angry with his son for playing such a trick on his cousin. You'll see
that there will be a terrible scene." "That's always the way with these
little people," said Braesig, "when the head and the lower part of the
constitution are too near each other, the nature is always fiery." "Ah!"
sighed Mrs. Nuessler as she entered the parlor, "it'll be a miserable
afternoon."

She little knew that misery had long ago taken up its abode in her
house.

Whilst these arrangements were being made down-stairs the twins were
busy sewing in their garret-room. Lina was seated at one window, and
Mina at the other; they never looked up from their work, and never spoke
to each other as in the old days at Mrs. Behrens' sewing-class. They
worked away as busily as if the world had been torn in two, and they had
to sew up the rent with their needles and thread, while their serious
faces and deep sighs showed that they were fully aware of the gravity of
their employment. It was strange that their mother had not told Braesig
how sadly pale they had grown. The change must have been very gradual
for her not to have noticed it. But so it was. The two apple-cheeked
maidens looked as if they had been growing on the north-side of the tree
of life, where no sunbeams could ever come to brighten their existence,
and tinge their cheeks with healthful color. They could no longer be
likened to two apples growing on one stalk. At last Lina's work fell on
her lap, she could go on sewing no more, her eyes were so full of tears,
and then large drops began to roll slowly down her pale cheeks; Mina
took out her handkerchief and wiped her eyes, for her tears were falling
upon her work, and so the two little sisters sat weeping each in her own
window, as if all her happiness were gone past recall.

Suddenly Mina jumped up, and ran out of the room as if she must go out
into the fresh air, but she stopped short on the landing, for she
remembered that her mother might see her and ask her what was the
matter, so she remained outside the door crying silently. And then Lina
started up to go and comfort Mina; but she suddenly remembered that she
did not know what to say to her, so she remained standing within the
room beside the door, crying also. It often happens that a thin wall of
separation rises between two loving hearts, and while each would give
anything to get back to the other, neither will be the first to turn the
handle--for in every such partition wall there is