Year: 1868

her hand where she did not love. Ionly meant tt
pray you to let nothing separate us. However
she may decide, one at least of us will have btte
need of consolation. Goyou first; myself think
your hope is better than mine"


He would have hesitated then, but urged hin
forward. If he succeeded, she would never know
how my whole being had poured out its alteration
before her if he failed I could but try my fate
also. He was not there long, 1 was cool enough
in the midst of my suspense, to know that he had
been absent but few moments when he opened
the library door. His face was white with rerres
sed suffering He came tome and said hoarsely-


Brother, she doesnot love me. I told her you
would come next. She said something in answer
did not hear what. Go you in now"


found her weeping, but she reused herself al
the sound of my footstep, and cried passionately


"Not you-not you also Do not give me the
pain Of thinking that Imust wound my best friend
Your brother said you were coming, and l tolc
him it would be of no use You would not wan
me without my love. Oh wretched girl that
am to have brought unhappiness to the roof thai
IoutllCICQ ulC WuCu was al VI puoa Sho oAoHS'
| I found strength to answer her.


''Do not fear, dear Margaret. You have brought
us more good than evil We are men. We vii
conquer ourselves like men, You shall be our sis
ter, when you can forgive US for the pain we have
caused you"


I went out to Abijah, who waited for me.


II have failed ALSO it was all could say.


His arms opened and clasped about me in or
embrace such as those with which we had comfort.
ed each other in boyhood I had lost Margaret
but had found again my brother. I have moth
more to say about the suferings that followed. Il
is idle to dwell upon it. God sent it, and we bore
it manfully. and my brother.


The next day there came to US little note IRON
Margaret. 1t was such an one as it was like hel
kindness and delicacy to write. She had chosen
that mode of communication because she thought
it would be easier than to speak to US of what sc
nearly concerned her own heart. She wrote very
tenderly, thanking US far more warmly than We
deserved for our kindness to her, lonely orphan,
praisng US far beyond our poor merits, and telling
us it would have been scarcely possible for girl
whose heart was free to have remained insensible
to our devotion For herself, hers was not free.
Before she came to US it had passed from her keep
ing She had loved and been beloved by the ply.
sician-a young man poor but talented-who at
tended her mother in her last illness. She had
never known his love for her until he bid her fare
we'll the day before he left Oswego Then he told
her all, and though, because he must be, for a
long time to come, too poor to marry, he would
not permit her to bind herself by any engagement
she knew that he looked upon her as his future
wife. She took great blame to herself for not
having told us this at first IF there had been 8
Mrs. Smith she was sure she should have con6ded
all to her; but, as there was no actual promise Of
marriage, she could not bring herself to speak ot
it to US, particularly as she never supposed it pos
sible that she should possess any hold upon oul
hearts save the generous sympathy. which had o,
pened them to her. She hoped in time VIC should
both be far happier than she would have made
either of u.s. She knew US too well, alas to think
we had loved her with love to be at once con-
quered; but time and her absence, for she must
leave us now, would bring healing.


We read the letter together, and as VIC finished
my brother looked up.


"We have much more than enough for two soil
tary men let us make her happy with part OF it. u
| He had uttered the thought that was in my
heart also. He replied to Margaret's letter, fol
nature had made him more eloquent than I. He
begged her to remain with us, by entreaties thai
could not be resisted; e1culpating her from the
faintest shadow of blame, and claimed her, in be-
half of US both, and for the sake of the tender
love between our dead mother, for our sister, hence
forth.


In the meantime I wrote to DR.. Wentworth, a
Oswego, informing him that circumstances had in
duced my ward to con6de to me the relations ex
listing between them, and limiting that her dowry
would be sufficient to make their marriage prudent
at any time. In conclusion, begged leave to Of
fer him the advice of man who had seen more o.
life than himself not to delay his happiness TOT
late


It ended as we had foresecn and intended. W.
persuaded Margaret to remain with us until she
was married, and that was not long,


The dear child was very happy, though I coule
see with what delicate tenderness she strove not t.
show us all her JOY We see her often, and We
like to think that she owes part Of her happiness
tous. 1t is all the sweeter that she does not know
it,


We live alone again in the old house, with tht
old servants. The paper on the walls, the carpets
on the foors have grown dim, and time has soft
ened little the memory of the sharpest woune
our hearts ever received. We have given up al
thoughts of love and marriage. We shall live to
gether till death parts us; but when that houl
comes, and they pull down the sign of ''Smitf
Brother" there will be no one to take our place.


THE OLD RED SLEIGH.


After mother had gone to bed, I went up stair:
and brought down my writing desk There were
some sheets of paper and some delicate envelopes
which had been there for months stored within
and silver pen and pen-hande which had been {