The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-06-20
A Mistake
The Story Of How Two
Sisters Were Reunited.
By PAULINE D. EDWARDS

Although the Horner sisters had lived
In the same house for forty years, dur
ing twenty Of those long years they
had not exchanged a word.
No one in ROsedale knew why Abb
gail had suddenly taken up her resi-
dence in the north wing Of the old
house and Sophia had settled her be-
longings in the sunny south half. At
the time conjecture had been rife. but
the nine days wonder had settled into
Q strong conviction that they had dis
agreed over the 'prop'ty," for it was
shortly after old Judge Horners death
that the estrangement began.
Every Sunday morning the sisters
stepped primly down the graveled path
to the gate and in wordless silence
wended their way to church and up
the aisle to the HOrner pew. In vain
had the pastor demonstrated with them
singly and together. While open to
reason and conviction on every other
point, they were dumb regarding the
cause of their wOrdless strife.
digging among her pansies. She was
slight and pale. with pleasant, mild
face that now and then startled one
by settling into firm lines around the
mouth. Abigail's features were cast
in a sterner mold, and the lines abOr4
her mouth were deeper. and this char
acteristic feature In both sisters was
known as "Horner spunk," and 1t was
generally agreed that "Horner spunk"
was at the root of the trouble.
Abigail stood under the cedars with
a copy of the county paper in her hand.
She was slowly reading an article for
the fifth time:
The Rev. Paul Weemers, pastor Of tha
Park Methodist church. New York. VII.
preach in the First church at Roseoals
on Sunday evening next. It will be re-
membered that the First church Of Rose
dale was Mr.. Weemers' first charge. ara
his return will be the occasion of much
pleasure to his old friends and parshion-
ers. Mr.. Weemers will be accompanied
by his wife.
She looked across the lockwood hedge
into Sophia's garden. The news would
interest Sophia as we'll as herself
Abigail thought of this as she stood
there looking at Sophia's STOPPING
form. There was certain stern in
tegrity about Abigail that urged her
to break the long silence and to i'm
part the news she had read to her sis
ter. There was an underlying tender
ness, too, toward her younger sister
that the bitter resentment of years
could not destroy. She resolved that
Sophia should not be taken unawares.
She leaned over the hedge and drop
ped the newspaper under Sophia s
nose.
Sophia sQueaked with surprise as the
paper ratified among the pansies, and
there was blank astonishment in hel
nearsighted eyes as she lifted them tc
gaze upon the grim. uncOmprOmisine
face Of her sister.
The latter pointed to the paper with
an old time gesture Of command, ant
Sophia. adjusting her spectacles
sought the wrong page with agitatet
eagerness. Then she turned the sheet
and presently nervous cluck and tn,
dull reddening Of her cheek announced
that she had found the item. In he
excitement the younger woman spoke
"He will call" she said softly. as IL t,
herself.
The next day was Saturday, and al
day long Sophia's lavender muslin huni
on the clothesline, bending and swayin
In the soft west wind like a mist,
wrath Of Sophia herself. Abigail look
ed sternly upon the dress. She hat
been on her way to the front chambe
to look over well preserved summe
silk, but the sight of the dress scenes
to proclaim the boldness of Sophia
bOldness that was unexpected and tina
seemed to rouse a stern maidenlines
in the older woman. She reddene
darkly and went hastily downstair
again.
In the solitude of her own fror
room she sat and thought. The ster
upbringing of the Horner girls ha
discouraged the coming of suitors. an
1t was not until after their father
death that Paul Weemers came I
preach at the First church. He ha
been equally attentive to both sister
and 1t was perhaps natural that eac
should believe herself to be the pr
ferred one and the other an interlOpe
When Paul received call to large
parish he came to say goodby, al
when he asked old Hannah If Mis-
Horner was in the sisters appeare
simultaneously. Suddenly Abigail wa
called away. and when she returned
the parlor the young minister had gor
and Sophia was standing at the wi
Cow with a bewildered look on h.
pretty face.
Then a white rage had taken po
session of Abigail. and her tongue hs
loosed upon the frightened Sophia. WI
turned fiercely with upbraiding contr
dictions. After that scene, which I
one witnessed, began the long stlenC
As her thoughts wandered back to Il
past she knew she had been unjust
her sister, for really neither Of the 81
ters had any real reason for thinkir
Mr.. Weemers was I'm love with he
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