The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1878-09-18

-
den strawberries and pleasant meadow.
This desire to show her attention,
came natural to us but on my part
it was increased by few words which
| heard pass between papa and MAN.
ma, mamma saying that she did not
think poor Kate would ever grow
strong again, but slowly wither away.
She had come to US in the spring,
and the months few by till it was the
height Of summer; and many and
many a night had l turned my face to
the wall, and cried silently till my
pillow was wet. For l knew so well
that Kate was weaker, much weaker
than when she came, a walk across the
lawn to the old garden-seat in the shade
being as much now as she could bear.
cousin Kate" / said, one day
when we were alone, Lii and Cissy
having rushed off TO get some flowers.
couldn't any doctor make you we'll"
She looked at me with wild strange
gaze which almost startled me, before
she replied, and then in a way that
made my heart beat, she sObbed out.
"Only one-Only onel" and then rs
if to herself, in low whisper, she ad-
ded, land before he can come, l shall
be dead-dead !"
She did not know / heard her last
words, and ! sat chilled and frighten-
ed gazing at her till my sisters came
back, when, as we frequently did, we
sat down about her; Lii got upon the
seat, Cissy sat on the grass with her
head against one of Hates hands, which
hung listlessly from the corner where
she leaned, and threw myself on the
grass at her feet, so as to look up in
her gentle face, which had now become
calm with its weary look.
cousin Kate" said Lii, "tell us
another story"
"NO, no. / said, "don't ask she
isn't so well to day."
yes" she said quietly. raising her
head and looking at me, II AM better
to-day"
"1'ell us one, thep," cried Cissy ca
gerly, lone you have never told US
before"
There was silence for q few minutes
and as 1 gszed up in Hates face saw
her eyes close, and a sGrt of spasm |
twitch her lips; but the next
minute she was quite calm, and then
with the leaves whispering round us,
and the twittering of the birds coming
now and again from the distance, she
said in a low, sweet, musical voice:
"Once upon time in the days of
long ago, when people were very, very
happy on this earth, there lived
prince who was young aud handsome
and true. Nearly evey one loved him, +
he was so manly and yet so gentle"
And he loved a beautiful princess,
put in Cissy.
l saw the spasm cross cousin Hates
face again, but it was calm directly
after, and she went on.
"No dear" she said, che did not
love a beautiful princess, but poor
simple girl who loved him too, with all
her heart, and they we're so, SO happy"
"Yes, and they were married, and
lived happy ever after" cried Cissy.
go on.
mo, Cissy, they were not, for the
poor, handsome, young prince had en-
emies-cruel bitter enemies who
slandered him, and said that he had
made false keys and opened the treas
ure chests of a great man, and stolen
away his gold and precious stones"
"Oh !" whispered Cissy, now deeply
and" continued Kate, "they took
the poor prince, and there was a
great trial, and though he declared he
was innocent, the wicked people who
slandered him and bore false witness
against him, prevailed; and the great
Judge said that he was to be cast into
prison, and wear heavy chains, and be
kept there for twenty-one long years."
"Oh!" cried Lin.
EYES," said Cissy, II know, and
then the simple young girl who loved
him went and unlocked the prison
gates, and struck of his chains and
vet him Free"
Mono" cried cousin Kate, and
her voice altered terribly, so that 1 was
alarmed, though l could do nothing
but gaze up in the wild face before me
for nov a change came over it. "No,"
she cried, "the poor girl could do moth
ing but sit and weep, and feel her
broken heart beat-beat-beat, in its
own prison, wearing itself out till
till she died, and, and-Oh, Frank
Frank what have we done that we
should suffer this ?"
| leaped up to throw my arms round
her, while my sisters shrank away
for cousin Kate turned from
Us with bitter wall, buried her face
in her hands, and threw herself half
over the arm of the old garden seat,
sObbing in q wild hysterical way.
kate, dear cousin Kate" l sOhbed
but even as | spoke there was hasty
step on the gravel, the bushes were
dashed aside, and the shadow OF tall
man was cast over US.
"Kate-darlingi" he cried, catch
ing her in his arms, as l was thrust
rudeIy aside. ~ am innocent and
Iree."
She did not hear him, for she gave
a faint gasp and sank back insensible.
We three girls were almost stunned;
but we saw the tall, thin, pale-lOOking
stranger hastily lift poor Kate from
the seat and literally run with her to
the house, while we followed more
slowly.
As we reached the porch it was to
meet papa running out and in very
short time he returned with the doc
tor. But this doctor was the wrong
one; the right one had come to US at
the garden seat, and it was his words
that brought dear cousin Kate back to
life, and in the course of a few months
A. l..lkl