The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1864-12-02
KATE HAMILTON,
OR
THE MAID OF HONOR.

" ~omt rfuplcs tnat When the fuD1ecf was mr.
mooted and Che suggestion hrs, proroeed be shrsnh
rom % haersnt IN abuse Of HE su,hnrity But hs
lsdy, mportune and, usual, prevailed. She saw,
she aid, no injustice whs,over 10 The uanssesion
while Catherine remained unmarried, she could noe
want the money Of course, n she married. she
muss hsve her marriage portion but t thon. II
OF no use In the world 70 her while Mr.. HAM ton's
present sod Arthuf's prospective Consequence
would be unspe.ksbly augmented by sddins tbs
Draxvorth " The Home Trncey properly Thus
spoke Mrs. Hamilton. and her husband listened
and now be was come down 70 Home Tracey, thss
he might purchase Darxvorth and procure kA,s's
signature.
lie vn ,~comr.ncd BY his solicitor, . ntie dark,
Acknowledging man. with good deal Of vivacity in
his decp-sei eve and as much restlessncss IN his
movements. This morning Mr. Parker's glance vas
even unusually suimsted, and be appeared almoss
az " suffering under . aroxysm Of nervous .dieor.
der, o. ineesssnt were his motion; bis hands and
feet bis head, his nose, his eye-lds.-even his
ears, sppeAred 10 turn and twist themselves shout
for be wss man both Of integrity and feeling, and
be dsliked the business be was engaged in Such.
al length, became Mr. PArker's re- uctsnce, that be
could no, forteN inq,iring Che did It In the mo-s
rcmulous voice possiblel whether Mss Hamilton
wasfully svare u the nature Of the deco she vas
about 10 sign.
"Ccrtaiuly," replied Nj Hamilton, with some
hau,eur, 81 have made every explanation to my
daughter aud" be added, stu more haushtlly, IT
have received - Hamilton's entire acquiesccnoo,
given ancr mature delIberaton, without which
should no Of course have consented 70 to this ar.
rsngement."
"surey surely" said the man Of law, gradually
retrcstins to the further end Of the apartment and
men again advancing Of course Mss Hnmiltou
has gwen her consent spontancousy-I dopt mean
V imply anything 10 the coutrsry--but az ladies dc
not usually understand these matterA I thought h
possible Miss Hamilton might have teen swaycd.-
that IS TO say, her desire 81 meeting your wishes,
might have blinded her"
Here Sr. Psrker's trepidation deprived him ofths
power OF words he looked round the room, seated
himself got up, sat down again, took piece Of sea-
table. A n half fart
up once more, made strong effort and concluded II
mean that NJ ss Hamilton, being lady, and not &C.
cus'omed 70 law transaction, maynt quite under.
stand what she's about; or that she's about OF thai
she may not quito anticipate all the possible conse-
quencer OF signing that document"
MISS Hamilton relies on her fathers honour
VIII never have occasion TO regret the confidence
she places in me- However ihero 10 no objection 70
your again explaining tho nature Of this business
70 my daughter ] wish Il may be done"
Yes yes" said Mr. Parker 10 himself for be
was too much awed 10y bis patrons naughty msu.
ner to give uttcrance " any further e1postustion
yes yes II Ia ell very we'll TO trust 10 your afec-
Won and honour Is a well-sounding word but Miss
Hamilton is fool II she parts with her fortune on
no better security Beside. who can ensure her
fathers llie' aud II he dies before she IL married.
without his having assigned 10 her a sum equivs-
lent TO that she is giving up, take II she'll rue the
day wnen shc signcd those parchments But IT'S ne
buaineas OF mine, and there's no use Of saying
anything more about IL; however, will 60 over
TIC papers carefully with her, and then, ifshe choos-
e. TO refuse her signature she may. shsl b
clear, At any rate"
MI. Hamilton, 81 II snNious 10 conclude
pleasant transaction, rang the bell violently, and
ne wants entrance, asked, with much asperity,
Nhether MISS Hamilton were not yet ready. THIS
Was tho second time he had sout W summon Catho-
rine, and shortly Afterwards she entered. No very
anecti0nAtc greeting passed between the f-thor and
his child. He shook her hand, and replied " her
inquiries for Arthur and Mrs Hamilton with the
utmost br.yity then, pointing her 10 chair pac-
Ell himself on smother close beside, and desired Mr..
Parker " read and erpiain tlhat word was spoken
win much emphasisl the document In question.
M PaIScr road aloud, and Catherine seemed 10
listen he endeavoured also to mako clear the mean
ing Of The paper, and Catherine tined TO understand
She made, however, no commcnt,-ofered no OBJ
lection but having signed Lor name bowed to the
man OF law, aud left the room
The kind hearted solicitor could not Yepress an
ejaculation OF regret ss the door closed, and Mr..
Hamilton WAS far from feeling easy. Gather! mes
ready obedience touched heart not altogether des.
ututo ofiatherly affection and he could not forben
remarkins that his daughters respiration had been
hurried- that az air Of oppressive WEAKNESS bad
speedily replaced the expression OF excited feelings
which liz her counenAnce pom Der first entrance
that her hand was frightfi.lly emsciated, and her
snperscriptior scarcely legible.
Kate must return with me 70 Bognor," was his
concluding resolution. Eyes, yes the sea will
soon set her dgnt again and II she does not recov.
er her strength and looks by the seaside, We can
land"
Having thus decided, Mr. Hamilton turned his
thou Shts once more 10 business
The luncheon hour came. Mr.. Hamilton novop
ste luncheon, but Mr. Parker did and while he
demolished some cold partridge pic CAtherne's ia
ther went in search Of her. He wished 10 .uiorm
her OF bis intention OF taking her TO Bogner, and 70
To; she would hold herself in readiness to set OF on
tho ensuing morning. Mr.. Hamilton entered the
usual sitting room-his daughter Nas not there
he passed on Into another-it WAS also unoccuped.
Al that moment the shrl note OF Q canary bird
In INa A.
room whence the sound proceeded 1t was an cid
fashioned parlour which had once been . favourits
with GATHERINGS mother aud = nee her death never
Inhabited. painful emotion shottscr Mr. Ham,
itons mind on entering the desoAte ap sri ment He
thought OF the being he had married TOR her gold and
whose happiness he had afterwards entirely neglect
ed-he thought also Of de.thbed-of pray er from
dying lips, that, 'as she had ever becn 10 him Q
true anu gentle wife, be would cherish her poor or
phan child"
And the bird was singing still apparently II had
escaped IT'S cage for II was peruhed upon The ledge Of
an old Indian cabinet. Almost mechanically, Mr..
Hamilton advanced to secure the little truAnt but
elnding his attempts II flew FIRST to the cornice q
We Wndo~-curtain then through an open door,
into an Adjoining room. lie followed aud deserted
the Object OF his search, Catherine. ste was sitting
IN nn antique high backed chair apparently asleep
Tor her eyes we're closed and the dark lGshes iell
upon check Of almost startling whitenoss one thin
transparent hand r. sting upon the stuffed arm cuah
ION OF her chair the Other held open book work.
ing materials and q few late towering roses lay on
table near. The canary cage was open and It's &C.
,usioned inmate few merily from spot 10 spot, un-
I'll at length, slghtns upon tic pinnacle oil Cathe-
rne's char, once he sang his shr.ll aud joy
Gus melody, his brilliant pluAge forming all ths