The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1878-09-14
OUR STORY TELLER.
KATE'S PRINCE.
BY GEO. MANvILLE FEM.


There now, you're banging that door
again, Miss Jenny; l declare to good
ness you children would worrit the
patience out of a saint"
Oh, never mind, Sally" | said pant
ing, after race to get into the house
frst-a race had won, for Lii and Cissy
were yards behind.
Never mind, indeedp cried Sally,
+" and there's your fine cousin coming
down to-day from London. / wonder
what she will say when she sees you rae
ing about the meadow like SO many
wild colts, and y ur arms all brown and
scratched. and the hooks off your dress.
] never see such children, never"
Sally was our housemaid, parlor-maid,
and nurse-maid all in one; and it used
to seem to me that she spent all her leis-
ure time in quarreling with the cook
and snubbing us but for all that, one of
my principal recollections, during the
fever l had so long, was waking at all
times to see Sally's red face watching by
my bedside; and | know she did all
cooks work for six weeks as well as her
own, when poor cook had such a sad ac-
cident and cut her hand.
We three-Lil, Cissy and had a
long discussion about cousin Kate and
her visit; and we all felt what dreadful
little ragamutfins we should seem to her.
for Pm afraid we had been running
wild; though papa only used to laugh
about it, and would come into the school
room when mamma was busy with us
over our lessons, whenever it was a fine
morning, and cry, Now then, girls,
the sun shines and the birds are calling.
Out with you! Learn lessons when it
rains"
knew afterwards why this was.
Papa had a horrible nervous dread of
our growing up weak and sickly, for his
was delicate family; and | had heard
that our cousins were often very ill.
can guess why cousin Kate's COM
ing to stay with us, said Lii.
T" knoao why she's coming" | said
It's because she's ill.," shouted Lii,
for fear ] should show my knowledge
first.
Sally will take her up new warm
milk and an egg in it before she gets out
OF bed in the morning." said Cissy
solemnly; " that will soon make her
we'll"
"She shall have all the eggs Speckle
lays" said Lii, "and Jenny will take
her every morning to the old garden-seat
under the trees. She's sure to get well
there"
And so we did, for cousin Kate came
that Afternoons tall, pale girl, with
sad, weary look in her face, as she gszed
wistfully from one to the other.
We three girls stood back, quite in
awe OF the well-dressed, fashionable
looking body, who was SO different from
what We had expected, while mamma
went up to welcome her, and took her in
her arms in tender affectionate way,
saying: "My dear child, we are so glad
to see you"
Cousin Kate threw her arms round
mammals neck and burst into fit of
sobbing, hiding her face from our sight.
We did not see any more of her that
day; but our young interest was deeply
excited, and somehow, perhaps, fostered
by dark hints dropped by Sally, who
was blighted flower, having been
crossed in love affair with the house
keeper at neighboring FARM We girls
got to think of our cousins illness as a
kind OF mystery connected in some way,
how we did not know, with the heart,
Our awe of the sweet gentle cousin fell
of the very next day, when we took DOS.
session of her, and led her round our
dear old country home, with its wilder
ness of an orchard, great garden shrub
berries and pleasant meadow.
This desire to show her attention came
natural to us; but on my part it was in
creased by few words which / heard
pass between papa and mamma, 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 night
had | turned my face to the wall, and
cried silently till my pillow was wet.
For 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
rush d off to get some flowers, " couldn't
any doctor make you well?'
She looked at me with wild strange
gaze which almost startled me, before
she replied, and then in way that made
my heart beat she sobbed out:
Only one-only onel" and then AS
if TO herself, in low whisper, she added,
" and before he can come / shall be
She did not know heard her last
words, and sat chilled and frightened,
gazing at her till my sisters came back,
when, as we frequently did, we sat down
about her; Lii got upon the seat, Cissy
vat ON the grass with her head against
,ne of Kate'u hands. which hung list.
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