The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1904-02-20
Ny Sisters and Their Lovers.

l dom think boy ever realizes what
sweet, amiable, angelic sisters he has got
until their lovers begin to drop in to sup
per or Sunday dinner; at least that is my
experience, and it is quite sad now to re-
feet that 1 spent fifteen years of my life
without knowing what treasures of all the
virtues were hidden away behind Clara
bad temper, Laura laziness, and Edith's
frequent attacks of the ''blues.
Perhaps it was that they were lying fall
low, waiting for the proper person to pro-
duce rich crops, or perhaps was too blind
or prejudiced to see their virtues. Any
how, l had always considered myself rather
unfortunate in my sisters and quite pitied
their prospective husbands, if they should
ever have any, until one evening the
governor invited young Brown round
to supper, and then my eyes were opened.
fancied Brown was bit gone as
they say, on Clara; but l never dreamed
things had gone as far as they had until
that supper, which first introduced Clara
to her inappreciatiye brother in a new
light. can tell you, in the words of the
poet, II opened my eyes quite wide with
surprise that evening, and rubbed
them good few times to make quite
sure was not dreaming.
Why, it was no more the Clara 1 knew
than it was the old lady in the moon
this radiant, smiling creature who seemed
so sweet that she might have been made
Of saccharine and not, as l often used to
think, of vinegar. 1t was eyes, mother
darling, mo, father dear, and 'sHow
amusing you are, Mr. Brown" until l
was sure must be quite wrong in think
ing that it was Clara who rarely opened
her mouth during supper except to swallow
something OF to snap at somebody. What
a wonderful magician Cupid is to be surel
And how careful she was in all her views,
and how delicately attentive to us all, even
insisting that was starving because
wouldn't have a third helping of rhubarb
tart Ii was only the day before she called
me a little glutton;' but then it wasn't
the same Clara. Certainly, if you had set
an angel down at our humble board, she
couldn't have diffused more sweetness and
light than Clara did that evening; and it
was no wonder young Brown thought there
never was such treasure in petticoats in
all the worlds history | wasn't at all
surprised when had to congratulate them
both week later They re married now;
but that's not this story-only l fancy
Clara has become human again.
1t was just the same with Louisa, who
used to spend her days in bed or reading
novels on the couch, until her languid
beauty made an impression on the heart of
Mr.. McAndrew, an energetic young Scotch
man in a city Office OF course, be, too,
began to drop in about supper time-I
wonder lovers can think of anything so
material as cold leg of mutton and pickles
and then began to see what unsuspected
depths there were In Louisa
With the frank smile of absolute sin
eerity she assured Mr.. McAndrew that she
'loyed nothing so much as the fresh, early
hours of the morning, and she had
positive passion for oatmeal porridge-both
weaknesses Of the youag Scottish wOOer.
But oh, Louisa, how could you? seeing
that the song of the early birds always fell
on deaf ears and porridge had about as
much attraction for you as sauerkraut.
Yes, love is wonderful thing; when it
comes my way am sure my dearest friends
won't know me OF course, Louisa is
married now-but, there! | won't tell
tales.
"And then there was one and that
one was, of course, Edith, the female
Benjamin of the flock, who actually-I
don't know how she did it-captured the
heart of our curate, which was quite
promotion for the family And oh the
difference it made to Edith Never was
girl so Jealous in good works. 1t was Sun
day school and district visiting, sewing
parties at the vicarage, and surreptitious
slipper making, until every hour was crowd
cd with work of charity for somebody
everybody, it seemed, except her family.
prise us all by reeling off extracts from the
curate' sermons, while he turned as crim-
son as the beet-root.
Oh, Edith and it was you who used to
hate fancy work and district visiting with
an impartial hatred, and ''couldnt bear
those horrid children" But there, it is
only another tribute to the magic of Cupid
And now Edith has joined the other two;
and alone am left to think sadly of the
irony of never really knowing what treasures
of sisters had until it was too late to ap-
preciate them.
Tho CANNING Rac01-d