Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1872-05-01
Written for the lnteliigencer. !
KITTIE'S STRATEGEM.
BY ELIZABETH MORTON.

- >A-AAA<A
Near another window sat praudm,
Fertncr, the "dearcst, lovclicst, best
old lady that the sun shines on ~
as all her grandchildren declared. Her
hpgers were busted with her knitting
and on the table ut her side lay her
bible, blessed companion of the aged.
"My dears," said the old lady, at
length, 81 am afraid you find it dull
mere, am poor company for CAV
Young girls; suppose We have some of
our friends from the CITY out here.
and see if we can't make the old place
little livelier.''
mo, no." replied Kate, :'you like
quiet, grandma. and we do too for a
little while. Nelly don't you think it
Is time we were at home? Your
mother must be SO lonely" spoken
with great effort to keep the rcbe!l-
ious blood out of her cheeks. EYES,
answered Helen, "mamma is lonely
no doubt, and Noel. poor boy. must
walk and ride by himself, sing with
out any one to play the accompani-
mcnt, read alone. and light his own
cigars"
Grandma smiled, and Kittio blush
ed, but quickly rallying her forces,
She replied, "And DR.. FORSYTH, |
twonder how he bears his separation
from us-O!i if there isn't John
with the letters" and she ran to
meet the servant, who was just enter
ing the gate. She tripped back pres
entity with several letters and papers.
which she proceeded to distribute to
their respective owners. three for
YOU Helen, one from Lille Gordon,
one from your sister, Mary Lorri-
mcr, and the othrr-Kittic's ringlcts
droopcn over the envelope and she
seemed trying to deciphcr the writing
well here is a monogram, X. F., my
initials, but didn't write the letter,
maybe you can find who did by look
ing inside, tossing It IN her friends
lap. 'grandma here are YOURS" and
kittic seated herself and proceeded
to open her own, while thus employ
I'd she kept her eyes mischicvously
fixed on Helen. Is it surprising then
that the latter broke the seal of her
sisters letters first?
a few moments later Helen left
the room with white checks, and
wild d,dazziing- looking eyes, w hich the
ladies, absorbed in their own rpiStleS.
did not notice. She kept her own
apartment all day, her head achcd
and she needed quiet, she told her
grandmother and Ki,tic when they
came to see her. but she did not tell
them that the sun had been blottcd
from her heaven, and all the beauty
Of her life had been married since The
morning.
Noel Ncrtnrr, who had staid away
as long As he could, arrived at his
gramdmothcr's that evening, SO OF
course kittic said no more about
going home, and they were SO bliss.
fully happy, that when next morning
Helen came down to breakfast with
checks palcr than usual land fuint pur.
pie shadows under her eyes, neither
of them ever saw the change; grand
ma, wise, Kind old lady, whatever
She saw mercifullv said nothing.
Kenneth Forsytl's letter was
much the same as his others had
been, and they had been answered
promptly, but this waited long fora
reply, which, when it did come, was
shorter and colder than any of it's
predecessors had been. You Iced
not write again. Helen said, "as we
viii! probably be ut home before u
letter would reach mc," and his face
frightened and his heart beat fast at
the thought of S ceing her SO soon.
On his next visit 10 Lydia Allen. il
day or two after the receipt of IIclcn's
letter, DIR. Forsyth remarked. "your
classmate, Miss Vertner, will be home
shortly, cousin Lydia"
Yes" she replied carcl.ssly for in
the weeks she had known Kcanetl, she
had almost forgotten lIelen's exist
encc. But in Il moment she th0ught =,
how does he know anything of her
return? Is it possible that there was
anything more than 4 jest in what
Kate Floyd said about them! Non-
sense, lie may have heard her father
or sister say she was coming back, =
so she forced a smile and answered,
'IIclcn is n lovely girl ,hcr. arrival will
doubtless add much to the attractions
of society iii Wilmot."
DR.. Forsyth was delighted to hear
anyone praise his darling. lie was a
frank man always. To-day he was in a
confidential mood, SO his next words
were those she least expected TO hear:
!, "Do you know, cousin," lie said,
"that to me she is not only u lovely
girl, bnt she is the one woman of all
the world whom would choose for
my lifelong companion, for my
wifo."
The floor reeled from under her
feet, the furniture seemed moring, a
black mist came over her eyes, aud it
was only with n violent effort that
she kept herself from falling; what
would he think of her agitation?
She looked ut him, he did not see
her even, his eyes were with his
heart, and that was far away. Pres
entity he went on speaking, moro to
himself than to his companion, "She
does not know how love her yet.
am not to toll her for one year, her
father says, but Jacob served four
teen for Rachel, and they seemed
.