The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-09-05
OUR STORY TELLER.
KATE'S Prince.
BY GEO. MAsvILLE FEM.

There now, you're banging that door
again, Miss Jenny; / declare to good !
ness you children would worrit the |
patience out of saint"
oh, never mind, Sally" said pant |
ing, after a race to get into the house |
first-a race had won, for Lii and Cissy
were yards behind.
"Never mind, indeedl" 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 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
aud snubbing us but for all that, one of
my principal recollections, during the
fever had so long, was waking at all
times to see Sally's red face Watching by
my bedside; and 1 know she did all
cooks work for six weeks as well as her
own, when poor cook had such sad ac-
cident and cut her hand.
We three-Lil, Cissy and had
long discussion about cousin Kate and
her visit; and we all felt what dreadful
little ragamuffins 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 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 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.
81 knoW 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 afternoon-a tall, pale girl, with q
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 80 different from
what We had expected, while mamms
went up to welcome her, and took her il
her arms in tender affectionate way
saying: "My dear child, we are so glat
to see you"
Cousin Kate threw her arms rounc
mammals neck and burst into fit O
sobbing, hiding her face from our sight
We did not see any more of her tina
day; but our young interest was deepl,
excited, and somehow, perhaps, fosteret
by dark hints dropped by Sally, VIII,
was a blighted flower, having beel
crossed in love affair with the house
keeper at neighboring farml We girl
got to think of our Cousins illness as
kind OF mystery connected in some way
how we did not know, with the heart
Our awe of the sweet gentle cousin fel
of the very next day, when we took Dos
session of her, and led her round on
dear old country home, with its wilder
ness OF an orchard, great garden shrub
berries and pleasant meadow.
This desire to show her attention cam
natural to us; but on my part it was in
creased by few words which / hear
pass between papa and mamma, MANN
saying that she did not think DOC
Kate would ever grow strong again, bu
slowly wither away.
She had come to US in the spring, an
the months few by till it was the heigh
OF summer; and many and many a nigh
had turned my face to the wall, an
cried silently till my pillow was wei
For knew so well that Rate was weake
much weaker than when she came,
walk across the lawn to the old garde1
seat in the shade being as much now {
she could bear.
cousin Kate" said, one day whe
we were alone, Lii and Cissy havin
rushed off to get some flowers, couldn
any doctor make you we'll P'
She looked at me with wild strans
gaze which almost startled me, befoi
she replied, and then in a way that mao
my heart beat she sobbed out:
Only one-only onep and then
If to herself, in low whisper, she adde
and before he can come l shall
dead-deadp
She did not know / heard her la
words, and sat chilled and frightene
gazing at her till my sisters came bac
when, as we frequently did, we sat dow
about her = Lii got upon the seat, Cis
sat on the grass with her head again
one Of Kate's hands. which hung Ii,
lessly from the corner where she leane
and ! threw myself on the grass at h
feet, so as to look up in her gentle fac
which had now become calm with
weary look.
"Cousin Kate" said Lii, "tell
another story"
No, no." / said, don't ask; 8
isn't 50 we'll to-day"
Yes" she said quietly, raising b
head and looking at me, :" / am bett
to-day"
Tell us one, them" cried Cissy 6
gerly Zone you've never told us before
There was silence for a few minut
andas gazed up in Kate's face 1 $,
her eyes close, and sort of spasm twit
her lips; but the next minute she "
quite calm, and then with the lea,