Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1869-02-17
For lgnung allen.
Kate's Reprimand.

"MY Dr,R JACK Won't You cast the dust O
the city on your feet and come up 10 Maplehurs
70 spend the heated tern2 Nellie and Sue are d
be here so If You 90 of To the seaside YOU will
miss those two iavoritcs uf yours And besides
have Kate with mc-my especial friend-o
whom You have heard me speak So often hav
only mentioned few Of the choice spirits Their
is 20 be quite party of gentlemen, also, 10 eno,
the hospitality Of Alaplehurst Now come, anC
do not disappoint your loving sister
"NErr."
This was the missiye | received one exces
siycly warm day early in June but hat
already made arrangements 10 Join party o
friends at the seaside, 20 | sent my regrets
with promise TO run up towards the close o
the season.
Somehow the society at the seaside tha
year did not interest me as usual. | wearie,
of it all and at last suddenly resolved to z,
TO Maplehurst for a week or two at least
| began to long for sister Nett's thousanC
and one little attentions, with which my lady
friends said she had spoiled me- Tho society
Of "my iavortes" was a small inducement
. I'll confess but the Kate she spoke of-th,
less said Of her the better. So | though
then; I've changed my mind since arriv
ed unexpectedly one morning, much to Net
ties surprise. The rest had gone picnicng
and ! found her alone taking it easy.
Dear Jack, said she, when We had al
last settled down for chat, " am 50 glaC
You have come. We are having such a gay
season So many of your friends are here
| know you will be in your element. And
Kate is here too.n
Humph as if that were the greatest at.
traction you could possibly offer a fellow
Nett, I've seen her twice, and | confess I've
no desire to see her again. can't under.
stand your iniatuaton"
"Why Jack, you must be mistaken
Where on earth have you seen her ?"
Six years ago, you know, she lived with
her uncle near Springdale, only ten miles from
here. The first time visited you after mar
riage while riding round through the coun-
try, | came across this paragon of yours, sans
shoes and stockings working in the field, Ia
Maud Muller, most wolully ugly"
Well, then, three years atterward-you
remember | was here after my return from
Europe came upon her again with shoes
on this time but the holes in them displayed
to the admiring passers-by blue stockings
just think Of it, blue stockings You need
not laugh. There she was with hammer and
and nails, mending the fence or making it.
And, presto here find her an inmate of my
sisters parors."
Oh, you fastdious Jack remember
your one failing-judging people by first APP
pearances. Ny parlors could not contain a
worthier inmate than Kate Hadley, say what
you will. myself never saw her until two
years ago, but can account somewhat for
her odd appearance"
WhenI saw her first, she was mere
child Of fifteen and working in the bayfield,
was not the hardest labor she was called upon
to endure. She rarely speaks of her past life
but have heard from other sources that for
four years she was perfect drudge, An or
phan cast upon the bounty of relatives, they
did not spare her. And after her aunt's
death the responsibility of the household fell
on her young shoulders"
=" She must have led n hard oveless life,
for old Adam Gray was not one to care for
anything but his gold and lands But she
labored faithfully for duty sake, with no APP
probation or encouragement, and am thank
tul her lot is easier now. for one, am
proud to call her friend"
"Well, sis you really wax eloquent over
your subject, and make her quite heroine in
real life"
Which she certainly is, Jack" And
here our conversation was interrupted.
After dinner | took a stroll toward the
woods, which looked so inyitingly cool that
hot day but, unluckily in trying to cross
the brook, | lost my ioothod, and spashed
in like an oyergrown turtle Rather cooled,
| retraced my steps homeward, aud stole in
the back way, intending to reach my room
unseen, as, by the noise aud laughter, per-
ceiyed the party had returned.
was stealing softly along the upper hall,
congratulating myself that | was unseen,
when, horrible to relate just before reaching
my retreat, | perceived, leaning against the
balustrades, young lady had never seen,
whose occupation jus. then seemed to be
counting the patches of mud scattered lavish
ly over my garments, face included, while an
amused and rather sarcastic smile played
around her lips.
Now | own | am particular concerning my
own personal appearance; and surely no one
Of my acquaintance ever saw me in such a
plight before.
| disappeared within my room with more
haste than grace but after making myself
presentable, glance in the mirror at my res
tored appearance tended to calm my rufiled
spirits somewhat. OF course, in the parlor,
| was heartily welcomed among my old
friends and | was inwardly relieved to find
the strange lady absent,
But she came in with Nette just before tea, +,
aud | was formally introduced to - Miss Had
ley !" and to my utter surprise, | beheld her
lovely, rather mature young lady, with most
bewitehing eyes and mouth, and such hair !
crowning her beautiful head with its glory.
Nettie saw my surprise, and enjoyed it,,
But she could not have known why | flushed
at that same peculiar smile | had seen on the
balcony.
At the table she sat opposite, for |, of
course, handed in my old pet aud playfelow
Nellie Wilton. Furtiyely studied Miss
IIadley's face, and even could find no flaw
During that first evening, perceived that she
was the iayorite of ALL
Day after day brought its pleasures
Hirted with the girls, as usual, by turns and
would have hirted with Kate, but there was
certain something Observation-Disclosures
and-no-further air about her, which forbade
anything of the sort.
could not quite understand her, and being
a Travelled man of the world, accustomed to
being lionized by the sex, it was not very
pleasant. Bat saw no help for it, aud, ere
long we let each other alone by tao,t consent
Neitle and | held no more private conyersa-
tions concerning her hovcver