The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1873-08-20

ciliously, upon my word, Jack is
getting prodigal!"
Valentin looked carelessly down
at the cluster. Of pink buds, then
deliberately took them up and tossed
them into the lawn.
Explain, if you please" said
Frank, composedIy. while Mordaunt
grew scarlet and bit his lips until
the blood started.
"There was a worm-a horrid
green worm on one Of the buds, ,"
haughtily said Valentin, shaking of
one or two crimson petals that still
adhered to her muslin dress, 81 have
a perfect horror Of all such noxious
insects
"Do you hear that Jack?" appeal
ed Aldrich lazily turning around in
his chair. Its pity you were so
unfortunate in your selection of
your floral Offering
But Colonel Mordaunt had left the
room. Kate followed him the next
minute.
dearest Jack are you vexed
with Frank and Valentin? They
don't mean to annoy you, I'm sure"
mot vexed. DEAR said Mordaunt,
speaking slowly and-"only grieved.
am sorry Miss Bruce finds me so
disagreeable.'
He went up stairs while Kate
hesitated a moment below.
.'He is better by himself" she
said mentally.
Poor fellow he is dreadfully in
love; I do wish Valentin wouldn't
tease him So
And she went down in the ter
raced garden to gather honeysuckles
for the parlor vases, and muse on
her brothers manifold grievances.
Its too bad, so it is?" she muir
INJURED; winking back the bright
drops that would suffuse her hazel
brown orbs. Il shall talk seriously
to Valentin about it this very eve
ming
Meanwhile, Col. Mordaunt stalked
sulkily up stairs into his sisters
pretty little sitting room. where tie
muslin curtains were futtering to
and fro in delicious night winds and
the sofa was drawn into the little
recess beside a table all Uttered
with books and magazines, needle
cases and thimbles and the indescri-
bable debris which two girls inyaria-
bic collect around themselves in the
course Of June afternoon.
He threw himself recklessly down
on the sofa, drew the soft folds of
Kate's cashmere shawl over him, as
if jealous lest the soft eyes Of the
watching stars, that were just be-
ginning to gem the heavens, should
witness the struggle that convulsed
this strong mans heart.
Not that his grief wrought itself
into any external signs. No, there
was neither groan or motion more
than there had been when he was
wounded at Spottsylvania, and rode
on at the head of his regiment as
bravely as though the red blood had
not been dripping from his arm with
slow and deadly drain. One might
have almost fancied him asleep as
he lay there, white and silent, with
the curtain sweeping down around
his motionless head.
''KatyP'
Like the tremulous COO of the
wood pigeon, Valentin's voice muir
INJURED soft syllables with the coax
ing accent of child And in the
same instant she knelt beside the
sofa, her white dress sweeping over
the crimson carpet tides of tran
slucent pearls, and one arm thrown
caressingly over the folds of the de-
ceitful cashmere shawl!
Colonel Mordaunt's first impulse
was to spring up and declare his in
dividuality-his second to lie still,
and let Fate manage the matter to
suit her capricious self So he lay
still according, experiencing a very
singular and not at all disagreeable
sensation, from the contact of the
caressing arm. No doubt he was a
treacherous, hypocritical wretch
but fair lady, or chivalrous gentle
man don't Judge the poor fellow too
harshly until you have been in pre-
cisely the circumstances yourself.
It is just possible-only possible
you know-that you might do the
same thing.
''Now you are angry with me,
Kate p pleaded the soft voice,
because / threw those flowers
away And won't speak to me
and know 1 deserve it darling ]"
There was moments silence, as
if Miss Valentin had expected some
sort of a response to her pretty pen
itence. But she didn't get any so,
after a brief pause she went on:
Indeed, Kate. 1 didn't mean to
grieye you-and I won't do it again.
[ am sorry for my ridiculous freak.