Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-02-15
/ am naturally a bashful man. and

too, gave me an encouragement, but
stood with quiet. dignified, down
ward look !; and then, before had
quite made up my mind what to do
darted away, up the path to the
house.
"There now" sighed mother, re-
gretfully, "Pve made matters worse
She's an odd child, but | like her
very much, and Pm sure that Break
neck woman is not her aunt"
'Mother, said |, "don't De roman.
tic. We do not live novels as a gen.
eral thing. / defy any novel-writer,
however ambitions, to create such a
dear little mother as | have" and !
raised the little withered hand to M
lips, an old-fashioped habit of mine
that she especially liked ; | think it
reminded her oil her counting days.
"John," she asked, suddenly, "why
didn't you kiss her ?''
| tied the boat, and walked with
her up to the house in silence.
didn't like to say the truth, because
L didn't dare.
Mother sent Kstc to boarding
school in the city after while, and
for four years we did not see her,
even at the holidays then, her edu-
cation flushed, she came back to US.
We went over to Coldspring one
afternoon to meet the up.cuming
train that was to bring her homo,
and | can remember yet how our
prised was to find in the graceful,
brilliant, brown-clad young lady who
came forward smilingly to meet US,
the awkward child that L remem~
bered. forgot the difference be-
tween thirteen aud seventeen in a
grill life. 1t is more than four years
much more than frcm twenty TO
twenty-four.
mother, darling MOTHER" l heard
hee whisper, as mothers arms were
thrown around her, show glad | am
to be with you again -
"Dear child and here's Jack"
How different was the quiet grace
with which she turned to meet my
offered hand
"Welcome home, little sister" said
|, smilingly.
She looked of me one moment
steadily, and then, bowling gravely,
thanked me.
"Ah!" thought i, as we rowed
homeward under the sun-settiC g,
"she remembers that unlucky SEN
tence of mine about the disturbing
element in Eden Her ladysbip is
vindiotive."
Everybody admired the bright
young girl at the "clove." And
Kathie had grown very beautiful !;
and it got TO be a fashi on of the
"West Pointers" and OF the lady
boarders-a good many OF them
mothers old city friends at Cornwall
to row around every day or so, so
that my quiet Eden became quite
filed with gay groups of young peo-
pie louDging about, and | gave up
dreaming among the tangIe of roses
on the hill behind the house, for tue
city maidens and their epaultetted
escorts made that their favorite re-
sort.
There was one whose dark eyes re-
minded me somewhat of Kate's with
whom | used to firt little 10 quiet
way. A high bred, brown-tressed
lassie, 100, she was, sweet Bessie
Hays, and Hates particular friend.
| can remember yet bow annoyed |
was one day when l was sauntering
along the rocky pathway leading to
"the Point" as the unused quarry at
the foot of Stormking was called, at
hearing the fag,end of a confidential
conversation between the pair.
Kate quoth Miss Bessie, 81 think
he's elegant, don't your"
"No. Aren't these Scotch caps
good?"
why don'tyou, Kate? You ought
to; hos your brother adopted, at any
rate
aThere isn't anything to like about
him; and, Bess, you'd better be care
full, for he's a flirt, know-at least,
| think he is.''
"a pretty thing to say of your
brother! laughed Besa, indolently.
"My DEAR" said Kate 10 great scorn,
"don't you know there is a vast diff
ference between real brother and an
adopted one?'
"Yes, you might marry the latter"
insinuated Bessie, tantaliziDgly.
"Bess, how dare you |" Il could
imagine how Rates dark eyes were
fiashing) 'l'll leave you to get back
your senses I'm going homo.
I'm nor, and AHfiss HAY. gieefui
laugh rang out. Don't be so savage,
Kate"
But Kate deigned no reply; and,
hearing rustling 10 the bushes, |
withdrew behind tall rock by the
pathway until she passed & then,
walking on, descended to the shore,
and, picking my way among the
rocks, was soon at Miss Hays rest
ing-place
"Where did you come from, Mr..
Willis?" she asked, opening her
brown eyes to their widest extent.
She spoke carelessly, but catching
an undertone of eagerpess in her
voice, determined to tease her a
little.
"From the house q few minutes
ago, Miss Bessie; was going to the
point"
"And did yon meet Kate?"
"Yes and no; she didn't see me-"
She colored gloriously, even to her
eyes; and then tossing the "Scotch
caps" she had gathered from one
dimpled bsnd to the other, and back
again, looking down at them all the
while, she said, with suppressed Gag
ernest
"Whe'e we're you. Mr.. Willis?n
! stood moment in silence, end
then, just as | meant she should, she
raised her brown eyes gonderinIy tc
nay face.