THE MODEL SISTER.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume V, Issue 406, 23 June 1849, Page 4

THE MODEL SISTER.

There is one in every home ; the very worst brother that ever refused to take his sisters out walking, must recollect a Model Sister. It was she who mended all his gloves, and used to practice waltzing with him in the drawing-room, and ran over *' The Maid of Langollen," at least fifty times, before he c-juglit the right air. It was she who was the coufi lant of all bis h«iyish loves, and wrote his first attempts at love- letters, and curled his hair when be wanted to be *' very smart.!' , It was she who always ran and opened the door fur him when :t was mining and fetched wha«ever he wanted^out of !ns bed- room, and a!wd)s had " so J me"sijver " wlien he was going out, »ni was positive she *' could spare

it. " These loans occurrred pretty often, anq yet did she ever allude to them, or get tired ©f lending 1 Brothers have short memories — but you know it is a fact. If "papa was angry at your being out so late," wasn't she in tbe passage to warn you, and to ask you " how you could be so foolish ?" If she was fearful* of a disturbance, didn't she wait outside, and rush in, and, with her arms round her father's neck, beg of him " not to speak so harsh to you ?" If she knew you had' no dinner, wasn't the cloth always laid for you in a private room ; whilst, by some means, she got you a glass of wine, and came in and out to see if there was anything you wanted ? Again, if you had been " out," and complained of being hungry, didn't she steal down stairs, and when they were all in bed, smuggle a tray of cold meat into your room, and never forgot the pickles? And if any harsh voicj called out loudly, " Who's that up stairs ?" didn't she put her hand over your mouth, and call out, "Its only me, papa." Besides, who in illness nured you ? Who was it that brought you up your tea, aiid gave you your medicine, and would tempt you with: delicate puddings, sago, and "such nice, water gruel," ami would sit up with you all night,, and bat lie y>ur temples, ami ki&'s you, and be on her feet it' you only turned, and a.-k ji>u a thousand times if you felt bitter, and half crying call you " dear brother " — wordsj you know, thai never sound so touching as in a sick room. More thaii this, have you no recollection when you were very, very ill, waking up and finding her kneeling at your bedside ? You have lelt this — you must have— eveiy one has — and you have loved her with a.l your soul, though perhaps you were too weak at the time to say' it. She was always k ud — always repaying a brother's roughness with gentleness — and thinking herself more than rewarded if you only walked* out with her, or spared an evening, not mere than one in the wi ole year, to take her to the theatre. Hot grateful she was, too, il you read to her of an evening, whilst she was working — knitting, probably, a beautiful steel purse, '.the destination ol which was only learnt on your next birthday ! You have nut forgotten either her coming to see you at school, and biiugiug you Lrge bags of ginger-bread and oranges, and a plum-cake made with her own hands; and her walking with you, hand in hand, round the play-around, or through the neighbouring fields, making you all the while display, by her affectionate questions, your wonder'u! store of hall-year's learning, whilst mamma listened and admired by your happy side ? Who was it, too, that attended to jour linen both when you were a hoy, and when you were at that neutral sge, vibrating between manhood and childhood, which is called (no one ran tell why) hobbedelioyhood ; and, when asked, replaced all stray buttons, sewed missing strings on collars, hemmed your scarfs, was the fiist to teach you the difficult art of tying your neck handkerchiefs, trimmed your nails, packed your box when you were going anywh:re, and even accompanied you, taking courage from your cowardice, to the dentist's ? Who was the companion of all your romps, and used to puil.your sprouting whiskers, and make you quizzical presents of bear's grease, and bring you home all the fine things she had heard the young ladies say about her "darling broher?" Who ever took such pains to make that "darling brother" smart or admired him more, and d meed only with him when she wouldn't dance with anybody, else? And when there was " a little disagreement " at home, and you were' hiding in a garret, nursing your pride, which had been hurl by some hard word, or trying to cure your young- ; man's dignity thai had been sadly wounded by an angry blow, who came to see you oftener, bringing you always " a few things that mother had put up for >ou," and, by, ber kindness, gradually lei you home, where she knew too well your father was only waiting to receive you with open arms?' You were angry at tbe time with the artifice, but soon lost your auger in the depths of your affection, and the quick joy of the reconciliation^' Who did all this ? You must remembe'r~if ever you had a childhood— your heart tells you it was your Sister. If 'not sensible, then, of all the love wiich was being- daily forced with such mildness on you, you must feel it now, and will turn back with me, and, in your brother's heart, try to thank, as I now thank, with a life's pent-up gratitude,- that Model Sister. — > From Mayhem's Model Women.