The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1878-01-27

rearranging his materials he soon pro.
daced spirited sketch, that afterward
bloomed into an exquisite cabinet picture,
universally admired at the exhibition as
Il "Cross Purposes"
And ct his work the artist pondered
"Who will play 'Petruchio'', to tame this
| 'Katharnel Not John Rollins, surely. for
she could wind him with the greatest ease
around her little finger. Poor Rollins r.
he sollloq9.ized, what an unfortunate entan-
Chase Carroll concluded that the shooting
OF his friend had been indefinitely postponed,
| when, one evening soon after these events
John Rollins entered the Rancftown Opera
House, where the most promiscuous and
attendance Oh Mrs. Carneth, who was In q
perfect blaze Of beauty, and the cynosllre of
all the male eyes in the place. Carroll found
1t impossible to keep his own orbs from wan
tion Of this most Objectionable woman was
scarcely less than marvellous. The beautiful
eyes, too, had an occasional wistful glance, as
though she might be capable of better things.
The entertainment that evening was stupid
enough. An ancient prima donna made fu-
| rious contortons, and grinned with lantern
| jaws like deaths head at the audience when
ever she attempted to sing. Ballet girls, who
| lavishly displayed their lack OF charms; the
| scenery went wrong, and presented q sea-
coast furnished as drawing-room. The
| audience hooted and became impatient; and
then took refuge in talking and ignoring the
| whole thing.
Rollins threw his head back and laughed
| immoderately at something Mrs. Carneth was
telling him; and when Carroll afterward. with
characteristic masculine curiosity, inquired
| what 1t was that 50 excited his friends rsi-
bilities, he heard that the lady had confded
! to him the astounding fact that ''she had
sweet temper, and never was real mad but
once! This once" she added, twas enough to
raise any woman's hair off her head-but she
/ rypf aye wit
A certain friend OF hers, 1t seemed, q gentle
looking person with downcast eyes that
always seemed full Of unshed tears and q
low voice ("I hate that kind" parathesized
| same hotel, and so entwined herself in q
| stealthy and unsuspected manner about the
| susceptible Joe that he presented her secretly
with quite valuable set Of malachite. But
| friend and admirer of Mrs. Carneth, informed
| her Of the purchase, and the Injured wife
| made a bee line, as she expressed it, for her
false friend and rivals trunk.
II just eamped, down in that trunk she
continued exctedly, "till I found the stones
| and seized 'em. / couldn't wear green, you
know, and / wasn't going to spoil my looks
for that woman; SO | sent EN- back to the
ieweler and got em changed for a set OF coral.
And then went for Joe, and talked to him
till he felt real wicked, and promised not to do
SO any more But told him that he never need
kiss me again, and that he should never, never
kiss my baby either.
"Babyl' repeated Carroll, in q sort of hor-
ror; has she child, then r.
t'She had," was the reply; "but it died. She
will sing or whistle, perhaps, 1t any allusion
is made to 1t, and then leave the room abrupt
ly for an hysterical burst Of weeping For
this mad Katharine really has tender heart
that has never found It's right master yet"
"You seem to hold the key" said his friend
curtly.
John Rollins smiled, but it was the same
| hat had hafrro fo m
remarks of Carroll's.
Here are some verses he continued,
"that / got possession of u while ago. / do
not think they would disgrace Tennyson." -.
Only lines to dead baby, that editors all
complain of as q drug in the market; but
there was tender grace and pathos about
them that went directly to Carroll's heart.
What vehement, passionate. contradictory
womanhood that he had ever encountered
this wild Western product of a demi-civiliza-
tion. And yet there was evidently noble,
loving heart throbbing beneath her reckless
manner.
II cannot get word from her, Chase com
planned one day, with knitted brows; "she
avoids me like the pestilence. What is there
about me, wonder that Is SO repulsive? Has
she ever spoken to you of me2"
''To what particular she do you allude?'
asked Rollins exasperatingly. "There are
several of that persuasion in Ranchtown'
Carroll started and reddened; he was in
tensely provoked at himself.
II a1lude" he sontinued, with forced calm
ness "to Mrs, Carneth; it is not pleasant to
be an object of dislike"
"She has not spoken Of shooting you." re-
marked John, very coolly. "It strikes me
that she once said that there were the making
OF man in you, II you could get rid Of your
nonsense"
Again q crimson streak crossed CARROLL
brow This half-savage beauty, then, re-
garded him very much as he did her-worth
the making oyer! He was conscious of an at
traction similar to that which a 1.-the fiery
mustang has for the eye of Mexican horse
tanner. Her indomitable spirit was at first her
greatest charm; but afterwards he saw better
things IN her; She was the incarnation Of
health, life and hope, She was tolerably well
elastic nature, that knew not how to repine;
and bore with beautiful patience the vagaries
of her peeyish, broken-down old father.
He met her coming out Of novels he look
ing for beauty, she for suffering where she
went with open-handed but imperious gener-
osity, and was both criticised and adored. At
/ such times the little basket on her arm was in
| piquant contrast to an exaggerated masculin-
| drawing attention from her deeds or mercy.
One day a case Of unusual wretchedness
had brought tears to her eyes; and, meeting
Carroll face to face while in this softened
could swear! l will just say 'd-n once
therep and she was off like the swift-fying
| deer.
John Rollins watched his friend with sort
| OF inexplicabie satisfaction. Ranchtown had
been sketched from all available points, and
he fully expected Carroll to have been dis
gusted long ago; but still he fingered. The
artist could not have told himself what he was
waiting. for, but he gradually fell into the
habit Of going to see old Barring and playing
endless games of chess with him. On these
occasions Katharine would invariably absent
herself-going out either with or without pre-
text as soon as he appeared, and remaining
every turn, and, provoked at himself and
Katharine, he tried in vain to shake off the
spell that seemed to bind him to Ranchtown
as with iron bands But fate one day sent
crisis In the most unexpected manner.
Up the valley, where noisy brook flowed
where the sloping hills were gay with violet
| gold-and-crimson cactus flowers and the
| snow-clad 'silYer-heels, peened over the