The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-01-06

King. My mlIrOT udu lOiu luo euo satu0
hattering tale which it tells many belle.
NV ambrosial locks were curled in style,
nv blonde moustache was waxed to per-
fection, my blue eyes sparkled, and my
manly form was immersed in an elegant
suit Of broadcloth. Beside all this, | had
cultivated becoming pallor, for l was
to enact the role of an invalid. A cur
riage was waiting. l was assisted into it
by the obsequious footman, and sank
languidly on the cushions. I was driven
to an elegant mansion, met by my hest,
and almost carried to luxurious cham
Der. was too fatigued to go down stairs
that evening, but the amount of supper
which contrived to swallow, and wine
it took to wash it down, would have as
tonished restaurateur.
In the morning my head was so bad
that took my coffee in bed. At dinner
time managed, with some assistance, to
get to the dining room, and for the first
time met Kate Marston, the young lady
whose dearest hopes 1 had come to over
throw. After the first glance / began to
think that perhaps Mr.. Marston had
made a grave mistake in bringing ME
there. I never had an ideal. My busy
life in college and my lack of money to
live at all afterwards had allowed no
margin for dreams. But am sure Kate
Marston embodied all the elements which
would have composed my ideal if l had
possessed one.
She was small, perfect brunette, with
glorious eyes, which might sparkle with
love or hate, red lips and cheeks, lustrous
black hair, white, shapely teeth, and, in
fact, everything which is charming in
woman. She treated me very kindly,
very gently, because I, her fathers friend,
was m invalid. If I had been apparent
ly strong and hearty, she would have sus-
pected her fathers motives, and met
every advance with a rebuff. He had
brought several eligible young men to
his house, but Kate had sent them about
their business in anything but compli,,
mentary style. All the ladies who had
been hired as companions she had won
over to her cause. They abetted her in
her disobedience, and were discharged in
disgrace. 1t was planned that while
drawing on her sympathy and seeking
kindly Offices from her, I should watch
over her, keep with her as much as j
could, and excite if possible, the jealousy
of her lover, and tempt him to some
desperate action.
1 felt Immediately that it would be q
pleasant task, although had been, as
appeared, young man of landed estate,
I would have entered into it with greater
zeal. For few days everything pro-
gressed smoothly. Kate was assiduo!ls
in her attentions to my comfort. l would
lie on the sofa and she would read to ne
in her dulcet tones. / enjoyed this hear
tily, for she was really a good reader,
and Tennyson or Byron from her lips was
the sweetest music to me.
When my head ached land often had
severe spells with my head) how tenderly
she bathed it with those deft fingers OF
hers. I would have been content to live
and bask in the sunshine of her presence
forever, but observation showed me that
there was necessity for action. Some
times Kate would shut herself up in her
room for an hour or two. Meanwhile [,
on whom time always hung heavily when
she was absent, placed my chair by the
window, to view passers-by. Invariably
saw man pacing up and down in front
of the house. He was of medium size,
light complexion, blue-gray eyes, long
side-whiskers, a mixture between f1axen
and brown; most people would have
called him good looking, but closer
observer of character would have no
ticed the strangely shaped forehead and
the gradual sinking of the features at the
bridge of the nose. was not long in
finding out that this was Kate's lover,
and took delight in watching him. I
caught him looking at me with malig-
nant scowl. With Kate's temperance
he always disappeared. / was certain
that they were keeping up "a correspon-
dence, but I never saw him receive any
letters. I now began to concoct plans
to prevent that begged her, as great
favor, to help me in writing some letters
which were a necessity for me to write,
but which my weakness prevented my
doing. I kept her for long hours writing
letters about all sorts of things to imaei-
nary people, which, of course, were never
mailed. l have some of them yet care
fully put away in my writing desk. Then
we took long rides, and she, believing roe
to be stranger in the city, pointed cut
objects of interest, and answered the
numerous questions which / chose to ask.
7 think at those times she must have
thought me very stupid, and possessed OF
-,o~,, l;++lo ;ncorro ofior b,,t che o1wova
answered me with the same unwearying
kindness.
With all her frmness, and, as her ia
ther termed it, obstinacy, there was al
ways in her that gentleness and sweetness
which characterizes the true lady. !
only sighed that she had not bestowed
her love on some worthy object-myself,
for instance. Luckily met no one who
knew me as David Moss, attorney and
solicitor, but nearly always passed some
where in our rides her lover, who her
father had told me was called Walter
ReveauX.
At such times Kate would bow and
smile, while he returned naughty rod,
which brought frightened, grieved looks
into Kate's fair face. Then an insane
desire would seize me to jump out of the
carriage and give him the thrashing be
deserved; but discretion being the better
part of valor, / would, on reflection, re-
main seated, and by playful bandinage
endeavor to coax back Kate's smiles.
had been at Marston's house nearly a
month, and had been treated as an hon
ored guest by both master and mistress.
The change in my life seemed almost as
wonderful as the miracles wrought by
the genius of Aladdin's lamp. came
slowly down stairs on this morning, a
little earlier than usual, and entered the
dining room. had expected to find no
one there, and was astonished to see Kate
lneeling before her pet canary, weeping,
"Good-bye, sweetheart" for SO she called
the bird. l entered unobserved, and /
slipped out again, closing the door softly
after me, determined to closely watch
affairs.
I came down late to breakfast, and
] L E. So I, 49, IL A., enofoJ