, 1876-03-03
Kitty.
CHAPTER THE FIRST.

"He will be sure to come before the
summer is over" said little Kitty to her
self
She was always called little Kitty, al
though nineteen years old, but she was
round and soft and pretty and petable,
and looked like little kitten, so the
name and the adjective suited her per-
fectly. And she was very careful, in
spite of many a temptation to the con-
trary, not to wear her new white muslin
dress at the doctors wife's or the lawyers
wife's party, and none of her best bows
were seen at church, though on many
Sunday the sun shone so brightly il
seemed to be almost insulting not to wear
them. She was keeping them all for the
benefit of John Laurence when next he
came to stay at the Laurels, which he was
sure to do soon, for he always turned up
about twice in the year.
Old Mr.. Hughes was very fond of his
big, handsome nephew, who had not long
attained the elevated position of lieu
of his own, and the estates being entailed,
it was perhaps only natural that he should
make much of his heir.
There was another reason, too, why old
Hughes made much of Johnnie wanted
him to marry his daughter; nay, it had
always been considered a settled though
undiscussed thing that he should do so,
and people said that they were engaged.
Kitty believed this gossip was all nou-
sense, for Caroline Hughes was tall and
thin. with two large white teeth sticking
out in front of her mouth Though she
was otherwise agreeable), and, moreover,
whenever John Laurence came to Crag-
ford he made love to Kitty. He always
did it in a half-clandestine fashion that
annoyed Kitty excessively, and never
paid her marked attentions before other
people; still he did make love to her,
that was certain, and she did not believe
that he cared for Caroline. Kitty did not
often go to the Laurels Kitty's father
was only retired solicitor, though we'll
of, aud Mr.. and MI& and Miss Hughes
ranked among the big swells Of Crag-
ford, and only invited the professional
men and their wives once or twice year
to dinner, and their daughters once or
twice year to ball or a croquet party.
1t CALLED little Kitty to think that this
ottSAdl tllClI oldLlOu ~ OIdk-
ford was perhaps the reason why the love
that John Laurence made to her was clan
destine. Poor little Kitty she had not
very nice time of it at home.
II can't imagine why you do not give
Mr.. Baverstock more encouragement" ="
Mrs. Horton was always saying to her.
"He will be snapped up soon. for there
are very few chances for girls in this
dead-alive place."
Mr.. Baverstock was a young surgeon
who had settled down in CragfOrd about
year previously. He wore spectacles,
had thin legs and red hair, and was not
by any means a charming object to be-
:. hold. He was very devoted to Kitty, as
all Cragford knew, but Kitty always
snubbed him numerically.
81 detest him, mamma" (Kitty's
papa had Unexpectedly taken to himself
a second wife during a visit to London
abut two years since, and Kitty called her
mamma to please him, but there was no
love lost between then.) "Why, he's as
ugly as a toad"
"He is getting a very good practice"
81 would sooner marry the man in the
moon" and she settled restlessly down to
read "Lallah Rookhn for about the twen-
ty-seYenth time that year. 1t was beau
tifully bound edition, radiant in crimson
and gold, and illustrated with beautiful
pictures protected by tissue-paper
Somebody had sent it anonymously ia
Kitty on her last birthday. She declared
she did not know where it came from
and It was quite true she didn't, but she
; could have made an excellent guess il
she had tried.