The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1881-12-30
PANSY'S NEW YEARS GARD.
Conf"
ooh. fie. paDat Fietn


aside with gentle violence the fair hand
which his eldest daughter Katherine had
placed over his lips.
81 won't be silencedr' he cried. II
say again, heartily, confound all new
tangled customs, and emphatically this
one of sending cards to people on New
Year's-day. It's nuisance, and ought
to be put down. There's my letter-6ag
more than an hour late, and crammed
80 full of rubbish that the lock is strain
ed, and l can't get the bag open at all. :"
lock yielded, and the angry squire
poured out some score or two of letters
upon the breakfast-table.
"'Miss Cranborner Miss Cranborne'
Why, they are all for you, Kitty, l de-
clare! Here, take them away-take all
the lot-and if you find letter for me
just hand it over"
Don't be cross, father; and please
don't call me Kitty"
The squire just then was finishing his
cup of coffee. and kind of gurgling
growl was his only response.
"Just lookr' cried Katherine, exult-
ingly. She was busy sorting the letters,
nearly all of which were placed in one
pile. "Just look at themr'
'Are they all for your
"All these are. Now you see what it
is to be beautyr'
"And an hciress," added her father.
"Oh, of cOurse-and an heiress."
"But do you mean to say" continued
the squire, as he took his own letters,
''that there is not one for my little
Pansy?"
Katherine gave gesture of contempt.
'.Of course there is not! She is by far
too insignificant and insipid a creature
to receive any such attentions"
"And she is no heireSS." added the
squire.
II do wish you would not make so
many illusions to my fortune
Cant help it, Kate. There's my
Pansy, as beautiful as the flower !
named her after. But she is no heiress!
You undcrstand?'
Katherine did not answer. She was
anxiOusly scrutinizing the handwriting
on the envelopes before proceeding to
open them.
A young girl who had been seated
opposite to her now rose, and going to
the squire, put her arms around his neck
and kissed him fondly.
A world of love came into the old
mans eyes, and he stroked her hands
caressingly.
Never mind, Pansy" he said II am
very glad no one sends you such rub
bish. And l am thankful you are no
heiress. Perhaps no one will want to
take you from mer'
Tears rose ints Pansy's eyes, for
though she said nothing she could not
help feeling a little pang of disappoint-
ment at the discovery that no one had
thought it worth while to send her one
card that brilliant New Years morning.
But she choked the tears back, and to
hide her emotion. kissed her father again
and again.
Squire Cranborne, the father of the
two motherless girls who were at break
fast with him that morning, had mar
ried twice. His first wife, vain, proud
woman, had large fortune in her own
right, and on her fecease-which oc-
CURED soon after Katherine's birth
she left all her property to her little
be held in trust until she
should either marry or attain the age of
twenty-one.
His second wife brought him no por-
ton, save love, beauty, and gentle
She was the eldest daughter
of the village curate, and it was heavy
blow to him when she died, on the sec
ond anniversary of her wedding day. He
had never married again, though quite
q young man when left for the second
time a widower.
Thus it happened that Katherine and
Pansy were half-sisters only: the one a
rich heiress, and the other with only q
very modest portion.
Of her majority. Tall and beautiful. she
was, like her mother, vain and proud,
and duly impressed with the superiority
of her own position and personal attrac-
tons. Offers she had had in plenty,
for she never failed to attract notice and
wherever she went; but she
had dismissed all her suitors with con-
tumely.
Pansy was girl of different stamp
petite in figure and retiring
in disposition, she was generally over
looked.
Of course it was very wrong of Squire
Cranborne to like one daughter better
than the other. But he did. and every
one knew that the gentle, patient little
Pansy, so much like the second wife
he had loved so fondly was his favor
tie.
The manifestations of affection now
interchanged between them Jared on
feelings, and when she had
examining the superscriptions,
and looked up, her fair brows were con.
tracted into an ugly frown.
Gushing again. she exclaimed in
voice. II can't think how
you can be so fond of kissing and cud-
ding"
You are vexed, Kate" said her father,
''and so you are cross with us. | noticed
your annoyance increase as you got to
the bottom of the pile. You have been
letter which has not arriv-
ed. I'll be bound there is not one Of
those addresses in Sir Charles Howell's
handwritingr'
A crimson flush dyed Katherine's face
rs these words were spoken.
II did expect card from Sir Charles,
Of course" she replied, with difficulty
curbing her veXation. "He must have
sent one. Are you sure you emptied the
Eyes, / think so. But you had bet
ter look-I have known a letter to re-
main wedged in a corner more than
once"
"And it has happened again." said
as she drew forth crumpled
envelope.
She glanced eagerly at the handwet-
ing, and then, with an angry cry, let the
letter fall.
"Not from Sir Charles after ALL" said
The squire, taking hold of the missive.
''Why, yes it is; but by George andegad!
It's addressed to you, Pansy-it's adj
dressed to your
"Oh! impossibler' cried Pansy, blush
ing and trembling. 1T must be some
mistake!"
'Not bit of it." cried her delighted
father, in great exultation. Here, open
It at once and let me see! Why, what a
very pretty card it is! Hilloa there Ka-
Uterine! where are You going?"
But his eldest daughter made no re-
ply. Gathering up her letters, she left
The room hastily, in order that the tears
Of modification which rose in her eyes
should not be noticed as they coursed
down her cheeks.
The Sir Charles Howell alluded to in
The foregoing conversation was young
baronet who had not long returned from
, sojourn in the East.