the step
at the back door, the tall, heavily built
boy bending over her.
"Lar', Lucinda-what an interest you
do take in the Dawson lot The other s
voice bad a certain good-humored CON
tempt in it, She moved backward and
forward with heavy tread, putting the
parlor tidy. She was a large woman of
about 80, few years the elder of Lu-
cinda.
Lucindq flushed all over her thin,
pinched face.
well, if you sat here all day." she
began weakly. you'd be mighty glad Of
something to look at, and think about, |
guess Then, with sudden change Of
tone and manner-"My gracious, Eunice,
ne kissed her! | saw him" There was
quite thrill in the womans voice. and
her eyes glistened. 1t looked as if the
youth she had missed and never found
had thrown its veil over her for the mo-
ment
Eunce glanced at her curiously.
We'll, if | ever did, Lucinda Ransom
| Why, you are just as excited as ever you
| can be-and over what? just that Silly
| Dawson girl and Ahram Morris--young
fools both The voice was hard. Love
| to Eunice was only another word for
| fooliShncSs, and she had all the unmar-
| ried woman's prejudice against the pret-
! ~ folly of courtship. To her puritanical
| character there was something almost
indecent in the eager way her sister was
! watching the lovers. and she seized on
the first excuse to Sight the little, evil
smelling lamp and TO draw down the
! blind.
Lucinda sighed. Her picture book was
shut up now till tomorrow
| 1T must be very lovely--for Patience, =
| she spoke wiStfully, half aloud.
| Ennice laughed-her mouth fun oi
crackel@her coffee cup in hand. What
| ever has come over You, Lucinda% Ny
goodness. but you do look queer--what i
| SO lovely for Patience?"
| oh, Eunice, she's got what we have
beth missed-love. All, you may laugh
but | guess I'm right. It's something We
| both ought 20 have had, and can never
! nave now. There was pang of great
! regret in the voice.
Eunice flushed augrily. She SQUARED
| her wide shoulders in the brown cotton
| blouse, and spoke ont her mind yehe.
mtntly.
well. / should just he ashamed OF
| myself If ! spoke like YOU Love. indeed
| | guess | never wanted til guess ne
man ever found me thinking of him
| What's this fine love of yours worth a.:
| WIZ IL give Patience a good house like
| TINS OF ours, and food to put In her
| mouth. and clothes for her back: Love
| indeed. Eunice tossed her head.
| Lucinda looked ut her steadily. Some
inward tUrcc seemed making her speak.
| Il We been watching love close for the
| last year, Eunice. seeing ii grow up like
| 4 flower in the hearts OF those two young
| 4 Il, z.
/ has almost reached NE here she smiled
| slowly To herself, hardly realizing the
/ poetrE Cs her speech, I've SEEN" she
| continued, the change come into their
/ faces such wonderful change, Why.
/ u Seares me sometimes just TO watch
| that pretty young thing when She looks
| up 50 loving and tender and he bends
! over her Ike rs if he could never shelter
| her enough, and there they stand, 80
/ silent that the great white butterflies
| don even fear them hut brush quite
| close, and the night comes up So soft and
! gcNtle-aud | feel right here she placed
| her hand on her WithersG breast. that |
! could have loved just as we'll as Patience
| Il any one had cared for me that way
| she ended her long speech with a pa
| thttlr, half nervous laugh.
| Never LEI me hear You speak Ike thi,
! again, or | shall think You have Cvn,
| crazy, Lucinda Ransom" The elder sis
| ter spoke with q rare rush of Indignation
| The other inclined her head under the
| storm of words that followed. but faint
| smile lowered around her lips, and SHE
| felt in soale dim fashion that she hat
gone more into the heart of life than heI
practical. busting sister. and her meek
| spirit took comfort.
! The days that followed were colder