Weekly American. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1858-1858, 1858-01-16
WASHINGTON.
KITTY C0LEM AN.
BY THE LATE MRS. JUDsoN
..... ..... ,. FANNY FoRREsrER)

| SAID all sorts OF strange things to your heart,
and yet look SO innocent all the time, as though
conducting herself with the utmost propriety,
and her warm, ripe lips, making you think at
| once of the "rose's bed that bee would choose
to dream in. And 80 wild and unmanageable
was she-oh! it was shocking for proper peo-
pie to look at her! And then to hear her too! I!
why she actually laughed aloud, Kitty Cole
man did! | say Kitty, because everybody
called her Kity but her Aunt Martha; she
was an orderly gcntewoman, who disapproved
of loud laughing, rompng and nick naming, as
she did of other crimes; so that she always
said Miss Catharine She thought so too, that
Miss Catharine's hair--these long, golden locks,
like rays of floating sunshine wandering about
i her shoulders, should be gathered up into a
comb, and the little lady was once really so
| obGging as to make trial of the scheme, but at
the first bound she made after Rover, the bur-
nished cloud broke from its ignoble bondage,
decending in glittering shower, and the little
silver comb nestled down in the deep grass,
resgning its Office of jailor forever. Oh! Kitty
was sad romp! 1t was hard thing to say
of one we all loved so well; but aunt Martha
said it and shook her head the while, and the
Squire, Aunt Martha's brother, said it, and
held out his arms for his friend to spring into /;
and serious old ladies said it, and said too, what
pity that young ladies now days had no
more regard for propriety. Even Enoch Snow,
the great phrenologist, buried his fingers in
those dainty locks that none but a phrenologist
has right to touch, and waiting only for a
succession of peals of vocal music, which inter-
rupted his scientific researches to subside, said
that her organ of mirthfulness was very, very,
strikingly developed This, then, placed the
matter beyond controversy; and it was hence
forth expected that Kitty would do what no.
body else could do, and say what nobody else
had right to say; and the sin of all, luckily for
her was to be laid on a strange idiosyncracy q
peculiar mental, or rather cerebral conforma-
tion, over which she had no control; and so
Kitty was forgiven-forgiven by all but.
We had little story to tell.
have heard that Cupid is blind; but of that
| do not believe word-indeed, have "con-
tirmation strong" that the malicious little
knaye has the gift of clairvoyance, aiming at
hearts wrapped in the triple foldings ofsefsh-
ness, conceit and gold Aye, didn't he perch
himself now in the eye, and now on the lip of
Kitty Coleman, and with marvellous steady
aim, initiating parsonage trihe more dread
ed, "cut down all both great and SMALL"
Blind! no, no-he saw fiirt too we'll when he
counted out his arrows; and the laughing
/
peeped into his empty quivcr and then looked
abroad upon the havoc he had made. But peo-
pie said that there was one who had escaped
him, awinsome gallant for whom all but Kitty
Coleman had bright glance anda gentle word
AS for Kitty she cared not rush for Harry
Gay, and sought,to annoy him in all her power,
and the gentleman in his turn stalkel past her
with all the dignity of great mans ghost
Bitter, bitter enemies were Harry Gay and
Kitty Coleman. One evening, Just because
the pretty belle was present, Harry took il into
his head to be as stupid as block or scholar,
for, Notwithstanding his promising name, cur
young Lucifer could be stupid. Kitty Coleman
was very sngry, as'was proper-for what right
had any one TO be stupid in her presence? The
like was never heard of before. Kitty, in her
indignation, said he did not know how to be
civil; and then she sighed, doubtless, at the
boorishneSs of scholars in general, and this one
| in particular; and then she laughed so long and
musically, that the lawyer, the schoolmas.er,
the four clerks, the merchant, and Lithpcr
Lithpet, the dandy, all joined in the chorus,
though for the life of them, they could not
have told what the lady laughed at Harry
Gay drew up his head with as much dignity as
though he had known the mirth was at his eX-
panse, cast contemptuous glances towards the
group of nod-waiters, and then, to show his own
superior taste, attached himself TO the ugliest
woman in the room. 1t was very strange that
Kitty Coleman should have dsrega' ded entire,
ly the opinion of such diStingue gentleman,
but she only laughet the louder whyn she saw
that he was annoyed by it; indeed his serious
face seemed to infuse the very spirit aye, the
concentrated double distilled essence Of mirth
into her; and a more frolicsome creature never
existed than she was, till the irritated scholar,
unable TO endure it any longer disappeared in
the quietest manner possible. Then all ofa sud-
den the selEwilled belle declared that she hated
parties, she,never would go to another; and
making her adicus in the most approved don't
care style, insisted on being taken home at
| once.
Harry Gay was not native Of our village
he came from one Of eastern cities TO spend a
summer there; and Aunt Martha said he was
too well bred to have any patience with the
hoydenish IN minners Of her romping niece. But
Kitty insisted that her manners were not hoy
denish; and if Ter heart oycrhowcd, it was not
her fault, she could not shut up all the glad
feelings within her, they would leap back to
the call Of their kindred, gushing from other
bosoms, and to all the beautiful things of crea-
tion, as joyous in their mute eloqucnce as she
| was DeslueS, Jne WlCKeu lIJle hltly OOletnaH
was always angry that beI Aunt Martha should
attempt to govern her conduct by the likings
of Harry Gay; she would not be dictated to
by him, even though his opinions received the
sanction Of her infallible aunt. But the lady
made tritllng mistake on the subject matter
of his interference. lie did not SANDER her
and always waived the theme of her follies
when her Aunt Martha introduced it, indeed
he never was heard to speak Of the belle, but
oncc-once he swore she had no soul-(tht
shameless Mahommedan)-a remark which
was only five minutes in reaching its object
But Kitty Coleman, though very indignant
was not cast down by it. She called Harry Gay
more names than he, scholar and all as he was
could have thought Of in a month, and wount
up with remark no less formidable than the
ono that excited her ire. And Kitty was right
A pretty judge Of soul he, to be sure--a mar
that never laughed how on earth can pcopl,
who go through the world cold and still, lik
the clods they tread upon, pretend TO know
anything about souls2
Harry Gay used TO get to Squire Coleman
, very often, and sit all the evening and tall
with the Squire and Aunt Martha, while hi
great black eye turned slowly in the direction
Kitty moved; but Kitty would not look at him
not she. What right had stranger, and visi
| tor too IN vnaka c,,ch a orent norodn NJ hi