Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-05-30
From Cassell's Magazine.
KATL'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 a race to get into the house
frst-a race [ had Won, for Lii and Cissy
were yards behind.
Never mind, indeed" 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.
/" don't, declare don't" she cried
impetuously; and to show her dislike
she threw her arms round me, and
squeezed my nose 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 in quarreling with the cook
and snubbing us; but for all that, one
of my principal recollections, during the
fever | had 50 long, was waking at all
times to see Sally's red face watching by
nay bedside; and | know that she did the
cooks work for six weeks, as we'll as her
own, when the poor cook had such a sad
accident and cut her hand.
We three-Lil, Cissy and had a
long discussion about Cousin Kate and
her visit; and we all felt what dreadful
little ragmufflns we should seem to her
for I'm 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 D
[ knew afterwards why this was
Papa had horrible nervous dread Of
our growing up weak and sickly, for his
was a delicate family; and I had heard
that our cousins were often i'll.
y can guess why cousin Kate i
coming to stay with u.s. said Lii.
Il know why she's coming" I said.
Its because she is ILL.," shouted Lii
for fear I 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
emily, chat will soon make her we'll D
"She shall have all the eggs Speckle
lays" said Lii, "and Jenny will take hel
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 afternoons tall, pale girl, with a
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 a tender, afectionate way, saying:
"NIy 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 a blighted flower, having been cross
ed in love affair with the horse keeper
at neighboring farm, we girls got tC
think of our cousins illness as kind OF
mystery, connected in some way, how
we did not know, with the heart.
Our awe of the sweet, gentle cousin
fell off the very next day, when we took
possession of her, and led her around oul
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
to rush off most willing messengers to
forestall any little wants she expressed
This came natural to us: but on nv