The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1907-08-30
A CHANGE
OF HEART
(Copyright. by Joseph B. Bowles.)
BY MAUD 8.

l was the only one who objected to
Sylvie's marriage. Everyone else in
the village thought she did 90 we'll.
Sylvie vas my sister and several
years my Junior. We were a large
family once, but now only she and l
were left, and we chung more closely
than ever together.
She was SO pretty and lovable, I
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
n 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 my
lips smiled.
Sylvie met Dick Ormond the summer
she was 10. l 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. I had
been used to seeing Sylvie made much
over; l almost w%orshiped her my
self.
They became great friends, but I 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 q famous college, and then
he was coming back to practice with
his uncle, Lawyer Benson. l didn't
like the old gentleman, and I remem-
Der I told Sylvie that I hated lawyers.
She looked quite grieved, for you see
that was Dicks profession.
I do not think I was sad in those
days; I'm afraid I was cross. I know
l was morbid and heavy-hearted with
an uneasy Of coming loss. I
must have known eve then how 1t
would end; but l was 10th to acknowl-
edge ever to myself that Sylvie could
ever love another better than me.
When Dick came home in the spring
he asked her II she loved him we'll
enough to marry him in the fall, and
help him make a homo. The dear
child! how happy she was, and, thank
God. is yet!
OuAO NV AOAuoC Lily NoLoCAl, L hou
no reasonable grounds, but l looked
with strong ~disapproval on every
thing. Yet l remember how l worked
and planned that Sylvie's outfit might
be dainty and complete. She timidly
proposed that l should live with item
in the cottage on the hill, and assured
me Dick was willing.
But I am mott" l answered grimly,
and l made our old sewing machine
fairly rattle as the yards of dainty
ruffiing 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 60 and
live there when still refused to go to
them. They asked me to let my care
Of the house settle all question of rent
between us, but l was paying rent on
the house where Sylvie and I had
lived, and SO l insisted on paying them
the same II I made the change.
Sylvie used often to come up and sit
with me, because I 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 I did not go down to see her n
less they sent for me.
One day the buggy came for me In
great haste. and l went, although I
grumbled all the way.
When they put Sylvie's little daugh-
ter in my arms, l kissed her because
I just couldn't help it; but I didn't
make any fuss over her, and I Won
dered audibly II there was any need of
my hanging around there any longer.
Dicks face was very grave, and he
asked mo to stay a few days, II I
| COulO. ! only 8uluSU anu mace ulm no
reply. I didn't offer to do anything at
all that next day; indeed there was no
need.
That night, though, Sylvie grew
worse, and when I went to her l found
she was In danger of her life, just
through the carelessness of her nurse.
Well. I just swept her, and all the
rest out Of the room, and fell on my
knees by the bed and prayed God to
forgive me
1 think He did, for I pulled her
through. Even the doctor, and he
didn't like me very much either, said
I 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 knew I had neglected her
through my s~tubbornness. Now I