The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1877-01-19
TOM DUFFIN'S DAUGHTER

Tom Dnffin's cabinet pictures are
charming bits Of, painting, but yon
would cease 20 wonder how he
caught such delicate home-touches
il you saw the room he painted in ;
for Tom has habit of turning his
wife's parIor into a studio, and both
parlor and pictures are the better
for the habit.
One bright morning in the winter
of 1872 he had got his easel into q
comfortable light between the blaz-
ing fire and the window, and was
busily painting. His CHEEKY little
wife-pretty enough in spite of her
thirty seven yeare-Was reading the
interesting items in the morning
papers to him, and between them
he sung softly TO himself the favor
lite tenor song of his fayorite opera.
But the singing always stopped
when the reading began: and so
politics and personals, murder and
music, dramas and divorces, kept
continually interrupting the musi-
cal despair of tAhl che lie morte og-
nora
But even morning paper is not
universally interesting, and in the
very middle of an elaborate criti-
cisID, on tragedy and Barry Spill
van, the parlor door partially open
ed, aud a lovelier picture than Tom
Duffin painted. stood in the aper-
ture-a piquant, brown-eYed girl, in
a .morning gown of scarlet opera
flannel, and a perfect clond of wavy
black hair falling around her.
Mamma, il anything on earth can
interest you that is not in a news
paper, should like to know wheth-
er crimps or curls are most becom-
ing with my new seal skin set
If were q picture, of course pa
pa would know: but seeing l am
only poor live girl, it does not in
terest him.
Because, Kitty, you will not dress
artistically.
Because, papa, I must dress fash
ionably. Ii is not my fault If ar
lists don't know the fashions. Can't
L have mamma for about half an
hour?
When she has finished this criti-
icism of Barry Sullivan. Come in,
Kitty; it will do you good to hear
it.
Thank you no, papa: am going
to Drnry Lane myself tonight, and
I prefer to do my own criticism.
Then Kitty disappeared, Mrs.
Duffan skipped q good deal of crit :
cism, and Tom got back to his tAh
che lie morte ognora,' much quicker
than the column of printed matter
warranted. Mrs. Duffan went to
Kitty's room.
Well, Kitty, child. what do you
want?
See here.
Tickets for Drury Lane?
Stalls, middle row, center seats
l know them. Jack always does
get just about the same numbers.
Jack? You don't mean te say
that Jack Warner sent them.
Kitty nodded and laughed in a
way that implied half dozen differ
ent things.
Bot l thought you had positively
refused him, Kitty?
OF course did, mama-told him
ia. the incest kind of way that we
must only be dear friends and SO on.
Then why did he send these tick
cts?
Why do moths fly around a can
die? 1t is my opinion that both
moths and men enjoy burning.
Well, Kitty I don't pretend to un-
derstand this new fashioned way of
being off and 'on' with a lover at
the same time. Did you take me
from papa simply to tell me this?
No: I thought perhaps you might
like to devote a few moments to
papa's daughter. Papa has no hair
to crimp and no braids to make
Here are all the hair-pins ready,
mama, and Twill tell you about Sa-
rah Cooper's engagement, and the
ridiculous new dresses she is get
ting.
1t is to be supposed that the bribe
proved attractive enough; for Mrs.
Duffan took in hand the long tress-
es, and Kitty ratified away about
wedding dresses and travelling suits
and bridal gifts with as much inter-
est az if they were the genuine news
of life, and newspaper intelligence
kind of grown-up fairy lore.
But any one who saw the hair ia
ken out of.crimps would have said it
was worth the trouble of putting 1t
in; and the face was wortE the hair,
and the hair was worth the exQui-
site hat and the rich sealskin and
the tantalizing effects of glancing
silk and beautiful colors, depend up
on it, Kitty Duffan was just as brigh
and bewitching q life-sized picture
as any one could desire to see; and
Tom Duffan thought so, as che trip
ped up to the great chair in which
he was smoking and planning sub
jects, for a good by kiss.
1 declare, KittyI Turn round,
will you? Yes, l declare you are
dressed in excellent taste. All the
effects are good, l wouldn't have
believed it.
Complimentary, papa. But q told
you so.' You just quit the antique,
and go to studying La Toilet for
effects, then your women will look
q little more natural.
Naturall JehoshepLatI Go away
you little imposter!
l. appear 10 OdCk. Just look at tue
women in that picture OF papa's,
with the white sheets draped about
them. What do they look like?
Frights, Miss Kittyl
OF course they do. Now, papa.
You two young barbarians shout-
ed Tom in q fit of laughter; for
Jack and Kitty were out in the
clear, frosty air by this time,
with the clear fresh wind at their
backs, and their faces steadily set
towards the busy hustle and light
of Charing Cross.
They had not gone far when Jack
said anxiously, You haven't thought
any better of your decision last Fri
day night, Kitty, I'm afraid.
Why, no, Jack; don't see how 1
can unless you could become an In
dian Commissioner or clerk of the
Treasury, or something of that kind.
You know l won't marry literary
man under any possible circum-
stances. I'm clear on that subject,
Jack.
j know all about farming, KITTY,
if that would do.
But suppose if yOu were q farm
er we shonld have TO live in the