The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1873-08-21

She closed her book, keeping or
slender hand between the page
and lifted her childishly calm eye
to my face.
1T is a very pleasant day, M
Lester she said with perfect gray
ty.
Decidedly / responded.
Much cooler since the shower sh
observed.
1T is, | assented.
Looks some like rain in the cas-,
she remarked.
1T does l remarked, and the
We both laughed.
Now she said, Il hope VT will
let me go on with my b ok. 1t i
Dickens 'Great Expectations an,
it you have ever read it you can uu
derstand my interest
DO you like Dickens inquir
ed.
'No,' she said, Il love him. From
the opening page to the 'finis' hi
books are gardens of delight to me
He interests you in his meanest char
acter, and enlists your sympathies
not with one, but with all. He is in
lmitable-he is Incompatible
Others may, in their style, be as in
teresting, but to me, there Is non,
like him.
A deeper flush had come into he
cheeks, and her eyes grew wider anG
darker.
Decidedly pretty now,' 1 informed
myself, sand really quite an intelli'
gent little person.
After that, Miss Whiting and
were quite sociable. l sought hel
society and she did not avoid me-
but treated me precisely as she
would a younger brother. Not just
that either, for she was little more
reserved; and yet we had some
very pleasant chats together. She
could talk sense, and l prided my.
self on abilities in that line, and SO
almost week slipped by before
knew it.
Il think l should have found i,
very dull here but for you,' said to
her one day. odd, too, when
dreaded your coming so.
She looked up wonGeringly.-
Dreaded my coming?'
yes; l feared you would be one
of the slashing kind, and would
dress to kill, and talk me wild, and
give me no peace
'What gave you such an idea as
that?'
Il don't know, unl IS it was being
bored to death by my chum, Fred
German, about 3 Captain Kate, the
belle of the season, and thought
you might be her STYLE
'And did you see this Captain
Kate p asked Miss Whiting, lifting
her calm )akes of eyes up into
mine.
No, but l can imagine her. 1 re.
piled.
'And what do you imagine hel
like e?'
Thereupon l gave her descrip
ton very much like the one | had
given Fred, and closed it by say.
ing:
'Now that style of girl I cannot
tolerate, and fearing that you were
one of them, no wonder l dreaded
you
Then you do not consider me a,
all like Captain Kate p she queried
archly.
Not at ALL said decidedly. sAs
| told you in the beginning, bnt fol
you should feel stupid and dull
Yoar society renders it very pleas
ant, and you are in all things the op
posite of my fears
'Oh, thank YOU
She said it so dryly that | looked
up to catch the hidden meaning oil
her words, but she was reading, and
her face was calm as usual.
The next day Fred came. | was
standing at the gate when he came
up from the hotel, and after the
greetings, Fred brought his hand
down upon my shoulder. TrEF
SO, Ben, my boy, you jumped
from the frying pan into the fire
didn't you? Ha! ha! good joke
How do You like her?
turned IN astonishment. like
who? What 60 you mean?
why, Capita Kate, OF course
Il haven't seen Captain Kate, th anl
you,' replied with dignity.
What, don't Miss Catherine Whit
ing board here with her step-au
Mrs. DearbolnF p
| jumped at least three feet into
the air. You don't mean be
gan, while Fred interrupted me cool
ly:
'As jumpist, you are a success
AS stupid blockhead you also ex
Gel. Yes, Miss Whiting is Captain
Kate
But, Fred, l said helplessly, sh'
is SO innocent and childlike, ant
barely pretty, and SO sweet ant
quiet
'All put oE,' said Fred gravely.-
She is a regular flirt, and those arr
her arts. She is weaving her ne
around you, 500, euooessfully.'
The emotions Of my heart / shoult
find difficult to explain. But fount
Miss Whiting in the arbor, half al
hour later, after Fred left, and l lift
ed my hat with flourish, and knel
at her feet.
'All honor to Captain Kate l sai'
with mock humility.
She closed her book with almos
ayawn.
You've found OUT she said, 'wh
/ told your aFagfn
Fred. And shall 1 ask pardo
for remarks 1 made yesterdayp'
I Certainly not she said sweetly
You had never seen me them
'And now l have a proposition t
make began. sWe are to spen,
several weeks here together, and re
port calls you terrible fiirt-'
/ so it does you, she interrupted
4 heard of You long before I lei
town. EG sgI. OH
i Very well, continued, sshe NOR
need of my proposition. 1t is this
Let US enter into a league to have
grand Irritation each knowing ther
is no danger of a. broken heart O
either side. Thus we have nothin
to fear, nothing to guard, and can
very happy yiaIa8 g ia Isua2aa
But what is the need p she asked
lsWe hain't firted before-wh