Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-10-20


and coursing fixtures, and over head was
suspended the head of fox surmounted
by two brushes crossed. Through the
glass door of the parlor could be seen
the bar. with as many brass-hooped ma
hogany barrels full of spirits, and it's
engine with ivory handles for drawing
beer. Here Kitty went for moment to
busy herself in serving out drinks to
some customers, and then returned to
the oarior and set kettle on the hob to
sing. 1t was about tea-time.
l. s. Will YOU take cup of tea, Captain
Harkway ?" she said. s. am just going
| to set the tray. ~ -..t.s
:. Thanks, I will with pleasure; but
! isn't Gorgery coming in ?'-Gorgery was
the landlord of the "Swan. .--
/" No: Mr.. Gorgery has gone to A
| TO buy some turkeys for Christmas, and
Mrs. Gorgery went off to London this
morning to make some purchases for
herself and the children" ,.tr..
"Also in connection with Christmas,
| suppose. What fuss they do make
about that day p exclaimed Lyon dis
mally. 49,
"Don't you think it's very natural o.
laughed Kitty, setting out her tea-cups.
"There ought to be at least one day in
the year when people are merry and
sociable. / am sure in our family we
are all very glad to meet together for a
couple of days
care your family so much scattered,
: len %
:" To the four winds, one may say"
.,ssexs,e ed Kitty with O sigh, Gone of
NV sis4f, IS is q governess, another server
in q drar,ee s shop, two are married, and
three are al school. Then there are my
hrotbnrs---o,,e in the merchant navy,
another in business in London, third in
the army-oh, see \ am emptylng the
caddy Do you like sour tea strong,
Captain Harkway? .-.----
She redeemed as she said THIS, and APP
peared to be sorry at some slip OF the
tongue she had made. She held the
caddy and glanced at Lyon with rather
troubled expression in her large eyes.
This trouble increased when Lyon asked
with sudden interest: "Ah, you have a
brother in the army what regiment?'
"He is in the infantry, I think; he
lately exchanged when he got promoted. f"
"He is an officer, then?"
eyes, lieutenant" Kitty was quite
scarlet now, and laid down her caddy.
/" Please don't tell any one of this, Cap
tain Harkway My brother won't like it
to be known that his sister was bar
maid. L never meant to reveal it to any
body" T...
"Depend upon it / shall keep your
secret, Miss Kitty" answered Lyon
-hoH I
your brother?''
CT think you do, sir; his name is
Hardy, and he is serving in your regl-
ment.
"Hardy Why, that's the name of
the man who was appointed when L re-
tired, Ihad just to time make hisacquaint-
ance; and very nice fellow he is.
Didn't he rise from the ranks?"
eyes; rose to his commission III less
than three years." said Kitty proudly.
He enlisted after my fathers ruin,
when we had all to do something for
ourselves, and I think he did better
than any of u.s. Papa will be pleased to-
morrow when he sees him, for he is an
old soldier himself. He was a major In
the TIL
Kitty and Lyon were getting quite IN
innate and confidential now; and when
the tea had been poured out and Kitty
sat opposite the Captain, who had cross
ed his top-boots on the fender, and
looken as if he had no thoughts of NOV
ing for an hour, and the girl readily
gave short account of ner family history.
1t was pretty old story that must have
been told in these days of financial col
lapses. Major Hardy, who had pinched
himself all his long life to bring up his
many children properly, had ended by
placing his savings IN bank whose dl-
rectors were knaves. The usual ruin
followed, and all of the sons and daugh-
tiers who were III a condition to earn
their bread were compelled to do SO,
without needing whether the employ
ment offered them was suited to gent1l-
ity. Kitty herself accepted the first situa-
ton that came to her way, which hap
pened to be a barmaid's, and she had
been serving four years at the ''Swan y
contentedly enough. She was twenty
two now, and her chief object, Like that
of all her brothers and sisters, was to
maintain comfortable home for her
parents, and to help pay the schooling
| for the younger members OF the family.
Did she like her occupation as barmaid
Well (smilingl, she had got accustom-
ed to it now. At first it tired and con-
fused her, but she had always found
everybody very civil and kind.
Lyon Harkway sat stroking his mus
tache, and listened. What pleased him
was the utter absence of false shame III
Kitty's narrative. The girl was brave
and sincere, and gloried, in a modest
way, at having seen all her brothers and
sisters come out VIGOROUSLY, as she her.
self had done, of their struggle with
misfortune. well-spoken girl, too, was
Kitty; somewhat artless in her reflections
but faultlessly just in her instincts o.
right and wrong. Lyon thought he
had never met in any drawing room any
lady more fit to face the world, or tt
shine in it, according to circumstances
than Kitty Hardy, and he testified as
much by a series of silent mods. The
pair might have sat for while longer
together but suddenly there was head il
the hall the bluff voice of Mr.. Gorgers