Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1872-06-15

could Hash SO, or the lines Of her face
sharpen in such curious way? She really
looked dangerous"
Had he seen Kitty laugh and clap her
hands as she vanished from the scene, he d
have been moro puzzled than ever.
The next time they met she greeted him
with such charming smile, aud looked so
naive and unconscious that this little epi.
sode would have passed from his memory
| if it hadn't been for one circumstance.
He accidentally overheard conversation
between her cousin and another gentleman.
Kitty was the theme of the discourse.
She's dear little girl, but q regular
virago," said Joe. Everybody's afraid of
her when she gets into one of her tan.
trums. She just raves aud gets on in a
way that's perfectly frightful. There's a
faint of insanity in the blood, you know
her aunt aud grandmother died in an in.
sane asylum"
Young Gilbert listened shuddering
These words explained scene that had
puzzled him before and awakened forebod-
ings for the future. "You saw her father
come down town last week with his head
all bandaged up, and heard him tell, per-
haps, how terribly he's afflicted with neu.
ralgia," continued Joe. Poor old gen.
tlemau twas Kitty did tie mischief, for
in one of her angry fits she threw the fat
iron across the table and it hit him 10 the
temple. He's anxious to marry her off,
and hear Gilbert's to be the happy mau. "
That individual turned pale. He re.
membered Mr.. Days eagerness iu forward.
ing his suit, aud the wish he had expressed
that his daughters marriage should take
place at an early date. Though his love
for Kitty was strong as his shallow nature
was capable of feeling, vixenish wife
would be uuendurable. But wasn't it pos.
s,ble that her cousin was mistaken, or had
colored the picture little too highly? He
resolved to wait for further developments.
They came speedily. A week later he
called on Kit.y-just at dusk-aud was
ushered by mistake q into the library.
The door between that and the dining room
stood slightly ajar; a womau's shrill voice
reached him from thence. Was it Kit
tvs?
Yes, he recognized it; lie had heard it
once before, pitched in the same high key.
"Don't tell me you didn't mean to-" she
screcched, more like mad woman than
anything else. "You did, you did, you
wre,ched little imp" Then there was the
sound of heavy blow and the shrek of
child.
40! don't Miss Kitty" walled pit.
iful voice. g 1t was so dark I couldn't see
when you run against me, and then stum-
bled and fell aud the pitcher got broken,
and tried to keep the milk off your pret.
ty dress, but couldn't"
"You stumbled and FELL" mimicked
Kitty. We'll, I'll teach you not to,
another time. Take that, that, that" Civ.
ing the child blow after blow that resouuded
through the room. Stop your suiveling,
too. DO you hear? I'll make you, if you
don't"
The sobs were hushed, aud Kitty went
on:
"'Twas the prettiest dress I had, aud
it's spoit completely! and all through
your carelessucss, you little imp! Oh e! if
I'd only cowhide! 'twould do me good to
give you such whipping as you deserve. !"
"Kitty, let that child alone," said new
voice; and Gilbert recognized it as her
cousins.
"I shall do no such thing! Get out Of
the way, aud mind your own busiuess!"
She shrieked, and there was something
that sounded like bottle whizziug through
the room aud crashing up against the wall.
Then mans groan was heard distinctly.
ooh! Kitty, how could you ?" said
her cousin, reproachfully. "You cut my
cheek terribly; see how the blood runs"
Gilbert didn't want to hear any more,
but fed from the house, resolved that be
wouldn't marry such vixen, though she
had the face aud form of Hebe.
The front door had no sooner closed on
him. than the actors in the above drama
went of into spasms Of merriment. Kitty
stood revealed in tho gas-ligbt with dress
uninjured; there was not cut to be seen
on Joe's face the child was nowhere Wis.,
ible.
"Oh! Oh! twas too funny" gasped
Kitty; "that whine would have deceived
anybody. twas so natural. half started
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