Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-12-18
KITTY,
CHAPTER THE FIRST.

hks a niue kitten, so the name and the ad-
very careful, In spite OF many a temptation
10 the contrary, not TO wear her new white
muslin dress at the doctors wife's or the
lawyers wlfes party, and none of her hest
bows were seen at church, though ON manva
Sunday the sun shOne so brightly it seemed
20 De almost insulting not to wear them She
Laurence when next he came to stay AT TIE
Laurels, which he was sure to do SOON for he
always turned up about twice In the wear
Old Mr.. Hughes was very FOND of his hio
handsome nephew, who had not long attaine
Ell the elevated position of a lieutenant in
me artillery. ana having no son of his Ovyn
and the estate being entailed, IL was perhans
only natural that he should make much of
his heir. "a
There was another reason. foo Univ old
Hughes made much of Johnnie wautei him
70 marry his daughter; nay, it had ALWAYS
Deeh SG .1li settled though undfs-
Cussed thlI > lhat he should do 50, and peopIe
said that they were engaged. Kitty b.Iieyed
this gossip was all nonsense, for Caroline
dpghes was tai and thin, with two large
white teeth sticking out in front of her
mouth Though she was otherwise agresabIe1
and moreover. whenever John Laurence
came 10 Ca sfOrd he made love TO Xiv He
always did II in halfclandestine fashion,
that annoyed Kitty excessively and never
paid her marked attentions before other
people; Still be- did make love to her that
was certain, and she did not believe that me
cared Tor Caroline. Kitty did not often 90 10
the LauTelS. kitty's father was only a re-
IiTed sOLc.icr InOuSh well of, and Mr.. and
Mrs. and Miss Hughes ranked among the bio
sWells OF CTagfOrd, and only invited the pro-
ieSSlOnal men and their wives once or twice
year To dinner, and their daughters ONCE or
twice year 20 a ball or q erOouet PARTY n
galled httle Kitty TO think that this social
difference In their station at Cragford was
perhaps the reason why the love that John
Laurence made tOher was clandeStine Poor
iittle Kitty. she had not very nice time of
81 can't imagine why you do not give Mr..
BaverStock more encouragement" Mrs Hor-
ton was always saying To her. "He will he
N. there farp
chances fOr girls in this dead-alive place"
MI. BaverS tock was a young surgeon who
had settled down in Cragford about a wear
previously He wore spectacles hal thin
legs and red hair. and was not by any means
charming OBJECT to behold. He was very
devoted 10 Kitty, as all Cragford knew, but
Kitty always snubbed him unmercifulIy
Il detest him, mamma" (Kitty's papa
had Unexpectedly taken to himselfa sec Dnd
wife during a visit TO London about TWO
years since, and Kitty called her mamma 10
please him, but there was no love lost be-
tween theml why, he's as ugly as q toad,
"He is getting a very good practice"
Il would sooner marry the man iu the
moon and she settled restlessly down TO
read "Lallah Rookh" for about the twenty
seventh time that year. 1t was a beautiful
ly bound edition, radiant in crimson and
gold, and illustrated with beautiful pictures
protected by tissue paper. Somebody had
sent II anonymously 10 Kitty on her last
birthday. sac declared she did not know
didn't but she could have made an exceIlent
guess If she had tried.
CRAPTER THE SECOND.
Only week later, and John Iaurence had
arrived at the Laurels. Mr. BaverstOcEx
brought the news, and when Kitty heard IL
she looked so sweet, the surgeon felt himself
encouraged, and ventured to stay the even
ing. There was only one vexing thing, that
ne had brought his friend MIR. Fletcher with
MIN again He had accompanied John Lau-
renee on III las: two visits to CragfOrd and
Kitty haC felt on each occasion that he had
been decidedly in the way; for whenever
quite by accident, John had met her when
for a n ~ fr EInf Oh
Deen iar Oh, and she devOutIy wished him at
81 hear Miss Hughes's marriage is to come
of this summer" Mr.. Baverstock said i'm mis-
weak alto voice, "and now that the young
gentleman is here / daresay 1t will be all ar
"No doubt said Mrs. Horton, a little
epitefully, for she had noticed his attentions
10 Kitty, anu felt they BODIED her no god
probably put iidiculous ideas into her mead,
and proven ted her from accepting the Illus
trious Frederick. who was ready to throw
himself at her feet on the slightest proyOca-
uon- al have always heard that they were
very much attached to each other.'
Mr.. Horton ha not ard anything Oft
klnd; but no matter-she was given TO fb-
The very next day the hero callei. He
lcoked handsOmer than ever, Kitty thought.
His shoulders were broader his hands bigger
and his face more sunburnt. He Ia Iled chief
~ 10 Mrs Horton, but he kept looking across
az a,i hltty.that pretty, Innocent, round-faced
and the flush on her dimpled cneeks-tiIl he
made her heart beat with happiness and ex-
"By The way, Miss Kitty" he said, sud
denly fumbling in the big pocket of his loose
tweek coat, Il have note for you. There's
THURSDAY. and my aunt wants you to come,
Inc white muslin dress was donned, and
the coquettish hat and the little make-be-
lleVe wrap twisted about her shoulders to the
best advantage, and Kitty was ready for the
party at the Laurels. She did look very
pretty, as even her step-mother secretly ac-
Remember, Kitty, shall expect you home
oy seven O'Clock. 1t is not right for you TO
come later through those woods alone. In
deed, think Mrs. Hughes ought to have
asked me to chdperon YOU"
YES, mamma, and Kitty went on her
10 were private ones, belonging TO the Lau-
rels, but they made a short cut for Kitty,
and saved her good half mile ofroad. per
haps he will come and meet me-" she
thought shyly, and strained her eyes to
catch sight of his awkward figure in the dis
she heard the distant church clock chime
halfpast three. There! I'm much too early.
we were not even asked TIL four. 1 know
what L ii do when I get further on; I'll sit
down In shady part Of the wood and wait
III about I'VE minutes after the hour" So
she went on, and when she was within a
quarter of mile of the house branched off
intoa thick part oft the wood and followed a
sleepy stream that wandered on beneath the
tail iees and among the tangled underwood,
tiecked with water-lilies and fringei with
yellow Iris, which nodded their golden heads
10 the sun she found quiet leafy nook
close to Its edge, and sat down and waited
linen suddenly through the distant trees she
saw coming along the edge of the stream two
Egures, those OF man and a woman The
one she knew at giance-it was John Llu-
renee; the other she saw a minute later was
his cousin Caroline. With a bouad, her
heart seemed To come into her throat cts
Miss Hughes, " she said to herself land how
nice she looks and what a pretty dress she
has on!' She drew her white muslin closer
round her, and retreated a few inches farther
back behind the thick bushes, SO that they
might pass her unperceived, and waited. On
they came, arm In arm, talking earnestly
and In a low voice. The color fed from
kittys cheek, and the light died out of her
eyes. as she saw them, for surely only lovers
walked as they did? They stopped as they
got 10 within three yards of Kittys hiding
place, while Caroline Hughes stopped ao-
sently 10 pick one OF the yellow water iris,
and Kitty heard her say
"Do you know, John, never liked you so
wei as do today, and / thought you did
not care for me-"
my dear girl, was always awfully fond
OF you. i think you ought TO give me a kiss