The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-11-12
"QUEEN KATHERINE."

window of her Southern home with he
soul in her eyes. 1t was her own voup,
brother who stood in the narrow gate
way below, and Katherine had had hel
share OF lovers in her spring -Iime, bu
never had she looked with such pride
and an, ctiOn as now glowed in her face
on the dearest OF them all--the one fOl
whose love she had come near to sacri
ticing everything else she held mosi
pre- ci0us.
"QIe Katherine" the neighbors
called this woman, because of hel
naughty spirit; ana truly her pride
whicn,nad but little TO iced upon, lived
aud flourished bravely amid its meager
surroundings.
Far and vide stretched the lands that
had once belonged 10 the SherW0ods, but
their ownership had narrowed down
through generation after generation, un.
I'll nothing was left to Katherine and her
brother but the piece OF ground on winch
stood the old mansion, the worn-out
orchard behind it, the scrubby lawn in
front, and the merest strip Ot a Kitchen
garden at one side.
Tue mansion itself was fast falling TO
decay for want OF proper repairs. The
roof gaped in .suudry places, the walls
were mottled with damp and mildew,
the very stones were crumblilig, and
dry rot attacked the aoors and vain
scots. Ola Time was busy with 1T from
rU0i-tree to cellar, and nothing offered
Resistance to his ravages but the clumsy
efforts OF two aged negro servants who
nad formerly belonged 10 the old planta-
tion, and who regarded "Miss kathy"
and "Marse Neu" as their especial
charges aud objects Of the tenderest 80.
licltuue.
1t was only by the stricLest economy
and the wearing Of dllapidated wrap
pers and dnwn-at-heel slippers in prl-
Vate, that Queen Katherine kept herself
presentaDIe as to dress, and Edward
looked forward when he should have
aCAleved his highest aim only to the
small salary and humble fame Of coun-
try parson,
As it was not the present state OF the
SherwOOds over which Katherine exult-
ed, but their !o!mer greatness and
grandeur, 30 1t was scarcely what her
brother had achieved OF hoped TO
achieve, which formed the lounuatiOu OF
her pride in him. 1t was an article OF
iaitn with b0tn that he might have ac-
compllshed any purpose 10 which he had
SET himself, and his promised career GER
LaInly lett an opening Tor ambition, but
DUtn felt that an unsuitable vocation
uad been forced upon hlm by clrcum-
stances, and that now it was too late to
reCtQe.
Whatever token OF weakness or irreso-
luton murred the beauty OF Edward
SneTWOUd's features or Carrlage was In
visible TO Katherine, she saw IN both all
the manly grace5 and virtues OF a long
line oI noble ancestry. AS eagerly as a
girl gree.s her lover OF a mother her
cnlld. Katherine leaned from the window
10 greet the brother WAC had only been
aDsenL from her side few hours; but
even as he paused at the gaze that
swung beneath uis fingers, her express
sion Cuanged.
She had caught sight Of woman's
figure among the shrubbery that
lined the woodland pain just with
cut the gate. Before the smiie
could change to 1roWn, both were
merged into stare Of blank amaze
ment. Edward had turned and Clasped
his compauion in his arms and pressed
a kiss upon ner lifted, smiling mouth.
The girl--for she was a young anu
beautiful glri-turned away, and the
man came gayIy on, SO tly smiling and
tWirllng in his fingers the willow SWITCH
he carried.
AS for Katherine, she had reooiled as
il from Il serpent's fangs. She stood,
Withdrawn from sight, qutYering III ey-
cry nerve, and with her hand pressed
upon her heart. One thought possessed
ner-one wicked nope-lhaU her brother
might be tritiing with the pretty little
creature who nad gone her way, the
glory of tender love shining Ike
halo all around her. i was
nothiHg to Katherine Sherwood that her
brother, devoted to calling which must
be acCursed il its very root anu lounda-
LiOn be not trigid in pure heart, should
trlhe with girPs ahections--shOuld
bruIse and crush them II need be. 1t
was muCn more Than she could contem-
plaJe with any Guinness that he should
UeCOme entaugleu Win the fortunes OF
one who had neither family nor money,
whose social station was, in her eyes,
beneath COntempu-a mere nursery gov
ernesS-pernaps her position might be
better defined as q nursery malu-cOme
from, no one knew WneDce-lnnoCent
ana sweet, 1t is True, IL the Qualities OF
one SO obscure might be worm cOnsld-
erlng, anu not more uneuucaLed TIA II
The women VINO sat in Judgment above
her.
II Edward Sherwood had not been
Ulced that his sister did not fly to meet
MIN as usual. Ii was long before she
could compose herself SO as not to be-
tray her inward equation, but when sne
did appear, she seemed III her most gra-
clOus mood.
Her first endeavor was to make her
brother feel The pleasure of her compan-
lOnsuip, and IN LhIs she succeeded. dis
eyes sparkIed or grew pensiVe;
MS Iaughler rang out; his boylsh face
gtOWed with Keen enjoyment. There
was little doubt that Tor The time being
ne had forgotten the very existence OF
Ihe girl whose presence had filled him
Win delight tnaG day.
Her name fell from GATHERINGS lips as
ii by the Verlest accident. mis-. Aims
wortn's Jean" could, in the very nature
0! things, only be IAe subject OF pass
ing remark, yet embarrassment clouded
Edwards brow, and frOWn
OF pain settled upon 1t, Tor
with the merest mention the
snaits OF ridicule mad struck d sep into
beautiful ideal. That hideous VICE
which finds amusement in the defects
and iolbles of others was rooted deep i'll
katherIne's nature. IL mad served to
enlertaIn her brother many a time; it
had stabbed him now. 1t may have
been that il would nave served its pur-
pose in this instance If it had been ear
lier used. However that may be, it Is
certain tnat Edward did not put aside
tne pleasant cup Tor its drop Of bitter
ness. More tnan one bright Summer
"a kaIN iFtnp ffNI1I n do fi