Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-04-10

she could and Kitty finally becam,
calm enough to tell the whole story
and how childish and contsmptibl,
she felt il to be. Under Mary's kindly
soothing she at last grew more com
posed, bathed her face and followed
her sister down stairs again. In the
entry Mary paused and said: kitty
suppose you go for tie COWS. It il
nearly time the air will do yon good
and | will get tea, aud perhaps you
need not see Aunt Sally again, as she
will leave early, having 80 far to 60
Very gladly she accepted this res.
pite from those curious eyes. There
were two routes she could take-one
across the fields, and the other along
the road. Wrapped in her own sad
thoughts, she kept on and on, forget
ting her object in coming out; she
passed the pasture bars and the wait
ing cows, neither seeing nor hearing
them, and the milky mothers looked
after her in meek bewilderment, all in
vain. Suddenly she found herself at
the very spot where she had left John.
How it all came back upon her! No
one was in sight, and she leaned her
hot cheek against the great chestnut.
tree, and gave way to the full tide OF
regret and sorrow. How lonely she
was! How full of vain selfreproach;
how sure that he was lost to her for.
ever; though she neither wept nor
cried out. only stood gazing blankly
across the fields beyond, seeing moth.
ing, hearing nothing. A tall form was
approaching along the road from the
village behind her; swift steps ap-
preached, slackened, stopped, drew
close; and Kitty turned, with a start,
to meet-John !! She could not speak,
but something in her face was,enough
for him, and with one step he drew
her into his arms, and all was well.
With broken words, and mute ca.
resses, and some tears on Kitty's part,
the story was told How John, miss
ing his ship through mistake as to
the time Of sailing, sought employ.
ment while waiting for another !;
found the employment remnherative
and continued to delay; how that
morning, meeting friend from his
native place, he heard all;that had
taken place since he left; how the
thought of Kitty in her sorrow over
bore all the pride that had kept him
away heretofore, and led him to come
home to at least see her once more,
and speak his sympathy he had little
hope OF anything more. And on his
way to seek her at her home he had
found her here. And Kitty found
means to make him understand, with
out many words, albeit with many
bushes, that she was as glad as he.
There was sound Of wheels, and
Kitty rose hastily from the messy log
on which they were sitting, and shak-
ing out her black draperies, with a
sigh at thought of their meaning, pro,
posed to return. Of course John &C
companied her; and as the coming
wheels drew near, both assumed an
air of the utmost unconsciousness, nor
looked up, till the carriage was pass
ing them. Again it held Ned Somers.
He bowed in utter establishment, but
something in the aspect Of things pre-
vented him from pausing to ask any
explanations or make any comments,
and so he drove rapidly on. !.
Then John stopped again. and held
Kitty fast by both hands.
Kitty, you never answered my
question. Will you now? And what
shall the answer bel?
She blushed, looked down, tried to
free herself, but could not; then,
glancing up with a smile, Maid bright.
ly: 4 think it must be Yes John 7
Whereat John drew the little hand
under his arm and kissed her heartily,
yet with certain serious air, as
though he meant great-deal'by it.
as he did!
There was great excitement when
they got home, and it was not till
nearly dark that Mary, selling a milk.
pail, bethought herself to exclam !:
why, Kitty where's the cows?'
And no one had noticed that Robert,
after the fret greetings, had gone qui
city after them himself, and was now
approaching with them.
While Aunt Sally tied on her sun
bonnet with grim elaboration, and
told Jane that KITTY Payne was a
spilled child, an so kerried away with
her beau's coming back that she wan.
no account no how
Mrs. E. M. CoNKLlN.