The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1881-06-11
KITS LUCK.

~ y AONMs
Dear! 0 dearP What shall dop Just
my luck exactly! j am always getting
into scrapes of some kind. To think Of
my making such mistake. Why, Just
read this letter:
Miss HAMMoyD-Am very much obliged
Tor the receipt of so great an amount for the
slight service rendered you. but respectfully
decline the same, as am plentifuly supplied
with pocket money at present. Should my
coifege demand be greater than the supply
Respectfully yours, FREDERICK J. Ross.
49,. "a Alton Place, May 8, 1880.
Now, how could have possibly
OWNED that that man was the great
Fred Ross, heir-apparent of the beauti-
full estate adjoining ours? But sup
pose you'll be dying of curiosity to
know what all this rumpus is about, so
I'll begin at the beginning. Yousee we
had just moved into the little cottage
next the great Ross mansion. 1t was a
lovely little place, with its vine covered
verandas, large yard and great shade
trees, but of course the former occu-
pants had left both house and yard ter
ribly dirty. Well. waSSup to my neck
in dirt and confusion. and there was me-
body to be found to help us, of course.
Our girls always happened to get sick
at moving-time; so I Just up and told
the last one that she might prolong her
sickness to an indefinite period; that is,
that she might go. So she went.
Mamma aud I had TO do everything in
consequence scrub windows and
floors, tack down carpets, hang, cur
tains and in fact work ourselves to mere
skin and bone. Well, did not mind
this so much as having to clean the
yard. In the first Iplace l did not en-
Joy that kind of work, and in the second
place did not want anybody from Mrs.
Ross to see me looking so dreadfully,
for you know / could not look
very charming cleaning the yard.
You may think me very silly
but I'm young, and ! had heard
good deal about Fred Ross lin fact,
half the girls in Stonington had lost
their hearts over him. Now you need
not think I'm going to make myself out
any great beauty, for I'm not. have
brown hair, dark skin and sort of
pug nose. Well, have got handsome
eyes, at least every one says SO, and
oh yes! one other pretty thing, dimple
in my chin. I'm fat, too (everybody
says plump because they don't want to
hurt my feelings, but fat is the out
and cut truth). There is Susie Mar
grave, q can't bear her), one of your
dreamy. ethereal beauties; she never
misses an opportunity, especially If the
boys are around, of saying: " What
plump little figure Dot has!" and / feel
like tearing her to pieces every time
she says it. But, dear me! where was
Up y, yes, going out to clean the yard.
Well l looked particularly horrid that
morning. l had garden hat tied un-
der my chin. my sleeves tucked up
above my elbow and my dress pinned
up round my waist. / was raking and
scraping at fine rate when happened
to look up and saw q man in the oppo-
site yard, leaning complacently on his
spade, staringa me from under his
broad-brimmed hat.
What rude man." thought. ~
just suppose he thinks I'm the hired
girl" just then thought struck me;
would get him to come over and clean
our yard when he had finished Ross.
" Say, sir" called. The man came
nearer. VIII you clean this yard
when you have finished that one? /
have tried very hard to secure help, but
have not succeeded, and will paw you
well for your job.' / added this last
with much dignity, in order to impress
upon the mans mind that was not the
servant. could see nothing of his
face but his mouth, and noticed q Pc
culiar smile lurking round the corners
all the time was speaking. Well, we
finally made arrangements, and the next
day he came over and cleaned the yard
beautifully. ! complimented him for
his work, paid and dismissed him.. He
kept his hat down over his eyes all the
time SO that / had not the least idea of
what he looked like. But little cared /
for that so he did his work well.
Well, now you come Just where was
this morning Two or three weeks
passed and had forgotten all about
the circumstance. when this morning I
saw young fellow drive away from
Mr.. Ross, and two hours after the post
man brought me this letter. Now, was
there ever anything so mortifyingp
That man hired to clean our yard was
no other than Fred Ross. q, dear me!
! hope I shall never meet him anywhere.
But my 'sluck 7" is q by-word. Indeed.
it has passed into regular proverb at
school. If anything goes wrong with
me the girls always say, 30, it's Kits
luckp' So ! viii just have to grin and
bear this.
Well! Well! How long it is since /
began my story. But suppose since
did begin it you win want to know the
rest. But, OIL So much has happened
since then that hardly know where to
begin. Well. after / received tAn>let-
ter l felt pretty badly. But the pre- Ia
tons for our graduating exercises at
school put everything else out of mind.
How we girls did study and practice
until all Of US became quite - ethereal