Weekly Trinity journal., 1877-04-07


Jack to her now ? Had he not sent back
her letters and picture, and kept away
from her whole month And was she
not heart-broken maiden, resolved to
die as soon as the ice in the Connecticut
river melted ? These thoughts Whi'led
through her brain rs she fastened bit nt
white lace at her throat-lace which
Aunt Charity had once worn, when
knitting was not her sole aim in life-and
took final peep at her pretty self in the
double sectoned mirror. At all events,
it made her conscious Of her beauty and
caused her to forget the terrible letter "
ing between the pages Of the dictionary
down stairs.
When Kitty went into the sitting
room to announce that "supper was
ready" she saluted jack with chilling po-
litenesS, and addressed him rs MIR. Bur
roughs." This ought TO have stabbed
the young man to the heart, but it didn't.
He looked very grave to be sure, and call
ed her "Miss Gibson," but there was the
Old rogui>h twinkle in his gray eyes, and
Kitty detected at once that, under hisss
sumed gravity, there was desire, re
strained only by continued excruon, to
burst out laughing. Naturally this vex-
ed the young lady to degree where
tears would have been sweet relief, 1t
was not enough, then, that !his wicked
deceiuiul, cruel Jack should make a play
thing Of her heart, but he must need cx-
ult over bis atrocious conduct. K;tY
could have cried with relish, but She re-
membercd her letter and her resolution
to die, md SO, in lieu Of tears, she drew
so'scc from that grim thought.
At the suppertabe jack was unusually
talkative. He comp'mented Miss Mar
tha upon the excellence of her faky bis
cults, and emphasized his appreciations
by eating hnif II dozen of them he eX-
pressed his cordial sympathy with Uncle
Rpndolrh's desire 10 Kick the tribe of
Marshalls, and evinced deep interest in
the plot of the story which Tom Turner
had just dcvoured he shouted the prais
es of Aunt Charity's knitting in tones so
lusty that the Old lady was made to hear,
albeit she was wont to declare herself $50
proper deaf ,he couldn't hear nnyihing;"
and as for Kitty, this wicked Jack lom
barded her with sucha volley ofqurstion
that she was forced into mn unwilling con-
versation. When the meal was at last
finished, Kitty persisted in helping Miss
Mmtha wash the dishes.
"You'll only hinder me-" expostulated
the elder maiden, 'and besides you've
got on your best dress. Go into the sit
ting room and entertain Jack"
But the younger maiden was fixed in
her purpose. 50 she went to her roam t.
don an apron, and left Jack to entertain
himself.
Thereupon, the heir of the house OF
Burroughs picked up'a bulky volume and
sat down hy the opolf fire in the sitting
room. The bulky volume proved to be
Webster's Dictionary, which careles-
Kitty had thrown on the table on her first
ha,ty retreat from the Kitchen. Jack
turned oveI the leaves listles>iy unit! he
came to sheet of paper written upon in
II chirography pleasantly familiar. O.
course it was highly improper for him
to read that paper, yet a II chronicler
of simple lnct, am forced to record thnt
he did read it. And this is what it con
tanned
TO my dear UDcle RaRd0'ph, and an
mh0 tore me Il have deter mined to
drown myself, hecause | nm tired Of life.
My henlt j. broken, and J Gun see no r"-
lief except il death. Forgive me for y h I
| am about to do, and shall pray to G d
to forgive me also. do not want to live
and suffer rs have suilered--
Here the words "snce jack" were
scratched out, aud in their stcad was writ
ten, during tho past" "a blnnkto be
filled in when the lee should thaw),
| forgive everybody. I hope you will
not morn for me, nor rcmrnher my mel
aucho y end, he cnu'e ! do net de,olNe il.
With love to YOU and to dear Aunt Char
ity and Tom, | remain,
Your heart broken
KATE.
How many times Jacl read and re-read
this singular document will never be
known, but when Kity entered the room
a quarter of hour later, he was still sit
ting with the dictionary upon his knees
and the paper in his hand.
81 thought Uncle Randolph was here"
said Kitty, hesi;ating whether to remain
or not, and failing TO observe what it was
that so absorbed jacks attention. lie
turned with start, a. though first con
scious Of her presence, and thrust the
sheet of paper back into the volume
Then he .aid very gravely.
"Your uncle is not here, Kitty
Won't you be seated ? | want to talk
with YOU"
Kitty sat down upon 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 he held the dictionary under his
right arm.
"Kitty," said Jack with becoming
solemnity, ~ do not believe that you
have been very happy during the past
month, have you ?"
Knty's lips began to tremble, but she
answered, desperately, "Why shouldn't
| have been happy ?"
Because" replied the candid Jack,
"you have not had me to torment you"
"You mean TO say that / can't be
happy without ycrl, SIR. Burroughs ?"
Kitty was still gazing intentIy at the
carpet, SO that she did not see the smile