The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1877-05-24
FROM Cassell's Magazine.
KATE'S PRINCE.

There now, you're banging that
door again, Miss Jenny. | declare to
goodness you children would worrit the
patience out of a saint"
"Oh, never mind, Sally" said. pant
ing, after Il race to get into the house
tirst-a race | had won, for Lii and Cissy
We're yards behind.
Never mind, indeedw cried Sallie,
"and there's your fine cousin coming
down to-day from London | wonder
what she will say when she sees YOU
racing about the meadow like SO many
wild colts, and your arms all brown and
scratched, and the hooks off your dress.
| never did see such children, never"
But you like us, Sally" | said, get
ting hold of her rough, fat, red arm, and
laying my cheek against it.
81 don't, | declare | don't" she cried
impetuously; and to show her dislike
she threw her arms round me, and
squeezed my lose nearly fiat against the
piece of hard wood she used to wear in
side her dress
Sally was our house maid, parlor maid
and nurse maid all in one; and it used
to seem to me that she spent all her
leizure time i'll quarreling with the cook
and snubbing us; but for all that one
of my principal recollections during the
fever | had SO long, was waking at all
times to see Sally'S red face watching by
my bedside; and | know that she did the
cook 5 work for six weeks, as we'll rs her
own, when the poor cook had such a sad
accident and cut her hand
No tbron f';-z,- Ill =,
long discussion about Cousin Kate and
her visit; and we all felt what dreadful
little ragmutfins we should seem to her,
for Pm afraid We had been running wild;
though papa only used to laugh about it,
and would come into the school room
when mamma was busy with us over our
lessons, whenever it was fine morning,
and cry, CHOW then, girls, the sun
shines and the birds are calling Out
with you, Learn lessons when it rains"
| knew afterwards why this was.
Papa had a horrible nervous dread of
our growing up weak and sickly, for his
was delicate family; and | had heard
that our cousins were often i'll.
q can guess why cousin Kate is
coming to stay with u.s." said Lii.
II know why she's coming" | said.
cts because she is ill.," shouted Lii,
for fear | should show my knowledge
first.
Sally will take her up new warm
milk and an egg in it before she gets out
of bed in the morning." said CisSey SOL
EMMY, 'that will soon make her we'll"
"She shall have all the eggs Speckle
lays" said Lii, "and Jenny will take her
every morning to the old garden seat
under the trees. She is sure to Get well
there"
And so we did, for cousin Kate came
that afternoon-a tall, pale girl, with IL
sad, weary look in her face as she gazed
from one to the other.
We three girls stood back, quite in
awe of the well dressed, fashionable
body, who was so different from what we
had expected, while mamma went to
welcome her, and took her in her arms
in tender, atiectionate way, saying:
My dear child, we are 50 glad to see
YOU"
Cousin Kate threw her arms around
mammals neck and burst into a fit of
sobbing, hiding her face from our sight.
We did not see any more of cousin Kate
that day; but our young interest was
excited, and somehow, perhaps fostered
by dark hints dropped by Sally, who
was bhghted flower, having been cross
ed in a love affair with the horse keeper
at a neighboring farm, we girls got to
think of our cousins illness rs a kind of
mystery, connected in some way, how
we did not know, with the heart.
Our awe of the sweet, gentle cousin
all 10, / Il
possession of her, and led her around our
dear old country home, with its wilder
ness of an orchard, great garden shrub
berries and meadow.
Her coming seemed to mark an epoch
in our young lives. for. seeing how weak
and delicate she was, we used to vie one
with the other in being quiet and gentle,
waiting upon her in the most unneces-
sary way, like slaves, and always ready
10 rush Oft most willing messengers to
forestall any little wants she expressed.
This came natural 10 us; but on nv
part it was increased by Il few words |
heard pass between papa and mamma.
mamma saying that she did not think
poor Nate would ever grow strong again,
but slowly wither away. | gave a great
gulp aS | heard those words, and then
burst out sobbing violently.
:" You here, jenny" said mamma.
Well, my dear, as you have heard
what We said, ii must be your secret too.
Never let your poor cousin know what
we think, and never behave to her as if
you thought she could not recover"
| promised readily, and ut fourteen
the possession of that secret seemed to
make me feel more womanlv than nv
sisters, as | redoubled my tenderness to
the suffering girl.
The invalid was nineteen-a great age
III our eStlmation-and | used to look
up TO her with veneration. gazing at her
soft, sweet face and wistful ewes. wonder
ing why she was 80 i'll, and what was the
great sorrow that had come upon her like
blight upon one of the roses round her
porch.
Cousin Kate came to Us in the sprino
and the months flew by till it was the
height of summer; and many 4 night had
turned my face to the wall 50 that Lii
should not know, and cried silently till
my pillow was wet For knew 10 well
that Kate was weaker, 50 much weaker
than when she came, a walk across the