The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1877-12-19
WOOING AND WINNING.

!
WOOING AND WINNING.
The June sunshine lay asleep in little
patches of gold all over the white kitchen
floor in Deacon Elwood's cottage on this
summer afternoon, but not one ray illu-
minated the face of Miss Kitty, the dea-
cons pet niece, as she stood leaning
against the door post, swinging her sun
bonnet back and forth, now and then
darling angry glances at an open letter
in the old mans hand. She made very
pretty picture standing there with the
sunlight sitting in through the vine
leaves around the old stoop, falling upon
her tangled curls and the pink muslin
dress that waved so gracefully about her
in the soft June breeze.
'Well, Kitty, what do you think of it?
asked Deacon Elwood, folding the letter
and laying it upon his knee, and looking
over to Kitty, whose short upper lip had
an extra curl in it.
what do / think of it? | think it's
Just as mean as it can be to come now,
just when | was going to visit Lottie
Grey. Now I'll have to stay at home, /
suppose, and entertain him; but I'll treat
him so he won't stay three days, you see
if don't"
''That will be very lady like, to say
the least of it. Kitty, to one whom you
have never seen, and cousin, besides.
g don't care what he thinks of me.
/ am sure he must be natural born i'd
lot to go inviting himself down here for
two whole months"
How the brown eyes sparkled then!
ttHow do you know what did not in
vite him, Kitty? The only son of my
only sister, and she dead; it's shame
that have not invited him here before.
1 wrote for him, my dear, and / expect
you to do as a lady should. 1t is Alto
gether probable that you will feel differ
emily upon the subject after he has been
here short time. Young ladies are not
Indifferent to handsome young gentle
Ens-s, particularly th0se haviEg 80 many
attractions as Augustus Lathrop, and a
rising young lawyer into the bargain"
| Uncle Elwood gave the slyest little
wink at his wife, who had sat rocking
and knitting during this time. This
was very unfortunate wink, for Kitty
| EIwood saw it by chance, and it threw
1 COuSIu6IdO10 tt2uL uPOu TIC d40tAP anu
she straightway winked to herself that
she knew all about it. and if they victim
lied her, they would do better than she
thought they could.
That night, away down to the foot of
the greenest of meadows, where little
brook flowed along, fringed by alder
bushes that almost met on its opposite
banks, Kitty Elwood held very conf
Dental meeting with one Frank Forester,
gay young fellow, and Deacon Elwood's
special aversion.
For years the families of Elwood and
Forester had been at enmitY about a
piece of land that had lain unused since
the first quarrel, and where now the
scions of the respective houses ''met by
chance, the usual way"
| The first stars were in the sky when
Kitty Elwood tripped back under the
orchard trees to the house, and sat down
on the stoop as innocent as though she
had not been looking into pair of black
eyes and making all kinds of rash promi-
ses during the last hour.
well Kitty" said Mrs. Elwood, the
next morning, after prayers, ''since your
cousin is coming, we must make some
preparations for him. Perhaps you had
better ask Lottie Grey to come here,
since you have been disappointed in your
visit there, and she help entertain Au.
gustus. which will relieve you some.
/ what"
eNo thank you" replied she, with
her most impudent look; Il feel quite
equal to entertaining him alone; and then
he might be foolish enough to fall in love
with Lottie, and, considering she's en-
gagged, it would be rather unpleasant"
"Wel, just as you please, Kitty, only
you must be civil to him, or your un-
Gle will be offended
"Oh, certainly"
Then Kitty Elwood went sorting over
and arranging the roses that she had
gathered before breakfast, with look Of
such cool provokingness that her aunt
felt serious misgivings, but said moth
ing
Two weeks went rapidly by, and every
! thing had been made ready. The little
cottage was as neat as hands could make
| it; folds Of soft white muslin draped the
parlor windows, looped back with ribbons
| that Kitty's hands had knotted, the green
covered sofa was wheeled into an angle
with the wall, and every article of furni.
ture had been newly arranged, to give it
the most stylish look. Vases of flowers
stood on the old fashioned manfel, some
/ of KittY's best drawings were brought out
and framed, and hung up in little low
| parlor, making it quite grand
It was the lest night; on the morrow
he was TO be there; so when the last rays
of the setting sum were tinting the top
most trees Of the woods that skiFfed the
green meadow, Kitty Elwood parted the
bOughs Of the alder bushes On the banks
of the little brook where she had been 50
many times before.
fou are late tonight. Kitty and
Frank Forester clasped the little hands
in bis. II have waited an age, and this
i the last night, too, for 10 many weeks,
! and perhaps forever.
| There uas shade of reproach ii BID
| tones Is be said this
i Perhaps forever. Knocked Kitty
Now you gQ aud get jealous. and ts,al
/ will spoil che whole Can you trust me:
/ Frank Forester. or not2 Tell mic truly. :
Kitky ElWood'a brown eyes looked q
tras1inelg it him At that moment chat Iii
Yes. darling. fors1ek.
A. Il