The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1874-06-25
KITTY WARDS RESOLUT ON.

For two years KITTY Ward had
been earnestly striving to be good.
Size desired, beyond all things to be
pure in heart, true in motive, and
single in purpose. But the result
did not satisfy her. To her great
modification, she was forced to see
that the real obstacle was self-love.
The issue of this was the following
insertion in her diary
"Resolced, with the help of Heav-
en-, will seek to do good where and
in what degree 1 can, without any
thought or hope of reward or return
in any way"
Here pleasant voice from an ad-
joining room called
"Kitty, love %
eyes, MOTHER" replied the young
girl.
"Here are two invitations for you !;
come and get them"
Kitty opened one which ran thus:
DEAR PUss Pack up your pref
test dresses and bring them, with
your sweet face over to Woodlawn.
! want to borrow you for a month or
two. Bring all your supplies finer.
ry smiles, bright looks and winning
ways; for the Marceaus, Living
stones and Lees are here. Also, my
dear bias bleu, bringing all your wis.
dom for Ursa Major is coming on
the first OF the month. He cares for
nothing earthly but learning, and
never opens his mouth to lady save
to growl. By Ursa Major l mean DR..
Randall, the great "savant"-who,
by the way, is likewise great parti.
l will send the carriage to the station
for you. Good-by, dearie.
Cousin ALICE"
The second note, from a good old
Quaker aunt of her fathers, was in a
different strain:
"MY DEAR KATHARINE Will
thee come and stay with thy old aunt
for a few weeks ? l am sorely af-
ficted with rheumatism and quite
helpless. l long for thy bright face
and cheerful voice. If thee will come
thee will be doing a great kindness
to thy affecticnate
AUNT RUTH"
Kitty was thoughtful for some
time.
"Mother, what shall do ?" she
asked, anxlously.
"What do you wish, my child ?"
inquired Mrs. Ward.
"Do you think that cousin Sarah
would go to Aunt Ruth ?" said Kitty,
after pause.
"Very likely" replied the mother.
"Oh, mother % exclaimed Kitty,
eagerly. 81 should like so much to
60 to Woodlawn 1t is so delight
tul there ! The company is always
refined, intelligent and entertaining.
And DIR. Randall Is to be there he
has been abroad for years, engaged
in scientific researches connected
with his profession He knows every
thing"
Mrs. Ward saw very we'll the
struggle which her daughter was un.
dergoing, but she only said, "decide
for yourself" my dear, and left her.
Kitty ran up stairs, fully determin.
ed to go to Woodlawn but the first
object that met her gaze was her dia-
ry and the resolution.
Then commenced a sharp conflict.
The many and varied delights of
Woodlawn passed before her-the
rides, the excursions, the boating
parties, the pleasures of all kinds
and the elegance and refinement of
the surroundings and in strong con-
trast was patient, suffering Aunt
Ruth, in her quiet little home, wild
owed and childless for years, with no
company, nothing cheerful.
"Well, now, there's a chance to
act upon my new resolution"
To avoid further temptation, Kitty
wrote letter full Of regrets to Cous-
in Alice, and one of acceptance to
Aunt Ruth.
Aunt Ruth took of her spectacles
and wiped her eyes when she read
Kitty's note, and said "The bless
ed Child !" and then handed it to the
physician, a qulet-looking gentleman
with a broad white forehead, the
child of dear early friend of Aunt
Ruth's.
Kitty come at the appointed time,
and within a week the house was
changed place. The doors and win
dows were opened, and the sweet
air and bright sunshine let in. Bou.
quets were scattered here and there,
freshly arranged each day. The
rigid arrangement of the furniture
was broken. Aunt Ruth's good old
piano was tuned, and drawn up near
the door of her room, that Kitty
might sing to her. Aunt Ruth's
good old heart was greatly rejoiced
by all this change, and the doctor
wondered greatly. He saw the effect
and knew Kitty to be the cause; but
the means were to him a mystery.
From day to day he wondered what
a chance such bright spirit would
make in his grand but sober old
place a mile or two distant.
Nothing could exceed Kitty's
amazement when she found that
Aunt Ruth's friend, of whom she had
written so often and talked SO much,
was the great doctor. She did not
talk much in his presence, for she
stood in real awe of him but her
Joy was unspeakable in listening to
his conversation with Aunt Ruth.
His vast knowledge, his varied ex-
perience, his noble ideas, were won
derful to her, and she congratulated
herself that she knew him so much
better here than she would have
known him at Woodlawn.
To the doctor Kitty was a revela.
ton. He had never had much time
or opportunity for enjoying the soci-
ETY. Of ladies. He was not at all
versed in their ways or manners. He
thought Kitty's beaming face was
like sunshine, her merry laugh like
ripping waters, her sweet voice
like melody. He noted her
womanly ways, her gentleness, her
kindness. He found her "never
weary of doing well, never seeking
her own"
1t fell out as Kitty had predicted.
Aunt Ruth grew rapidly better. So
after all, Kitty went to Woodlawn
about the time DIR. Randall did. But
for some reason, she did not enjoy il