Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-07-27
THE BELLIES STRATAsEM.

brow ever saw, and her eyes shone with a
light that proved they had always been accus-
toned TO look on the bright side of things Her
father was man of great wealth, stern in his
bearing, and proud Of his position in the world
Her mother was a small, timid, fairy-Iike crea
ture; and do not believe these two people, so
totally unlike each other, could have ever
lived happily together had not Kate been sent
as an equalizer between the two extremes
Their love for her was the only sentiment they
had ever felt in common.
The home Of the Howsrds was a grand old
place, long since past that newness so sugges-
tive OF carpenter, Of chips, of mortar of lum-
b Der, plaster and paint. One could lie down
under one Of the grand old trees in front of the
house and fancy a thousand romances con-
nected with the stately manor, rearing its
white walls near. At the back of the house
lay the garden; and as the pruning passion was
never admitted there, it was q mass OF clam
bering vines, trailing rsses, ivy-cloaked oaks
and beds of myrtle, instead of the priA trees
trimmed till they looked like hopeless old
maids with huge green sun-bonnets on their
heads; roses snatched from native groves, and
made to grow over wooden hoops or monde
script devices made of string and shingle: with
myrtle clipped to resemble a milk-pan full of
greens, and ivies torn down and cast out as in
truders-which is the style of the modern gar
den.
This was Kate's favorite haunt, and in the
shade of the old cherry trees, under the
branches of which were placed a rustic seat,
dld she spend the few hours she devoted to
meditation or day dreaming.
An only child, with great personal attrac-
tons, and the heiress of large fortune suit
ors were, of course, plenty. But Kate seemed
proof against all of Cupid's shafts, however
well directed. There certainly was about the
young lady the most chilling air of indiffer-
ence, when she did not care to make friend
uaran Of
self In. An iceberg were twenty times rs ap-
proachabls and whoever the unlucky wight
who dared to venture near after she had as
sumed this manner, was sure to go away feel
ing as if the mercury had suddenly fallen from
fever heat to zero.
Hospitable in the extreme, Col Howard fire.
quently invited guests to spend several weeks
at a time at his house and himself enioyed
leading the fishing and hunting parties gotten
up at such times, and delighted to display his
own unoroken progress in the manly sports
and games the young men diverted themselves
with IN the long summer twilights.
One evening as he sat upon his front piazza,
chatting with young DR.. Bell and Mr. Ross,
both guests at his house, the evening stage
drew up at the foot Of the lawn, and a young
man alighted. Kate, who was standing in the
front door, watched him as he came up the
walk, and as he mounted the piazza steps re-
turned the distant bow he made her with one
gesture
my father is yOnder, sir
The colonel rose as the newcomer an
proached, and glancing over the letter of in
PRODUCTION the latter handed him. said with a
cordial smile as he finished its perusal, 81 am
glad to welcome you here. Gentlemen, this is
the son of an old friend Of mine-Dr. Bell, Mr..
Ross, this is George Bruce and here, Mr..
Bruce, is my daug ghter," he added, as Kate
denurely advanced, bringing a chair to the
new guest.
Mr.. Bruce was a tall, slender, pale young
man, not at all handsome, but exceedingly
graceful. He seemed like one not much ac-
customed to mixing with the world, for his
Introduction had embarrassed him and he had
blushed twice. Blushes are not used in the
grand toIIete dN monde. They are cosmetics
prepared by nature, and the world replaces
them with the works Of chemists it deems su-
PeriOr. Mr.. Bruce's blush was the sign in the
heavens which led DR.. Bell and Mr. Ross to
suppose that he was q very verdant specimen
OF humanity, against whom they could display
their own superior attractions and accomplish
ments. Whatever Kate thought, did not show
In her face, but she listened without seeming
to, to all MIR. Bruce's conversations with her
father, and more than once, as her eyes wan
dered toward the young mans face, they caught
an exchanged glance passing between DIR Bell
and Mr.. Ross, plainiy indicating that their
opinion Of the stranger was no exalted
one. Yet Mr.. Bruce could talk well it was
only that culture of brain which excludes
ornate culture Of body, that gave him the air of
a man Of little taste. Self-taught, he had been
an earnest student, and the bookworm is not
of that species which spends its life weaving
slken cocoons In which TO encase its form. He
was poor; but the future to him looked doubly
bright, viewed from the shadows of the past,
and TO rise high in his profession as a LAWYER
was determination which only the most un-
toward events or the sudden close of life could
thwart As his business with Mr. Howard was
ended, he rose to go; but his host would not
listen to such a thing, assuring him he would
be both grieved and mortified to see the son of
an old friend stopping at a hstsl when his
house was at his service. Mr.. Bruce hesitated
a moment, glanced into Kate's face thanked
Mr.. Howard, and remained.
Some time passed, during which Mr.. Ross
and DR.. Bell allowed no opportunity to slip in
which they could possibly make Mr.. Bruce
appear IN a ridiculous light in the presence of
Kate. At the same time they were anxious
not to appear as the real agents Of his discom
future. Any sport in which they thought him
not proficient they were sure to propose; and
any passing subject Of conversstion-such as
questions Of dress, manner Of fashion-that
they imagined it would embarrass the young
student to be called upon to join in, and which
they, as young men Of the world, could talk
upon fuently, was often advanced Kate was
blind to none Of these things, and DIR. Bell and
MI Ross, neltner OF them ever great favorites
with the young lady they were addressing,
grew less and less such every day.
One afternoon DR.. Bell proposed going down
on the fats target-shooting. He was a capital
shot himself and promised himself much sport
at witnessing Mr., Bruce's efforts to hit the
mark. The fats consisted of several low,
marshy fields, which, for the purpose of drain
ing, had been ditched at regular distances
each ditch being about two feet deep and one
wide; these were generally half full Of muddy
water, and person unacquainted with the
ground ran great risk Of tripping into one
Of them. Whether this had anything to do
with DR.. Bells selection of the fats he only
knew.
Mr.. Bruce, when asked to join them, con-
sented readily, and made his appearance
few minutes after with a fine double-barrel-
ed rife upon his shoulder, and other shoot
ing accOutrements worn with the air of one ac-
eustomed to them. Kate looked at him as she
went out to mount her horse, and wondered
how she had ever thought him homely. As
the servant led up her horse, DR.. Bell few
into the house TO get chair for her to mount
from, and Mr.. Ross took the bride from the
Ostler TO hold the animal for the young ladv