Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1869-05-21
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KATE rNORTH'S ELOPEMENT.
yBY HOMER WHITE. 2 RFsss

n vBY HOMER WHITE FFsEs
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Kate North was an angel, but flying,
like 1carus, too near the sun, her wings
melted away from her shoulders, and she
gravited earthward IN other superstition
TO account for her APPEARANCE here below
would satisfy the belioIder, unless it were
one involving henebula theory. She seem
ed impalpable intang ibles there was moth
thing of ie'the earth earthly y" Ter light feet
STRAIGHTFORWARD the ground, andsshe seemed
to feat along an airy bstantial mass
of curls, smiles and white muslin. Her
esretained the colorcaught in Heaven
cloudles sapphires. Her hair was painted
with the golden sunset, leach instant Chang
ing to some new, shade still. more beautiful
than the last. But, withal, Katie had some
human attributes She had an imperieus
little will other own, because it had been
thwarted. Caressed and petted by her do
ting farther, from babyhood up, she had
never known restraint OF endured the pain
of having wish ungratifed. A grieved
look on her sunny face had ever been potent,
to Danish parental frowns, and had lived on,
through the summer of childhood, the hap
ply careless songbird that fears not nor knows
not coming winter, and burdens not its laws
with prophetic sadness. 2. sen. -'--.
In one other respect Katie manifested a
very human tendency. She had great ad-
miration for handsome fellows with glossy
moustaches, an admiration that gave her,
father some uneaslness, for be was anxious
to have his daughter comfortably married
and occupying respectable position in So
ciety and he knew that, as rule. handsome
as uaes ana oaer N men r aG rae can On
ly be accounted for by the great law Of COM
pensation. Beauty. genius and wealth are
seldom united in the same person Every
blessing has its Offset, every charm is match
ed by some unpleasant quality or condition.
Wealth and poverty, youth and age, beauty
and simplicity, and genius and ugliness, are
ottenest paired with each other.
MIR. North had taken note of his daugh-
ter's unworldly disposition, her uncalculating
nature, her preference of youth and rags,
(metaphorically speaking) to age, uglineasy
and wealth, and it troubled him not little
He loved Katie and could command, while
wise counsel as TO good matches, with allu-
sions to certain niddle-aged and 'sold''
men. was thrown away on her. She could
not understand, and was obstinate Know
ing nothing of the intricate machinery by
which greenbacks are manufactured, nor of
the trouble and application necessary to sue
cess in business, she imagined that money
was one of the most plentiful things in the
world, and agreeable qualities the most
scarce! She continued to throw her smiles
away upon handsome young men, and to poul
her, pretty lips at the heavy suitors intro7
duced by her father. In this delemma
pater tamilias determined to resort to strate-
gy.
The son Of an old friend had lately return
cd from Europe. He was wealthy, intelli--
gent, distinguished looking, and of polishs
ed manners, and Mr.. North set his heart
upon having him for son-in-1aw. He
knew that Katie could have but two objec-
tions to this lover: he was over thirty and
wealthy. 70 remove one Of these ebjeetienssa
Mr.. North resolved that Arthur Langdon
should play the part ola poor young mans
while he hiuself would enact the purse proud,
indignant parent. 1t was almost certain,
in such case, that Katie would fall desper-
ately in love with her fathers choice, if she
overlooked his advanced age. Mr.. Langdon,
therefore, was invited to the house and pre-
vailed upon, as a joke, to appear before
Katie as one of her fathers clerks. '@'
At dinner time that day Mr. North inform
ed Katie that one of his clerks would call on
him in the evening in relation to business,
and that he preferred she would absent her
self from the parlor on the occasion. . He
is what yoar schoolgirls call,a fascinating
man and have no desire that my daugh
ter should be fascinated by poor, beggarly
clerk
And Mr.. North rose very grandly and
turned away in order that Katie might not
see the twinkle in his eye which her rebel
lious pout had brought there Miss Katie
had intended to visit dear friend that even
ing, but now she determined to postpone the
visit in order to catch a glimpse of this dan
gerous clerk.
That evening Mr.. Langdon came, Katie
saw him as he assembled the steps, and was
pleased with his appearance. and determin-
ed to see more of him. He was ushered in
to the parlor. and was soon engaged with his
host in pleasant conversation, when the
door suddenly opened and the beautiful
daughter entered as if unconscious of the
stranger When she saw Mr.. Langdon she
started and thought she would retreat, but
her father called her in and introduced her
in stiff upgracious manner TO his guest:-
my daughter, Mr.. Langdon," and then
sat down, as if annoyed at the interruption
Katie bowed and took seat. ~ .
Langdon, startled by such vision Of love-
illness. was dumb for moment, then raising:
gracefully he made his most elaborted salaam
and in spite of the old genteman's mock
frowns, was soon engaged in a sparkling in
terchange of thought with the fair daughter,
Arthur was agreeable as he knew how to be,
and Katie was charmed with him, as she
had predetermined to be. All went merry
as a marriage bell. until Mr.. North thinking