The Portland daily press., 1873-03-08
CAPTAIN KATE.


So much the more by an hour my sweet!
CAPTAIN KATE.
Il am going down to the lake shore where
lts cool and quiet; where needn't work or
even think, but do Just as please" That's
what SAID to Fred German.
Fred looked blank. Don't go this after
noon, he said. 81 want you to go with me
to Madame WIS tonight, and be presented
to Captain, the new BELIEF
Thank you," responded; "but no more
girls OF the period for me, if you please had
rather be excused"
"Oh, but you must see Captain Kate
The went on, sfhat's what they cal her, pc
cause of the followers she has; she's worm
SEEING" :.
81 know the style,'' 1 said, with majestic
wave of the hand. "Bold eyes@biue, per
haps; black, probaby-rather tall, immense
chignon, laughs and cracks jokes like troop
er, and never says word of sense. repeat
it, my friend, not any for me -
interrupted. with another wave of the hand.
"My friend, shall leave town this after
noon for the lake should like your company,
but if you choose to stay go alone. want
nothing of this Kate or any other woman.'' i
''Pon my soul,'' cried Fred widening his
blue eyes. w nat mas come over you, the
king OF male firts? Been bitten, ehp''
mo. simply disgusted,'' answered, lofti-
ly. ''Pm tired of work and women, and am
going to leave both. Will you go?'
mot till next week then I'll follow -
"All right" 1 said, and we parted.
liking off1rts!' Fred had called me, and
that term needs some explanation, for
should regret having any of my friends think
me that most detestable affair, man butter
fly.
l was thirty, not bad looking, and well-to
do young lawyer; possessed a nice little prop
erty. l had due appreciation of women
liked most of them extremely well, loved
none paid them some harmless compliments,
chatted, walked and drove with them. But
as for fiirting-why, / spoke no word of love,
gave no fair lady any reason for thinking /
was in love, and Mrs. Grundy gave me APP
pellation of MALE Flirt." Well never mind 1
didn't.
went down to the lake shore that after
noon and engaged rooms at private dwell
ave have three boarders now," the pleas
ant little lady,said, "and expect one more to-
morrow aftemoon-a- young relative from
the city-and there are just rooms for one
more" yes
Those engaged, and domiciled myself i'm
med!ately in my quarters but not at all pleas
ed with the prospective young lady. There
were two already; but harmless individuals,
mentally observed at the table: one stu
dious damsel who wore spectacles and looked
at the ceiling; the other an invalid, and wife
of the male boarder. But this looming girl
who was she, and what did she want to
disturb my coveted peace and country quiet
for? No doubt she would be dashing,
slashing, panier and sash-end style of girl,
who would dare me into making love to her
and give me no peace until did. Flrtations
might be al very well, but fellow didn't
want to be dragged into it when he was in
search OF p ace and quiet. This was my mem
tai style of soliloquy until the coming girl
came. watched her from the window as
the hack set her down.
Small, dressed in grey, yelled. That was
all saw. sayeItwo moderate sized trunks.
All, until, two hours later, saw her at the
table, and took private inventory. Rather
below the medium height, and slender in fig
ure; fair, with faint color in her cheeks; hair
dusky brown, curling, or, rather waving, not
quite to the shoulders, and tied with blue
ribbon from the smooth brow; eyes, a quiet
brown, and clear as a summer lake. That
was all, think, that I noticed. No, the
mouth was very sweet aud pretty, and totally
devoid of that society smirk and naughty curl
which are so decdsdly repulsive in women
remember thinking of that, and then quite
forgetting Miss Whiting until the following
day.
"a very quiet, sensible appearing, and
rather pretty young woman" have said to
myself, land not one likely to modest me in
any way aal
strohed out to little arbor the next fore
noon, with book in my hand, and found
Miss Whiting with-a book in her hand, seat
ed in said arbor. ll]Ha = A,sGtfTf
81 beg PARDON began; 81 did not know
the place was occupied" la asllilgg
"Make believe that it ism t." she said, land
come in. There is ample room, and am SO
interested in my book thatI shall not even
see you."i9I 4q-aW #HW
Feeling decidedly compliments; at the clos
ing sentence, seated myself on the oppo site
bench and opened my book. But L did not
progress rapidly. Miss Whiting was so inter-
esting in repose, made such a pretty good
looking picture sitting there, that could not
but watch her.
How interested she seemed to be in her
book. and how utterly oblivious of my pres
ence! Was 1 such a nonenty, then? I be-
gan to feel very uncomfortable. Ifshe would
only glance at me! But she wouldn't. Once
she picked some crawling thing from her
dress, and tossed it out at the door, but never
glanced at me.
Miss Whiting said, at length, s:pardon
me, but am tired of making believe 1 had
rather think the arbor occupied 10
Miss Whiting kept on reading, and ans yer-
ed quietly: .s-g-.sr5~ -
Very well, consider me here.n
Not to be worsted in this way; I said boldly,
wen, but want you to talk TO me.'' 30
she closed her book, keeping one slender
hand between the pages, and lifted her child
ishly calm eyes to my face.
1T is very pleasant day, Mr. Lester, she
said withperfect gravity
Decidedly" responded.
Much cooler sipce the shower she OBJ
'.Itis,s responded s4f Ea
"Looss like rain in the east" she remark
ed.
at Does" said, and then we both laugh
'ENow,'' she said, ~ hope you will let me
go on with my book. 1t is Dickens "Great
Expectations" and, if yon have ever read
it. you can understand my interest,"
"Do you like Dickens ?" I asked nHHl
"No,' she said, 81 love him. From the
opening page to the Fins his books are gar
dens Of delight to me. He interests you in
his meanest character, and enlists your SYM
pathies not with one but with all. = He is in
imitable-he is Incompatible. Others may,
in their style, be as interesting, to me there
is none like him. Te
A deeper flush had come into her cheeks,
and her eyes grew wilder and darker.
Decidedly pretty now" 1 informed my
self, 'and really an intelligent little person"
After that MISS WnltlnS ana were quite
sociable. sought her society, and she did
not avoid me, but treated me precisely as she
would younger brother. Not just that,
either, for she was a little more reserved; and
yet we had some very pleasant chats together.
She could talk sense, and prided myself on
my abilities in that line, and almost week
slipped by before knew it.
~ think | should find it very dull here but
for you," 1 said to her one day; "odd, too,
when dreaded your coming So"
she looked up wonderngly. Dreaded my
Yes; ! feared you would be one of the
s,diSSn,ng kind, and would dress to kill, and
&c. gave you that ideap ~
ae.tb NV m mnow, unless it was being bored to
ssara ny K my eagm Fred Gorha, about
thought YOU might ade belle pc of the season, and
"And did you ever see this ss sCanto,n p..o .,
asked Miss Whiting, lifting her a daisl Kate