The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-03-24

To dear Uncle Randolph, and all whO lore me:
l have determined to drown myself, be-
cause am tired of life. My heart is broken,
and can see no relief except in death. For
give me for what | am about to do, and |
shall pray God to forgive me also. | do not
want to live and suffer as have suffered
Here the words since Jack" were
scratched out, and in their stead was
written, during the past" Ga blank
to be filled in when the ice should thaw).
l forgive everybody. hope you will not
mourn for me, nor remember my melancholy
end, because do not deserve it. With love
to you and to dear Aunt Martha and Aunt
Charity and Tom, remain,
Your beart- broken, KATE.
How many times Jack read and re-read
this singular document will never be
known, but when Kitty entered the room,
quarter of an hour later, he was still
sitting with the dictionary upon his knees
and the paper in his hand.
" thought Uncle Randolph was here"
said Kitty, hestitaing whether to remain
or not, and failing to observe what it
was that so absorbed Jacks attention.
He turned with a start, as though first
conscious of her presence, and thrust
the sheet of paper back into the volume.
Then he said very gravely;
Your uncle is not here, Kitty. Won't
you be seated? l want to talk with you"
Kitty sat down on the high backed
sofa, and fell to studying the figures in
the carpet. Jack went over and took
seat by her side. She did not notice that
by held the dictionary under his right
arm.
Kitty" said Jack, with becoming
solemnity, 81 do not believe that you
have been very happy during the past
month, have you?"
Kitty's lip began to tremble, but she
answered desperately: why should l
not have been happy"
" Because" replied the candid Jack,
"you have not had me to torment you"
g You mean to say that | cannot be
happy without you, Mr.. Burroughs?"
Kitty was still gazing intently at the
carpet, so that she did not see the smile
that played about Jacks mouth as he
answered.:
Yes | have reason to believe that
without me you would be very misera-
ble."
Indeed" exclaimed Kitty. 81 should
like to know what right you have to be-
lieve that?"
" Well, Kitty, l judge you by myself.
| have been wretched ever since the
night of that unfortunate party. made
up my mind yesterday to swallow my
pride and come here and ask you to for
get and forgive. Wewere both to blame,
although the fault, no doubt, was mine
to begin with"
eff you have been wretched, as you
say" rejoined Kitty, her eyes still fixed
on the floor, "why didn't you go to Helen
Clapp? You would surely have found
comfort there"
Nonsense, Kitty! care nothing for
Helen Clapp-nO more than you do for
Cyrus Phelps. | haven't seen her, nor
have | wanted to see her, since the night
of the party"
You take it for granted, l presume,
that will overlook all that has happened
without word"
81 did not take it for granted, Kitty,
until"
Until what?" Here the young lady
turned her eyes suddenly upon Jack, and
discovered for the first time the volume
under his arm. What is that book?"
she demanded, blushing scarlet.
THAT" returned Jack, with tantaliz-
ing composure-" that is Webster's Die
tionary. While you were engaged in
washing the dishes l was improving the
time by study"
"Give it to me this instantw de-
manded Kitty, springing to her feet
Jack handed her the volume without
word. She snatched it impetuously
and turned over the leaves until she came
to the letter
"You have read it," she exclaimed,
crumpling the sheet of paper In her
hand.
If you mean your farewell epistle, "
reioined Jack, gravely, 81 have"
Why, Jack" And thereupon Kitty
threw herself upon the sofa and, with
her face buried in the cushion, began to
sob convulsively.
And what did Jack do? Perhaps he
drew her to his side and told her what a
very, very wicked girl she was to think
of drowning her pretty self. Perhaps he
repeated to her, for the thousandth time
at least, the story of his love, which
had grown and deepened during month
! of self-intiicted torture, and which was
dearer to him than all else in life-dearer
than fame or fortune, or even the Phi
Beta Kappa key which he had won at
Yale. Perhaps he soothed her with soft
words, and rested her head upon his
breast, and convinced her that, after all,
she had much to live for in this world,
and that her heart was not so seriously
shattered as she had fancied. Perhaps,
even, he kissed her; but that is no affair
of ours.
Whatever Jack may have done, this
much know to be fact: when the ice
in the river thawed, Kitty did not throw
herself into the waters of the Connecticut
And when the blossomy May came
round, she blushed prettily because PEG.
pie called her Mrs. Burroughs. "-Har-
per's Bdzar.
Close Figuring.