Bunner Sisters

the church which thesisters attended, and after it was over the few guests who had beenpresent repaired to

of whitechrysanthemums stood between a dish of oranges and bananas and aniced wedding-cake wreathed with orange-blossoms of the bride's ownmaking. Autumn leaves studded with paper rose

ng-girl, a pale young thing who had helped withEvelina's outfit, Mr. and Mrs.

ty seemed to pervadethe room to the efface

r by a sudden blossoming into feminine grace such assometimes follows on a gawky girlhood. The Hochmullers, in fact,struck the dominant note in the entertainment. Beside themEvelina, unusually pale in her grey

t centred about the twoguests she had most wished to exclude from it. What was said ordone while they all sat about the table she never afterwardrecalled: the long hours

llins, Mrs. Hawkinsand Johnny, who dropped in to help in the ungarlanding and tidyingup of the back room. Ann Eliza was duly grateful for theirkindness, but the "talkin

. She had nohigh musings to offer to the new companion of her hearth. Everyone of her thoughts had hitherto turned

ace had changed with the changed conditionsof Ann Eliza's life. The first customer who opened the shop-doorstartled her like a ghost; and all night s

nation forthese noises, telling herself that the bedstead was warping, thatMiss Mellins trod heavily overhead, or that the thunder of passingbeer-waggons shook the door-latch; but the hours leading up tothese conclusions were full of the floating terrors that hardeninto fixed foreboding. Worst of all were the solitary meals, whenshe absently continued to set aside the largest

n empty days, Evelina

gs of solitude I haveunderwent since I came here. We are boarding now, but soon expectto find rooms and change our place of Residence, then I shall haveall the care of a household to bear, but such is the fate of thosewho join their Lot with others, they cannot hope to escape from theburdens of Life, nor would I ask it, I would not live alway butwhile I live would always pray for strength to do my duty. Thiscity is not near as large or handsome as New York, but had my lotbeen cast in a Wilderness I hope I should not repine, such neverwas my nature, and they who exchange their independence for thesweet name of Wife must be prepared to find all is not gold thatglitters, nor I would not expect like you to drift down the streamof Life unfettered and serene as a Summer cloud, such is not myfate, but

om them that Evelina and her husband, aftervarious costly experiments in boarding, had been reduced to atenement-house flat; that living in St. Louis was more expensivethan they had supposed, and that Mr. Ramy

Mr. Ramy's shop, and pictures of domestic disordermingled with the more poignant vision of her sister's illness. Butsurely if Evelina were ill Mr. Ramy would have written. He wrotea small neat hand, and epistolary communication was not aninsuperable embarrassment to him. The too probable alternative wasthat both the unhappy pair had been prostrated by some diseasewhich left

s by whom Mr. Ramy wasemployed. After much hesitation, and considerable effort, sheaddressed to them a

te the partyyou refer to was discharged from our employ a month

curt statement in a stupor ofdistress. She had lost her last trace of Evelina.

eadily dwindled as the winterpassed. She had long since renounced her weekly visit to thebutcher, and had reduced her other expenses to the narrowestmeasure; but the most systematic frugality had not enabled her toput by any money. In spite of her dogged efforts to maintain theprosperity of the little shop, her sister's absence had alreadytold on its business.

adywith puffed sleeves, who had always looked at her so kindly, andhad once ordered a hat of Evelina. Perhaps the lady with puffedsleeves would be able to get her a little plain sewing to do; orshe might recommend the shop to friends. Ann Eliza, with thispossibility in view, rummaged out of a drawer the fly-blownremainder of the business cards which the sisters had ordered inthe f

uctance; but when she began tothink the matter over she was faced by a new difficulty. On theoccasion of her only visit to Mrs. Hochmuller, she and Evelina hadsuffered themselves to be led there by Mr. Ramy; and

rst she could think of no other confidant. Then she rememberedMrs. Hawkins, or rather her husband, who, though Ann Eliza hadalwa

s, but at least she was spared the cross-examination to which the dress-maker would

's confidence with an almost masculineindifference, while she rocked her teething bab

and down on herfoot to-day. And what are you gaping at, Johnny? Run right offand play," she added, turning ste

le the children, after scattering at herbidding, returned to their previous pursuit

ind thatMrs. Hochmuller's address in the d'rectory. I know they've got onewhere he works.""I'd be real thankful if he could,"