The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1918-03-30
LITTLEST SISTER
BY N c. 5RocAN.

face of the young woman bending
above her. A Madonna-like face Il
was with tender, brooding eyes, ye'
eyes which q sudden sunny smile
could transform into dancing merri
ment.
ut is lovely to have you here" said
the child, before you came, II was
so lonely. That's what 1t means, j
guess. to be the %llttlest sister, Special
Iy when you've had a different mother
from the rest. They were all quite
grown up you know, when my mother
came, and they didn't need her. Praps
that's why she went away to cav
Daddy did not like to be bothered"
aThe biggest sister had said Mercy
me- the child's too old to have a
nurse and going to school, VIII not
need a governess, whatever shall we
do with herr And / told her to adj
yertise for "a sort Of sister. Some
one to fix my clothes and read to me,
and stay In at night when everyone
else was away. Obi you don't know
how dreadful 1t Is to be the littlest
sister"
The u nodded. 81 do
know, darling" she replied, II was
lust like that" There was a sudden
catch in the sweet voice. "They closed
the DOORS" she went on dreamily,
"and went their different ways, and L
was left alone"
For all of the EVENING"" asked the
child.
Forever" answered the girl.
"And they did not come backr"
The young woman sadly shook her
head. "There were so many things
In the world to keep them busy" she
said.
The child leaned forward eagerly.
''Then, whatever did you dol"
Into the somber eyes danced the
sunny smile. "Why l came here" the
girl replied. "Your advertisement
seemed just written for me, to make a
little sister happy was so exactly the
thing l wanted to do"
"You might have been a secretary,f
the child suggested shrewdly, "and
have made more money" Again the
companion smiled.
81 was very stupid she said, "about
making money. Perhaps / had forgot
ten all that 1 knew, n caring for my
invalid father"
"well,- the child answered cheerful
", "that was a good thing for me.
I'm so much In the way, they all tell
me that, and they never did want me
at all. Now, the biggest sister is go
ing to be married and the other d 60
ing abroad. The brother is going
abroad, too, the one who calls me that
kid and
The young woman turned about,
"Not,- she asked b~reathlessly, 'the
tall brother with the deep true eyes,
not, the brother with the kind voice
which makes you feel that somebody
cares-he-is not going awayf'
The child regarded her companion
perplexedly, then shook her head. "Oh,
no,y she said, "that is the oldest broth.
er who has always been painting pic
lures somewhere far away. He came
back not long ago, and yesterday he
came up here to my big BE
was so very grave and so very cross,
that I was afraid. So he said, you
are the little one7 Where, is shef
l s'pose he meant the biggest sister
and I told him and he went away"
The girl caught the child In her
arms. "He asked like that?" she
questioned eagerly, quickly, anxious.
ly, like thatf"
Bewildered the child nodded, then
raised a startled face. "what was thai
noise, back there among the shad
owsT' she asked.
"You are fanciful," the girl replied
"a log broke In the fire. Let me hold
you close and I will tell a story:
"Once upon a time a great artist
came back TO his native land to see
his own, and perhaps to wed a won
drous lady. The hearts of his sisters
were set upon this choice, for great
was her influence In the world Of let
tiers, and very great was her wealth
To marry her, would be to bring e
the artist all those things for which he
had struggled so, the sisters told
a humble maid of their dwelling. This
maid had but dared to raise her eye:
to the man, as he passed her upon the
stair, or-in the garden. Had but
dared, meeting him upon the road, Il
ride home at his side In the great au
tomobile. Yet the sisters seemed Il
know of the dream she had dreamed
alone in her own little room with tn,
stars for company. And so the mai
den found that she must go away be
the kindness OF his eyes grew 81
akin to love,-because the gentlenesi
Of his voice thrilled to tenderness"
Didn't she care-for-him7 2" tn.
child asked drowsily.
ut was because she cared so yer,
much" answered the girl. "that sh,
determined to go away-that he nigh
marry the wonderful lady, who coult
bring to him victory" A tear splash
ed down upon the now ~sleeDing eve,