The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1907-08-29
A CHANGE
OF HEART
By MAUD s.
(Copyright, by Joseph b. Bowies.)

I was the only one who objected to
Sylvie's marriage. Everyone else In
the village thought she did 80 well.
Sylvie was my sister and several
years my junior. We were a large
family once, but now only she and /
we're left, and we chung more closely
than eve together.
She was SO pretty and lovable, l
could not bear to have her out of my
sight.
When I was young, and had had
some claims to beauty myself, Walter
Whitcomb had thought me fair. For
one bright summer, love may have
made me so. Then came misunder-
standings, fault-finding, with bitter re-
criminations-and, a parting that
wrenched my heart-strings, though ~
lips smiled.
Sylvie met Dick Ormond the summer
she was IS. ! can remember now how
the faint pink flush used to come and
go in her cheeks; but then l thought
little Of her admiring glances. / had
been used to seeing Sylvie made much
over; / almost w~orshiped her my
self.
They became great friends, but / do
not think he courted her at that time.
He went away in the fall to be gone
two years. He was to finish his edu-
cation at a famous college, and then
he was coming back to practice with
his uncle Lawyer Benson. I didnt
like the old gentleman. and I remem.
Der I told Sylvie that / hated lawyers.
She looked quite grieved, for you see
that was Dicks profession.
I do not think l was sad in those
days; I'm afraid / vas cross. l know
/ was morbid and heavy-hearted with
must have known even then how 1t
would end; but l was 10th to acknowl-
! edge even to myself that Sylvie could
ever love another better than me.
When Dick came home in the spring
he asked her IL she loved him well
enough to marry him in the fall, and
help him make a home. The dear
child! how happy she was, and, thank
God, is yet!
could not refuse my consent; i had
! no reasonable grounds, but l looked
with strong disapproval on every
thing. Yet l remember how / worked
and planned that Sylvie's outfit might
be dainty and complete. She timidly
proposed that / should live with item
in tne cottage on the hill, and assured
me Dick was willing.
"But l am mott" l answered grimly,
and | made our old sewing machine
fairly rattle as the yards of dainty
rufning fell crowding into my lap.
They had not been married long
when Lawyer Benson died of heart
disease. AS Dick was his heir, they
left the cottage, and moved into the
big house with it's fine library and
handsome furniture. Dick was very
busy, for all his uncle's practice fell
into his hands; and l must say he gave
great satisfaction.
Dick had bought the cottage with
money his uncle had given him for a
wedding present, and 1t was nicely
furnished. They wanted me to go and
live there when I still refused to go to
them. They asked me to let my care
OF the house settle all question of rent
between us, but was paying rent on
the house where Sylvie and l had
lived, and so l insisted on paying them
the same If / made the change.
Sylvie used often to come up and sit
| with me, because / would rarely go to
the big house to see her. Besides she
loved the memories the house held for
her.
By-and-by 1t grew to be too much
for Sylvie to climb the hill, and she
did not go out often in the carriage.
Still / did not go down to see her un-
less they sent for me.
One day the buggy came for me in
great haste, and l went, although /
grumbled all the way.
When they put Sylvie's little daugh-
ter in my arms, / kissed her because
l just couldn't help It; but l didn't
make any fuss over her, and l won
dered audibly IL there was any need OF
my hanging around there any longer.
Dicks face was very grave, and he
asked me to stay a few days, il I
could. / only shifted and made him no
reply. / didn't offer to do anything at
all that next day; indeed there was no
need.
That night, though, Sylvie grew
worse, and when l went to her I found
she was in danger Of her life, just
through the carelessness of her nurse.
Well. / just swept her, and all the
rest out Of the room, and fell on my
knees by the bed and prayed God 10
forgive me.
/ think He did, for I pulled her
through. Even the doctor, and he
didn't like me very much either. said
/ saved her.
For ten days and nights I stood over
her with only brief intervals of rest.
Afterwards nothing was said of my
going home, and / was glad, for I did
not want to go. My pride all left me
the night I thought Sylvie would die,
and I knew I had neglected her
through my stubbornness. Now I
wanted to be nea some one I loved.
/ was glad they named the baby
after me; 1t made me feel / had a lit
tie share in her. too. .
The baby was a sweet little crea-
ture. and / softened toward Dick