Show miss hope and miss desire f frederica edmunds copyright mr john mellan paced his small if arary his hands clasped under a frayed smoking jacket which was al most the only article in the room that did not betray excessive new nes this cosy room the luxurious fur the fresh papers and magazines which justified the name of 11 arary were all his aye other equal ly well appointed rooms and alve dinners as good as the one just eaten he who bad scarcely owned anything before but his clothes and his tobacco pouch and this good fortune had come to him in his prime tor he was not halt through his third score of years and a man Is still young at it had come as a blessed bolt out of a clear sky for who could have foretold that cousin tom who had dug his own gold from gullies in the sweat of his back would have made john mellan his heir mr mellan soon became interested in his neighbors the lady in the gar den hat who occasionally came from the cottage next door was more than passably fair A backward alon between his dog and her cat one day served as a slight introduction the acquaintance thus brought about by browser and mouser progressed as naturally as the growing things of that early summer time mr mellan good natu repaired the rotting halings palings through which browser had made so rude an entrance and this time he was prettily thanked by a lady in another style of garden hat and a lavender dress apparently the sister of his first acquaintance lie began to wonder how he had endured his prosaic life before this interesting episode next mr good offices were acknowledged by the presentation through the lady in green of a few choice flowers made into a stiff bouquet and tied with pink cord the gentleman was ot course pleased to return the compliment to her in lavender by a dish of strawberries from the old bed be had been so glad to find then one day when mr mellan had heard the sisters voices in the gar den deploring a windstorm which had broken down their canterbury bells he was nonplussed sed to find himself lottering ottering ott ering his services to a lady in a neutral tint of gown and with brown uncovered hair I 1 have brought a few stakes misa cummungs he said tor at least he ahad learned the family name it you will just allow me oh no trouble at all down browser sir I 1 think your sister has spoiled him a little madam with tho bones and neither he nor I 1 always know which Is miss cummungs with this explanation he proceeded to make himself useful the lady laughed so gayly that be was sure it was the lavender one 1 I am miss hope she said call my sister miss desire it you choose and so throughout that charming summer mr mellan grew dally more interested in his fair neighbors or rather neighbor for the two he never saw together nor ever quite felt he knew them apart at last came an october evening when an almost summer heat hovered in the air and large golden stars peeped through shriveling vines at mr john mellan on his piazza A wooden screen at the end of his balcony cut off the sight of the corresponding sp excrescence on the other house but a gentle rustle of feminine skirts had already been heard thereon bringing a wild and daring thought to the mind of the lonely bachelor it he only could it he only might just a neighborly call and for once compare the sisters side by side but now there ABS the sound of china and glass adjusted upon a hard table the misses cummungs were evidently about to refresh themselves in some dainty feminine way it was too late even had he dared to venture suddenly the grave voice of miss hope broke the mellow allence and dear we must have patience to endure this as other trials over which we have been so lovingly guided but I 1 admit it Is hard some retrenchment indeed we could bear without complaint but to think of leaving this bouse this garden where we have been so happy this summer oh it Is hard you have been such a dear good patient such an angel in all that wo have been called upon to bear sometimes it makes me feel very foolish when I 1 think of your fortitude and courage the voice which had begun with such trustful exhortation trembled more with each succeeding clause finally breaking into sobs mr mellan an involuntary eaves dropper in the perfect quiet of the clinched his bands and gritter gritted bard his teeth while beads of mois lure not directly traceable to the beat stood upon his brow could it be that she they were going to leave their home could it be that next summer there would bo no neighboring with mouser ajeet In suffer abbel but what was he to them and which wag she the siren who had so strongly drawn his heart miserable mr neier lad lover a harder problem to solie the only thing was to go over at once acknowledge his eavesdropping and offer help but with what right his dilemma might still exist and what was he to them yet might he not serve as a friend but no he would not go now and then mellan mortal like contradicted his own decision by act ing quite the contrary his face grew pale even in the sight 0 miss hope cummungs who admitted him manlike he did not know what alon to offer and his heart beat like a trip hammer it was she who had to smooth the awkward meeting be seated she said and let me thank you tor coming tonight to night I 1 feel I 1 need a friend and then mr mellan blundered into his confession 1 I heard he said and indeed I 1 want to bo a friend nothing will make me happier than to be of service to you and I 1 trust you will feel be seated she said that you can open your heart to me 1 I am in difficulties explained miss cummungs gently in which I 1 have no one to advise me and then impulsively as it seemed she entered almost eagerly into full details mr mellan listened dazed and dl tided in mind at last he asked hesitatingly but your sister miss desire surely this affects her the light from the candelabrum plain ly showed a change in miss honeg face there was a thrill too in he het t voice almost of supplication as she said I 1 still have an explanation to offer a confession which I 1 owe to you be tore I 1 can accept the least of houi good offices mr mellan I 1 have na sister I 1 live alone and have done sc ever since my brother duncan died I 1 12 years ago desire Is but a creature of my own imagining into whom would gladly have breathed the breath of life my brother and I 1 were left alone and he poor soul was very deaf there had never been much in common between us and with his at you understand then came his decline in health and my heart smote me he would have no help for his ears so I 1 knew I 1 must have it for my over weak voice I 1 tried every known system for strengthening the vocal organs constantly by myself I 1 talked to keep in practice it was a help and I 1 know the reading and my music helped poor duncan through those last three years miss hope paused a moment as though to control a reminiscent agitation then continued 1 I think I 1 hardly could have en dured my solitude afterwards but for that other self to whom I 1 had talked GO long I 1 have kept up the habit and desire has been the greatest comfort to me sister friend and almost mother and now you have my story mr mellan she concluded forgive me it I 1 have seemed to play a double part I 1 feel that I 1 have no right to your friendship you who are so good and noble when I 1 have deceived you as I 1 have but really I 1 had no such intention la the beginning it was merely the carrying out of the happy delu blon with which I 1 had consoled myself for so long but mr usually ruddy face had paled with something that was not anger had he not been admitted into the of most sacred associations while listening to the un folding of the simple domestic mys tery now he trembled almost vis ably as he leaned forward to take the white hand held out I 1 thank you I 1 thank iou he said tor the confidence air have given me iet me bo bour friend until and then he stopped but it was not long before john mellan was able to finish that sentence saying proudly until now that I 1 have this assurance that my hope and my desire are one for miss cummungs too had found an answer to a qute undreamed da biro |