Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1878-03-05
Katfe'S Mistake.
The Unfinished Letter.
From the Sunny South.

to see Philip Landern, her betrothe(
whose visit had been announced by th
little dusky imp who minded the dool
bell, with
"Your beau done come, Miss Katie
he's in de parlor waitin' for you."
AT the foot of the stairs Katie sudden
ly stopped and the tune she was hum
ming came to an abrupt end as a shad
OF displeasure overcast her smiling face
Looking through the open door of tn
hall she could see Phil leaning over tn
gate of the yard and chatting with Min
ME Ray who stood on the street, he
plquant features shaded by her coquet
tish parasol, dimpling and blushing il
the way that the young men of the vii
large found so bewitching. Minnie Ra,
was the only girl in Mapleton who dis
puted with Katie the claim of belIehood
and though the two were intimat
friends, yet this rivalship created a bi
OF jealously and watchfulness. and nov
it was a thrill of positive pain that Kati
saw her accepted lover in such earnes
and seemingly confidential conversation
with the witching brunette. Phil turn
his head and saw her the next instant
and scarcely noticing his bow and smile
she walked in her stateliest manner in.
to the sitting room. Just inside the dool
folded sheet of paper lying on the car.
pet caught her eye. She picked it uE
mechanically at first, but when she
recognized Philip Landren's handwrit.
ing, she hurriedly upfolded the letter
and glanced at the top of the page. She
started violently and the blood dropped
from her cheek. The first two lines she
read seemed the death warrant of her
hopes. Darling Minnie" began the
letter, and went on with an impassioned
declaration of love. Before she had
finished reading it, she heard PhiPs
step in the hall. He came in eagerly, a
smile on his handsome face.
'How do you do, pet ?" he exclaimed
coming towards her. "I saw Minnie
passing and remembered L had some
thing special to-Why, my darling,
what is the matter?" he broke off. see
ing her white face and set lips.
" Your dc'e5'eg! the words come as
gllbly from your lips as from your pen.
Never address them to me again. Here.
after am Miss Somers to you"
"Katie-what can you mean? What
have done?
You have only acted out your own
false. dishOnorable nature, and L have
only found you out; that is all-except
that desire you to leave my presence,
and never approach me again.
HE grew very pale as he met her
flashing eye and heard her cruel words :
but he answered calmly:
Before go, demand that you tell
me what L am accused Of. I swear that
L am unconscious of having"
Stop sir, Stop" she cried lifting her
hand with . gesture of bitter scorn.-
DO not add perjury to falsehood. You
know well what you have done. will
not condescend to explain. And now,
so?n
II will go Miss Somers," he said, his
features growing white and rigid. He
stopped one moment at the door,
Katie" he said sadly "You will repent
this when it is too late-Good. bye for
ever" A naughty wave of the hand
was the only answer, but as the door
closed behind him, look of deep an
guish took the place of soorn and the
girl threw herself on the lounge and
broke into bitter weeping. "I loved
him; trusted him so." was her piteous
cry, land now il is all over, I will new
er have faith in any man again.
A miserable afternoon and a long
weary evening followed. Company came
in and Kate laughed and ohatted gaily,
but her heart was not in it, and the ef-
fort was strain upon her. She had no
mother or sister to confide in, and her
brother to whom she was strongly at
tached was away from home and would
not return until the next day. A Sleep
less night, went by. Katie rose and
went mechanically about her household
duties. Late in the afternoon, she tied
on her hat and went out, perhaps with
some vague hope Ofmeeting Philip and
of hearing his explanation, though she
said to herself it would be no use; no
thing could explain away the plain fact
that he had been false and treacherous,
that while he was betrothed to her, he
was seeking the love of another. Yet
the last look, the words he had given
her haunted her reprQachfully and his
'gOOd bye fOyavefn sounded in her heart
like a knell.
Could he be going away? She knew
his uncle, living somewhere out West,
had written him to come there, where
he would find fresh field for the prac-
tice of his professionalism of the law
With this thought in her mind, Katie
decided to let her walk extend to the
railway statiOn-she had friend living
near the station and visit to her would
serve as an excuse, if indeed an excuse
was needed for her appearance at this
popular terminus to the walks of the
town people. Before she reached the
station she was joined by an admirer of
hnr hut fr,x
olOus young fellow, whose attentions
she had promised Philip not to encour-
age. She cared nothing for him and
had rather been alone just now, only she
feared her false lover might think she
was seeking hsm with the desire to be
reconoiled. 1t was near the time for the
Western bound train to pass. Quite a
number of persons were there standing
on and around the platform of the sta
ton house. Among them as she ap-
preached, Katie saw tall straight figure
in travelling duster. Her heart gave a
bound. fOr she recognized Philip. I'M
pulsively, she made step forward, and
then she stopped suddenly, for she saw
that Minnie Ray was standing near him
and that he was talking to her. At the
same time the train came in sight round
the curve a short distance off and its
shrilI whistle caused a stir among those
who expected to leave upon it. Katie
saw Philip shaking hands with few
friends about him. While he had Min
MES hand in his, he turned and his eyes
met Kate's. An eager, wistful look
leaped into them, but there was no an
swerlng gIeam in hers. She leaned to-
wards her escort and made some laugh
ing remark. Two minutes afterwards
he was gone, and with that goodbye
forever" in her heart, she went back to
her home. That night, she sat up fol
her brother, and had cup of hot tea fol
him when ne came back on the ten
O'Clock train. AS he slipped it, he said
~ saw Phil on the trSin that passed
US. I wonder what takes him to M
so suddenly, he had no idea of going
when went way.
She made no response; and her father
looking up from his Science Monthly
said Sudden business suppose" anC
the subject was dropped. But next
morning when Fred came in from tOwr
to his breakfast, he seemed greatly con
cerned and said to his sister whom b,
found sitting alone at the table.
s'Kate what does this mean? 1 hea
that Philip Landren has gone for goot
gone out West somewhere-nobody