The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1871-04-21
KATE MAYo's RESOLVE.
sr ANY RANDOLPH.

u
81 don't believe in love in q cot
tage," said Kate Mayo, looking def
antly round. ~, for one, mean /,
marry richl' G +
Miss Mayo shook the tiny colder
ringlets that hung like spirals ol
sunshine over her pretty forehead,
while mischievous sparkle came in.
10 her blue eyes; she rather seemed
TO enjoy the CONSERVATION she had
created. & s
"Well," Kate Mayo, "I mean it,
Who wants to be q drudge, in an i'll.
fitting calico dress and last years
style of bonnet, just because some
idiotic young man asks you TO be his
wife? My taste ia for thread-laco
shawls and moire antiques, and bon
nets that look as If they had foated
acioss the sea on o Partisan zephyr!
Moreover / have a fancy for brown
stone houses and chocolate-colored
coupes, and box ut the opera, and
q French maid. Oh, I tell you,
girls, I mean TO marry richl''
Kate Mayo spoke as il fate were at
her own command, 40 il she were
crowned queen of her destiny. And
she was, in so far rs wit and beauty
and certain royalty Of self-possession
may constitute the sceptre Of ones
own existence. Tall and gracefully
formed as Greek statute, her love-
illness took you as it were by storm.
She was tair as the waxen leaf of a
white rose, with pure, straight fea-
lures, cheeks just tinted with tho
faint delicate pink that comes and
goes like feeting shadow, and q
little ripe mouth that made one think
of the crimson sugar hearts that little
children delight in. And Kate had
been sent up from the old Mayo farm
TO see what q winter in New York
would do for her. in the way of life
establishment; and Kate had some
very decided ideas of her own upon
the all-important subject.
my DEAR" said Aunt Dewey SOL
emnly, "all this sounds very mcrce-
naryf'
''I can't help it, aunt" was Kate
rejoinder. "I am mercenary."
''At your age, Kate?"
"What difference does age make,
I wonder?" said the beauty, with o
petulant shrug of her shoulders.
I'm going in for diamonds and q
tour in Europe. Sentiment is very
we'll in q novel, but in real life il
don't work"
And Aunt Dewey's face of horror
only made Kate Mayo laugh.
Miss Mayo was decidedly "suc-
cess" in the brilliant circles of me-
tropolitan society that winter. It
was not entirely her faultless beauty,
nor her quick readiness Of rapartee,
nor yet the bewitching confidence
with which she seemed to take the
worlds favor for granted, but mix
ture and minglipg Of all three
something which could hardly be ex-
pressed, save by the word "fascina-
ton" But Notwithstanding her tri-
umphs, Kate Mayo had, a. yet,
made no election in lie.
"My DEAR" said Aunt Dewey SOL
EMMY "what was tho reason you re-
fuse,i Ha-ry Pelham"
sThe r,.asons Why, aunt, he's o
Custom-house clerk, as poor ~ Jobs
cat"
"Kate ! what O very ineleeaut
comparisonp
"As q church mouse. then mama,
II you like that better"
"Mr. Ryerson, then?" pursued
Mrs. Dewey.
ssI'ye no idea Of coming to the
poor-house before my time."
"Mr. Ryerson is well of I'm sure. :"
"The positive degree won't suit
me, aunt; I must have the superla-
tiyep'
"Kate, you will die an old maid
yetp
Better an old maid, aunt, than q
care-worn wife"
Aunt Dewey shook her head"
"Katei Katel there Is such thing
as going through the woods and
picking mp q crooked stick: What
do you value yourself at, pray?
IA hundred thousand dollars at
least, aunt, from that up to half a
millionr" laughed Kate, as she put
the rose into the vase OF flowers she
was arranging.
Where will you get such a price
as that?"
"Not in society Just now, to be
sure, arnt, but its representative will
be here yet"
"Who do you mean?
"I mean Mr.. Emmett"
Aunt Dewey sat down with untitled
hands and eyes.
"Whatl the millionaire of St
Augustine's Placer"
Eyes, aunt"
"But he is in Europe"
stNimporte-he is coming hom'
soon"
"You have never seen himY
81 dare say I shall see him"
"Kate, you are crazyr
"No, I am not, aunt; you yoursel
will own it when you see me Mrs
Emmett"
The audacity of the girl fairly be
wildered her sage relative; it was a
if little French grisette had aspire
to share the august throne of tn
Napoleonsl
"Well, I neuer didr gasped Mrs
Dewey.
"But that's no sign you never ,cil
aunt" said Kate. Evidently th
mischievous elf enjoyed the old lady
sore perplexity.
j "But Kate, 2 suggested little Heller
who had sat by demurely listening
"suppose you fall in love with some
body else?