Litchfield enquirer., 1870-02-24
KITTY LOYD'S TRIAL. ~
BY MARY E. CoMsToCK.
PART I.

-- PART I.
 Kitty Loyds hitherto almost unclouded life had suddenly come into dark shadow, and pretty Kitty thought she should never see light again. Life's brightness, accord ing to her present feeling, seemed eclipsed forever. The world had become @ cruel world, and Kitty's eighteen years sat heav- lily upon her.
 Horace Lloyd. Esquire, had seen fit to to take unto himself u wife, and the letter announcing this intention to his only daughter lay open before her. She had gazed upon the clear characters traced up- on the pure page till they took fantastic shapes through her tears, and now she drew herself up with very firmly compress led lips, and decided motion of the head, and drove back every trace of unwonted emotion from her eyes.
 :'To think, that after all, it's just as Aunt Eleanor said. I never thought pa would marry again, never. believe he wants to bring some one here to keep watch of me. and make sure that do not see William l" And Kitty curved her snowy neck, rose from her seat among the damask cushions, and walked impatiently to and fro through her own elegant private apartment. The surroundings, graceful furniture, flowers, pictures and statuettes, were quite in keep ing with the figure of the little princess, as Nurse Rowan, on occasion of coming up to the great house, liked to call the young heiress whom she had cared for in mother less infancy. Just tinge of unconscious haughtiness marked the graceful carriage; there was no especial mark of intellect or spirituality in the pretty face, but it was nevertheless very pleasing. and the rich and tasteful character of the room well ac- corded with it's occupant.
 A snowy bed just disclosed itself in the smaller, adjoining room. and a glass door opened upon 8 verandah. Kitty paused in her silent patrol, lifted fold of the curtain and gazed out into the moonlight.
 civilian proposed an elopement once, she said. "I don't know but might yield to it now. It made me sad to think of pa pas concern, but don't know but he de- serves it, every bit of it!''
 You must judge leniently the mother less girl, whose life, since boarding school days were over, had been passed alternate ly in luxurious but unsocial home, and in watering-places and other friyoli- ties, under the chaperonage of gay Mrs. Alderstein.
 Although my father has always been as frigid as an iceberg to me, continued Kit ty, "yet l could never believe but there must be slowed away in his heart some lit- tie affection for his cnly child. He does seem to fear that l may feel his past si- lence upon the subject, and he may we'll apologize for keeping me in the dark as he has done," and she once more returned to the letter she had left tear-stained and crushed upon one of the carpets crimson roses.
 "MY DEAR DAUaHrER:--I now address you on subject which feel I ought to have introduced to you before this date. In taking the step which I now propose for my own happiness, trust have not been unmindful of your best good. You have perhaps heard me speak of Miss En- within the past year, has enabled me to trust that, notwithstanding my silence, you will rejoice with me when I inform you of my approaching marriage, which takes my daughter, to welcome one ly. Please give the enclosed, containing
  to Aunt Eleanor, and believe me. as ever.
 Your loving father,
 HORACE LoYD."
 The tone of the letter alternately sub. dued and irritated the young lady. Her reserved and pre- occupied father had per- maps never, within her remembrance, ex- pressed himself thus tenderly to his daugh ter. At the same time how quietly he an- nounced this momentous fact How read lily he acted only in accordance with his own counsels, while, notwithstanding her pleadings, William had received the pa- ternal "no," point blank, and poor Kitty had been repfimanded for encouraging the young adventurer," and prohibited even recognizing him in the future.
 ''It was cruel" said Kitty. 'It had been an easy enough matter to win over Aunt Eleanor, dear, easy soul, regarding a few secret meetings, and most romantic correspondence, quite equal, thought Kit ty, to that carried on between Benjamin West and his faithful and beautiful fan cee. But now, with the appearance of this ally of her father, matters might assume a very different aspect. n-ffs 9t
 l am afraid Kitty's ideas regarding her own especial duties as daughter were rather obscure. She could not give her love and confidence unasked,an although it was not in her nature to deceive one to whom she professed to give confidence, she reasoned that her fathers coldness justi- fled her simple disregard of his commands His new supporter she placed on hostile ground at once. It must be admitted that there flashed through Kitty's mind an out lined plan for playing the amiable, affec- tionate daughter and winning this new power to her side: but Kitty was not & bit of hypocrite, and she arched her white neck again, and said-'1'd scorn to do it. .od -ht io8 tsai j. l-sa .e..a4 .-
 There was a great deal of resolution in the pretty face as thought went on.
 sI cannot stay here with my present feelings" soliloquized Kitty. q could not hold my peace; it would be impossible Neither can ask fathers consent to let me spend my time elsewhere. At this partic. ular time he would, of course, refuse it. There is but one way for me to do, and that is to assume my own independence. I am old enough to do it and will submit to these restraints and interferences nc longer" "t..e..E s-us..f ta
 "It would not do to let Nurse Rowan know. resumed Kitty, after reviewing hel decision. 'She would surely communi- cate with father at once; and Aunt Eleanor would only grieve, and try to hinder me were she here, though she would want me to have my own way in the end. It is for. tunate she is gone to Carksport. Every &kaS ,fp Sc1 Yr,ax1 T Te1>