The Worthington advance., 1881-03-10
PANSY'S NEW YEARS CARD.
HCOnt-H
"Oh! fie, papa! Flc!'


Sturdy old Squire Cranborne put aside
with gentle violence the fair hand which
his eldest daughter Katherine had placed
over his lips.
~ won be sllenced!' he cried. 81
say again, heartily, confound all new'
tangled customs, and especially this one
of sending cards to:people on New Years
day. Its nuisance, and ought to be
put down. There's my letter bag more
Than an hour late, and crammed so full
Of rubbish that the lock is strained, and
can't get the bag open at allr'
After another effort, however, the lock
yielded, and the angry squire poured out
some score or two Of letters upon the
breakfast-tablo.
"slTiss Cranborne,' Miss Cranborne,'
Why, they are all for you, Kitty, I 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
SIV"1 "0S u1o CAAy ACoPOAoC'
"Just look!' crled Katherine, exault-
ingly. She was busily sorting the let
tiers, nearly all of which were placed in
one pile. "Just look at them:''
"Are they all for you?''
"All these are. Now you see what it
is to be a beauty"
"And an heiress," added her father.
Oh, Of course-and an heiress!'
"But you do you mean to say" con
tinued the squire, as he took his own
letters, ''thas there is not one tor my lit.
tie Pansyl'
Katherine gave gesture OF contempt.
"Of course there IS mott She is by far
too insignificant and insipid 4 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!"
"Can't held It, Kate. There's my
Pansy, as beautiful us the flower I named
Ter after. But she is no heiress! You
understand2'
Katherine did not answer. She was
anxiously scrutinizing the handwriting
on the envelopes before proceeding to
any of them.
A young girl who had been seated op-
poslte to her now rose, and going to the
squire, put her arms round his neck and
kissed him fondly.
A world of love came into the old
mans eyes, and he stroked her hair ca.
ressingly.
"Never mind. Pansy?" he said. ~ am
very glad no one sends you such rubbish.
And am thankful you are no helress.
Perhaps no one will want to take You
from me!'
Tears rose into Pansy's eyes, for though
she said nothing she could not help feel
ing littlelpang of disappointment at the
discovery that no one had thought
it worth while to send her one
card that brilliant New Years morning.
But she checked the tears back, and to
hide her emotion, kissed her father again
and again.
Squire Cranbornc, the father Of the two
motherless girls who were at breakfast
with him that morning, had married
twice. His first wife, vain, proud
woman, had large fortune IN her own
right, and cn her decease-which occurred
soon after Katherine's birth-she left all
her property 10 her little daughter-to
be held in trust until she should either
marry or attain the age of twenty-one.
His second wife brought him no por-
tion, save love, beauty and gentle dis
position. She was the eldest daughter Of
the village curate, and it was heavy
blow to him when she died, on the ami
versary of her wedding-day. He had
never married again, though quite a
young man when LETT for the second
time widower.
Thus it happened that Katherine and
Pansy were half sisters only; the one
rich heiress, and the other with very
modest portion.
Katherine was within few months of
her majority. Tall and beautiful, she
was like her mother, vain and proud, and
duly impressed with the superiority OF
he1own position and personal attractions.
Offers she had had in plenty, for she
never failed to attract notice and ad-
miration wherever she went, but she had
dismissed all her sniters with contumely.
Pansy was girl of different stamp
altogether; 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 tavorite.
The manifestations of affection now in
terchanged between them Jared on
Katherine's feelings and when she had
finished examining the superscriptions,
and looked up, her fair brows were con-
tracted into an ugly frown.
"Gushiag again!' she exclaimed, in a
contemptuous voice. II can't think how
you can be so fond OF kissing and cud.
ding"
"You are vexed, Kate" said her tath.
er, "and so you are cross with us.
noticed your annoyance increase as you
got to the bottom of the pile. You have
been expecting letter which has not ar
rived. Ill be bound there is not one of
those addresses in Sir Charles Howell's
handwritingv
A crimson flush dyed Katherine's face
as 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
letter-bag2"
eyes, I think so. But you had better
look-l have known letter to remain
Wedged in corner more than once.''
"And it has happened again." said
Katherine, as she drew forth crumpled
envelope.
She glanced eagerly at the handwriting,
and then, with an angry cry, let the let.
. ter fall
"Not from Sir Charles after all,' said
the squire, taking hold of the missive
why, yes it is; but by George and egad
it's addressed to you, Pansy-lt's ad.
dressed to your
"Ohl impossible!" cried Pansy, blush.
ing and trembling. 1t must be some
mistake?''
"Not bit OF it," cried the delighted
father, in great exultation. "Here, open
II at 0nra on1 lot mo Wh-.