The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1881-07-13

Il know I shall hate him." cried
Kitty, scorr fully, If he's that pink of
/ perfect on whom you were always prais-
ing to the skies in your letters last year.
l cant bear goody-goody men"
He isn't one of your goody-goc dy
men, whatever you mean by that" said
Craig testify. Craig always spoke we'll
of absent friends. "He's Que of ma
ture's noblemen, though poor, and he's
liked by everybody"
81 shan't like him !" said Kitty, per-
versely.
Craig did not deign to notice the last
outburst, but went on.
g As for his looks. he's tall and very
good-looking, with golden hair and
golden mustache."
81 just despise blonde men, inter-
rupted Kitty, with curling lip.
"Why, Kit p cried Craig, in amaze
ment-he was blonde himself look
ing reproachfu'ly at our perverse hero
inc, "y u told me yourself only wv
da' 8 ago that y, admired the blonde
St le of men very much"
Kitty's saucy brown eyes flashed.
"Well, can't one change her mind if
she chooses 2" she asked, shortly. "I
don't admire that style of beauty, any
way"
There was glorious silence on both
sides for several minutes. At last Craig
said, with an effort toward cheerlulness:
"lm sorry, Kit, that you're so preiu-
diced against Percy. He certainly
doesn't deserve any ill-will from you. 1
was sure you would be friends; he is to
board at your house, you know, and I'm
afraid it will be disagreeable for both
of you, if you are to be enemies. Can't
you be friendly to him for my sake,
Kit?" pleadingly.
"No, can'ti" impatiently.
Craig looked hopelessly forlorn and
bewildered. He himself was careless,
good. natured fellow, everybody's friend,
and couldn't understand natures like
Kitty's. Consequently he took philo-
sophical view of the matter and gave it
up.
"Well, Kit" he said. "you seem to
be in one of your tantrums this evening,
and there's no use in trying to do any
thing with you. I'll drop in tomorrow,
to see if you feel any better. Good
nightl"
Goodnight" said Kitty.
On the following day Percy Smith
appeared and was duly installed as q
member of the Hoyt household. Even
Kitty could not help admitting to her
self that ne was very handsome and
noble-looking.
| His brow was broad, open and white,
and his deep blue eyes were as tender
as a woman's. In his sensitive lips,
shared by dropping golden mustache,
there was no lack of firmness.
AS Percy had said he was liked by
everybody, and he soon came to be re-
garded as true friend of every one in
the family-except Kitty, of course.
She was at all times cold and distant
toward him, merely rendering him the
barest civilities.
The young man wondered much at
her strange conduct; the more so as he
became much interested in the piquant,
pretty little lady from the very first.
At the table she never looked at him,
and when spoken to responded in mon
osyllables only, and these were uttered
very reluctantly.
Percy Smith noticed it all, and look
of wounded dignity and pride would
often cross his grave face.
"She evidently does not like me-" he
thought, with nameless pain at his
heart.
He realized that this girl, who was so
cold and distant to him, and so merry
and saucy toward others, was very dear
to him.
"She can never be anything to me, :"
he said to himself, "and will not let
her see my weakness"
Several Inonotonous months passed
away.
Beautiful August had drifted into
September, and September had ripened
into October. Autumn was assuming
her gay robes of scarlet and crimson
and gold.
One lovely evening Percy Smith was
pacing the garden walk with thought
ful, abstracted cOuntenance. He was
reused from his reverie by the sound of
voices. Bercy was just turning away
when he heard his own name, and in
voluntarily stopped.
He recognized Oraig's voice.
"Well, Kit, haven't you and Percy
become friends yet?"
Percy strained his ears to catch the
answer.
How mocking and cruel it was, he
thought.
"What question, Craig You know
yourself that 1 seldom become friends
with those for whom 1 take a dislike. l
can't bear Percy Smith, and 1 don't
think ever shall"
Percy felt faint and dizzy. 1t was all
as he had expected, then She de-
spised him, while he-he loved her
better than all the world beside. He
clutched at the railing of the gard
wall for support, and reached his room
with weak and tottering steps. Oh,
what weary, weary night it was
Percy's constitution was not natur-
a1lV q strong Ona He had lost father