Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1871-06-21
KITTEN.


streets in New York
Ellen, the elder, was rocking herself in
front of the glass between the windows, and
Bessie was standing tip-toe before the mir
ror en- the mantle piece, fixing herself as
ladies call it-that is rearranging her dress,
generally without rhyme or reason-taking
off the bow at her throat, shaking out her
false curls, putting up her panier, and belt
ing in her waist.
These two sisters, the only children of
rich widowed stock broker, were in every
particular of dress and thought, girls of the
period.
They never quarreed exactly, but were
always at variance in their opinions, and
frankness that is the bane of too much in
timacy, and the downright contradiction
which prevails with relatives who are not
obliged to be polite in the home circle.
Il wish, said Ellen, that that Kitten
wouldn't come here any more"
Il wish, replied Bessie, ''thatyou would
step calling him Kitten. l don't see any
fun in it. He's not bit like kitten. ~
He is then" laughed Ellen ''his hair is
light, what call kitten gray, or drab his
eyes are gray, so is his complexion he
wears gray hat, gray pants, gray gloves /;
his sparce moustache sticks out Just like a
eats and he speaks in purring voice !;
externally he is very like kitten, but NOR
Ill | IL h., Of ba
without a grain of spirit. Whenever [ see
him siding up to you, without the courage
to pay you open attention, | think of such
is the kingdom of henpecked husbands.
Il hope, . retorted her sister, that when
you enter the kingdom of henpecked hus-
bands you may have a purse as long as your
tongue, Ell.
Il tell you, Bessie, if what pa said yes
terday comes to pass, and old Mr.. Earring
tons bank breaks, your mild natured man
will have to take nurse maids situation. J"
And Ellen laughed, and rocked back, far
enough back to reflect the heels of her tiny
boots but Bessie sighed and said thought
fully:
Il suppose it soouH go pretty hard with
poor Kitten to work for his living. There S
a great deal said now days about the young
folks of the period but no blame is attach
ed 20 the way in which the old people bring
them particularly girl.-in ioloness, ig
nOrance aud extravaganza. Rich parents
take it for es-s..tod .nat their wealth Is going
to last forever, and poor ones that, By hook
or by crook, their children will get rich
and so they never teach them anything that
will be of service in adversely then when
they are thrown out in the world to shift
for themselves, they do it badly enough, the
men often by their WITS and the women by
worse Now there's poor Donald Earring
ton what earthly thing could he dc to earn
his salt, to say nothing of bread or you
or | it 5 hard, hollow world -
There you are mistaken it's not hard
nor hollow. being an incandescent mass
Of"
Bother your science There's pa +; let
go down to dinner.
1t was true, he told them during dinner,
that Harrington & Brother had suspended
payment; their liabilities were large, and
the merchant princes of yesterday were the
beggars of to day.
How did the meek and purrirg Kitten
bear the blow?
An only son, he had been reared in luxu
ry, and in the belief that large fortune
would be his that. therefore labor--mental
or physical would never be necessary.
He knew positively nothing Of practical
use, although he could swim like duck,
sing like the tenor of an opera, and dance
like Polish prince. He could drive pair
of fast horses without splitting his tight vi
olet kid gloves, was a splendid amateur
catch at base ball, the pride of the row
ing club, Nimrod with a gun, and Hol-
lander on the skating rink but he never
studied profession, nor learned any honest
hard handed trade. He wouldnt become
a music teacher nor salesman, SO he tried to
keep set of books. He found that be
could not make in one year by that as much
as he mad formerly spent in neckties and
gloves; SO he resigned his situation in three
lIuuIiisi anu Skoou aiohO III tuC HOIiu, VIII
out a penny or the means of earning one,
and with all his luxurious habits to be over
come But there remained to him the good
gifts of his pride and youthful manhood
The first prompted him to withdraw imme-
diately from his set thereby avoiding the
humiliation of ''euts;'' the second enabled
him to face the worst without murmer.
He wrote to Bessie Vandecker, releasing
her from her engagement, giving his rever-
ses as his reason. For awhile he hoped she
would cling to him, but when a brief note
came, expressing polite but cold regrets for
his altered fortune, he made up his mind
that he must resign love as well as friends
and position; then in the language of the
bold outlaw, Rob Roy, ''he pulled his bon
net Ger his brow, took to the woods and
hills. and became broken man.
The firm of Harrington & Brother soon
passed out of remembrance of all but suf
ferers by it. Kitten father skunk away to
the poverty stricken retreats of broken down
gentlemen Tor his had been no ficticious
failure, leaving the bankrupts rich. Thus