The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1871-04-07

citu DlTb WIFI Lilc IeHcupS, Be
you can lay aside your admonitory
looks for at least half an hour, Tom
All! here comes Jack; that's reliei
ut any rate" she said, as our rough
headed, loud-voiced, and utterly un,
manageable younger brother lounged
into the room. "What makes you sc
late +? and whereas Aunt Mary, Jack?'
she asked, as he stopped to give her
very emphatic and resounding kiss
'Dyspeptc this morning, which
means cross, replied Jack, solemnly.
"Also, it's Sunday, and she's doing
tho regulation amount of groaning
over the sins and offenses of this
heatheh place. $50, you'd better
send up all tho delicacies of the sea-
son, and be careful not to notice,
when the tray comes down, that she
has eaten them all up"
Halo! what's the matter with
you, brother Tom ?" he continued,
turning sharply around upon me
with thatprovoking abruptness which
seems inseparablc from half-grown
boys. Been giving Kit another
lecture, I suppose, aud captured
her last trophy, I see," glancing at
the ring which lay beside me on tho
table. "It's n perfectly hopeless un-
dertaking, my dear fellow" he added
with patronizing air; "you might
as well try to prevent the cat from
mewing, or the dog from barking, rs
to prevent Kit from flirting. AS the
little hymn, which would never
learn, says, "It's her nature TO, and
to say that she delights in it above
everything else under the sun, is put
ting it very mild indeed"
you'll be good enough to finish
your breakfast Immediately, Jack, +"
I remarked in very stern. elder
brother tone, land leave Kitty and
myself for while. No nonsense,
now. Be off with you. Sharp's the
word"
1T isreally too bad of you, Kitty" /"
/ continued, as the door closed upon
Tack, "to hirt with Captain MacDon-
,,d so desperately. Do you know
hat I.-ank Wilton may bo expected
any DAY? / have letter from him
his morning, dated London"
"It re..ily is too bad of Frank, +"
pouted Kit.y, "to come so soon. He
promised me n year, and tho years
not out till the 10Th. Tn a great
mind not to speak to him when he
does come"
Kitty" said in my grayest tone,
do you intend to marry Frank VIII
Ton Z"
81 don't know. I suppose do, ="
said Kitty, Grossly. II don't want
10 much, but you've all been telling
ne that I've been engaged to him
since l was fifteen years old, and I've
been brought up 10 think it rude to
my elders. But it's very
tiresome of him TO come just now,
for / like Captain Mcdonald so much,
and as he's your friend, Tom" she
added, giving me look from under
her long eyelashes, I'm doing my
best to be civil to him for your sake. !"
/ smiled, and the next moment the
little arms were tight around my neck
and Kitty's check pressed close
against my own. II had ended, as
our contests always did, in my being
completely worsted and beaten Off
the field.
"Well, little one," I said. as soon
assk was permitted to speak, "don't
carry your ciyility too far, that's all.
This ring" I added, as 1 held it up
10 the light and looked through the
ruby to decipher the
motto and de=ice that were engraved
upon it, sit is far too costly and con-
spicuous to be seen on your finger.
Give it back to Macdonald to-day,
and recollect, Kitty, that l know
very little of this new friend, and
would rather not see my sister on too
familiar terms with him. And now
going out for stroll, aud you
had better make dutiful inquiries into
the nature of Aunt Mary's dyspep-
sia--"
"And get another lecture on my
evil ways" said Kitty, as she pirou-
cited out of the room.
II.
From that time for moro than
three weeks we went on in the regu-
larroutine OF Homburg life. "Brun-
men" of naLseous flavor in the morn
ing; "brunnen" more or less naus-
eous at night; the gardens, with ex-
cellent music and crowds of gay
promenaders in the afternoon, and
the Kursaal, with our little ventures
on rouge-et-noir, for evening diver
sion.
Frank Wilton, for some unexplained
reason, fingered in London, and
Kitty's Irritation with Captain Mac
Donald was tho talk of the whole
English and American clique atHom-
burg.
Aunt Mary took to her bed in O
chronic state of dyspepsia, and left
me to bear the whole burden and
heat of the day.
'sIt was no use talking to Kitty
as Jack said; wherever she appeared
Macdonald was her always
unexceptionable in manner and ap.
pearance, always deferential to my
aunt, and the prince of good fellows
with me, but assuming an air of quie
proprietorship with my sister thai
reused Jacks fercest indignation
and occasioned no end Of disquietud,
to myself.
At last my misery eliminated in {
formal proposal from Captain Mac
Donald for Kitty's hand, and th,
same day Frank Wilton arrived. /
was an immense relief to me to sc,
Franks honest face and feel th,
friendly grip of his hand once more
but I soon discovered that, for an,
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