The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1871-03-10

KATE KIxDERLY.s ELorEaENT
BY JUDGE CLARK.

From the New York Ledger.
1T is my express will, wish and de-
sire" We we going TO quote, s'erJafifs
clause of Percival Pennydip's will ;
but if the reader hates legal tautology
half as much as we do, llewill pardon
and we 0hink, thank US, Ter giving the
sense of the item at verbal saving OF
fifty per cent.
In plain words, then when Percival
Pennydip's body and will were opened
1t was found that he had left hand
some fortune to an orphan niece, a de-
ceased sisters daughter.
The bequest had a singular condition
to it. If the legatee married under
thirty, unless with the joint consent OF
her uncle Roger and aunt Penthesilea
Penny dip-with whom she had her
bringing up-she forfeited all claim to
the testators estate, devised over, i'm
that event, to some Society for the
Diffusion of Something Useful ignor-
ance, ii is to be hoped; for Of such an
institution the world stands sadly in
need, to preserve an equilibrium be-
tween the "knowledge of Good and
EviI.u
At twenty-one, Kate Kimberly's
beauty had blossomed with luXuri-
ance that astonished those who remem-
bered the prickly little bud it sprang
from. Time had toned down and soft
ened the sharp, elfin features, and had
tempered the tomboyishnesS that had
so fretted Uncle Percival, into woman-
ish sprightliness and spirit. No Won
der Reginald Warton, and 4 score or
more besides. were over ears in love
with Kate.
In required the Joint consent of his
brother and brothers wife TO the mar
riage of his niece, it is possible that
Percival Pennydip meant to provide a
wholesome system of "checks and
balances" or, it may he, in his bache-
lor simplicity, that he never imagined
that husband and wife, theoretically
one flesh, could practically be of two
minds.
For such contingency the will had
failed 10 make provisions; and as in
nine cases out of ten, the very contin-
gency not pro, ided for was just the
one that happened.
Uncle Roger was bent on match
between his niece and a rich mercan-
tile friend of his, on his own side of for
Il OiCS ODitil ny
Pethesilea had set her ambitious heart
on having for nephew-in-law Squire
Wyndigust, who had represented the
District with distinction i'm the last As
sembly, and might yet land in Con-
gress or the White Housewife knew?
These gentlemen proposed in turn,
and i'm turn Kate referred them to ''un>
Gle and aunt" well knowing the hitch
there was in that quarter. Meanwhile
the time passed blitherly enough with
handsome Reginald Warton for con.
slant visitor, whose attentions the willy
pair of guardians were too busy
watching each other to spare an eye
for
Skate, DEAR said Aunt Penthesilea
one day, "if something isn't done soon
the poor Squire will certainly break lis
heart ~
(which would be great loss to the
country" signed Kate.
"There's only one thing for it, her
aunt replied.
"What's that?r Kate asked.
"YOu must r,u, array UiH hjm!' said
her aunt.
"Oh. aunt.r cried Kate taken aback
Gith establishment.
"Pve thought it all over,n her aunt
continued, sand it's the only way left"
"But there's uncle-you know how
much opposed he is to Mr.. Wyndigust;
and if [ marry without his consent,
you know lose my whole fortune"
"Pshaw, child. You don't know
your uncle. He won't. consent, in adj
vance, to your marrying the Squire;
but, once it's over, never fear but he'll
give i'm rather than see the money
wasted on that good-for-nothing Soci-
ETY.. Don't kno " by myself? Why,
if you was to cut away with popinjay,
Reginald Warton-if such a thing
could be-do you think / wouldn't bite
my tongue and give you my blessing,
sooner than see you robbed? p"
Kate opened her eyes in more than
one sense.
1t could be easily managed" said
Aunt Penthesilea. "a carriage at
midnight i'm the rear alley, low Wills
tie under your window, quiet descent
by the back stairway, and the things
done! What say you dear?'
"Let him GOMEZ"
Oh. Kate.-and it not a month since
you vowed to Reginald Warrior to be
his, and his only!
Aunt Penthesilea was in ecstasies.
She had already talked over the whole
matter with the Squire, and nothing
was wanting but Hates consent and
the fixing of the time. These settled,
she undertook to communicate the re-
suit to the lucky lover, and dismissed
Kate with kiss of warm approval.
Soon after, Uncle Roger beckoned
Kate into the library.
'Iwant you to do something" he said
''What is it," asked Kate.
..Elope!n said Uncle Roger, in a
hoarse, conspiring whisper, his honest
old face pursued into the look ola very
Cataline.
Kate wasn't so much astonished this
time. She was getting used to it.
"Do you mean with Mr.. Poplir?''
she asked innocently.
"Sly pussn said Uncle Roger, pinch
ing her ear "of course do"
"But what will aunty say%'
'Never mind aunty. No doubt she'd
raise Ned if she knew it beforehand
But let the knot lie tied, and she'll lis
ten to reason fast enough. rve only
to Judge by myself away OH that pup,
ny, Reginald Warrior, dye think rd
90 to blubbering over split milk, and
stand between you and your fortune.
Not by a-good sightn
Kate eyes twinkled.
"Only say the word,n said Uncle
Roger, 'and Mr.. Polin's carriage I'll bt
at your service any time you name"
'Let it be night after tomorrow
Kate whispered, with blush.
Oh. what tickle Kate it was-that
was the very night appointed for The
Squire.
"You must get aunty to sleep early
said Kate; "she has sharp ears, you
know"
"Get her to Sleep" cried Uncle Rog.
er; "Pll have her sound 10y nine, if
have to give her paregoricw
The plan of operations fixed-it was
the same as in the Squire's case, cX'
cept that the time was to be an houl
later, and the signal loud caterwaul
Uncle Roger posted off the bearer o.
gald tidings TO the other lucky lover.
Two days followed of Whispering
and closetings. First it was Kate and
Uncle Roger i'm the library; then it was
Kate and Aunt Penthesilea in the lat
ter's chamber; and again it was Kate
and the kitchen maid in the pantry
Reginal Warton called once, but Kate
could only spare him half an hour.
The eventful night came. Uncle
Roger began to yawn q full hour be
fore his time. And what was still
stranger, Aunt Penthesilea, the wake