simply parted over the forehead. They were both somewhat taller
than her, and were nearly of a height. But in appearance, as in
disposition, Gertrude carried by far the greater air of command.
She was the handsomer of the two, and the cleverer. She could
write French and nearly speak it, while her sister could only
read it. She could play difficult pieces from sight, which it
took her sister a morning's pains to practise. She could fill in
and finish a drawing, while her sister was still struggling, and
struggling in vain, with the first principles of the art.

But there was a softness about Linda, for such was the name of
the second Miss Woodward, which in the eyes of many men made up
both for the superior beauty and superior talent of Gertrude.
Gertrude was, perhaps, hardly so soft as so young a girl should
be. In her had been magnified that spirit of gentle raillery
which made so attractive a part of her mother's character. She
enjoyed and emulated her mother's quick sharp sayings, but she
hardly did so with her mother's grace, and sometimes attempted it
with much more than her mother's severity. She also detested
fools; but in promulgating her opinion on this subject, she was
too apt to declare who the fools were whom she detested.

It may be thought that under such circumstances there could be
but little confidence between the sisters; but, nevertheless, in
their early days, they lived together as sisters should do.
Gertrude, when she spoke of fools, never intended to include
Linda in the number; and Linda appreciated too truly, and admired
too thoroughly, her sister's beauty and talent to be jealous of
either.