The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-05-26
WAS IT UNWOMANLY :

After DR.. Reid died, Mrs. Reid yer
sensibly sold the big house with ii
lawns around it. conservatory on th
terrace, and stables behind the clum
Of cedars, and moved into smaller
tn ough not less pleasant house, o.
Academy Avenue. People were no
surprised at this, but when they hear,
that Kate Reid was going to teacl
mathematics at the Female Seminary
then the public was amazed. 1t began
to pity Mrs. Reid a little. The docto
must have been terribly in debt, or tn,
place mortgaged. for otherwise it woulc
not have been necessary for Kate tt
teach school. Too bad for her, pool
thing, Just twenty. and SO bright and &C
good looking, to be obliged to toll from
to Il with a parcel of stupid girls al
the seminary. In reality, however
Kate was not obliged to do it at all but
being young woman of rather indie
pendent ideas, she fancied that to have
$500 year, all her own, would not be a
dIsagreeable sensation to experience.
She was not needed particularly in the
domestic department at home; in fact,
ike a good many other bright and
{ agreeable unmarried women. she was
q not needed anywhere to any extent. So
t came about that she taught the semi
larry girls arithmetic, algebra and
-gaonetry, and. though it was rather
trying to the patience once in a while,
On the whole, she very much liked
I raining the young idea.
,3ns day in December she walked
acme as usual at IL o'clock, and pro-
ceeded directly into the parlor. Sitting
by the window she saw Howard Wins
low, middled-aged gentleman OF
shook hands with Kate cordially, and
stood and talked to her as she warmed
her feet and hands. You never would
fave guessed from the greeting that
these two people were laboriDg under
the sentimental bonds of an engage
ment, but such was the fact. They had
been engaged over month. 10 be
sure it had been very prosaic affair,
for they had known and liked each
other always. Winslow finally came to
the conclusion that he might as we'll
get married; He had money enough,
and was old enough, surely, being
nearly forty; and as he and Kate had
always been very good friends, he sat
down in his New York office one day
and wrote her proposal. When she
received it, she was a little amused and |
great deal surprised, but as she liked
Howard, she sat down straig htway.
also, and wrote an acceptance. Moth
ing romantic about this. you see; but |
have an heretical idea that very happy
marriages are often the result of Just
such engagements.
mo, l didn't come up from New
York merely to see YOU" said Winslow.
IN answer to Hates question; "but on
business about the new railroad. And.
by the way, one Of the civil engineers.
Ed. Kasson, at work here, is an old
friend Of mine. He's very clever as to
his profession, and is a gentleman
through and through. He isn't much
OF ladies' man, but should like to
give him note Of introduction to you,
ii you wouldn't mind"
II SHOULD be glad to meet him, of
course replied Kate; land mother
and will try to cure him if he is boor-
ish or bashful. Now, l must go up to
my room, Howard, and renovate my
self little for luncheon. There is the
Tribune on the table, if you haven't
seen it already" With this she left the
parlor.
About week after Edward Kasson
called one evening. He impressed Kate
with a sense of squareness. He was
tall and had square shoulders. His
forehead was square; his eyeb rows
arched very little; his chin and jaws
and his mustache stood out uuite
straight at the ends, instead of dropping
over the straight, firmly closed lips.
Moreover, he had a little, straight cleft
in his chin. He was neither boorish {
nor bashful, however. though he was
rifle clumsy and had very little idea OF
iancingschool grace. Kate took ]
ancy to him straightway, and after he |
md she had talked together about
little Of everything, and he had !
zone home, she wrote letter to How
Ird, containing the following para $
,raph: !
ng; and both mother and / liked him very
much. He seems so pleaSant-tempered, and f
5 certainly very agreeable talker. We are v
.ong together, next Sunday, to hear DR.. 4
tors preach at the Presbyterian church +
II. kasson has heard Dr. Storrs twice, and :,
ave such glowing eulogy on his preaching Z
lat am quite anxious for Sunday to come.
And not only was Kate pleased, but a
0 was Kasson, and though he did not 4
rite many letters to his married sister,
then he did honor her with an epistle r
. devoted few lines thereof to Miss d
cid: Is
She is very good looking and sensible, and
as introduced me to several pleasant people K
is she to whom Winslow is engaged, and he 81
IS chosen with excellent taste. Hope shall n,
ave the eY.tree Of their New York house. IL
So you see it was all a sort Of mutual
1miration society in the beginning. It in