Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1881-02-17
KENNETH'S RESOLVE.


Kenneth Winnard stood like statue
in his handsome library. His face was
as white as the snow which lay with
ont, and his eyes seemed, in their eX-
preston, to be wholly unconscious of
anything abOnt him.
4 beautiful young girl had just left
him, and taken with her the bright
hopes and happy anticipationS which
for twelyemonth had gladdened his
heart. lie stood as though he would
never stir or smile again, and his dis
appointment and sorrow were the same
to him as if numberless hearts had not
felt the same, the very same grief
which was tearing away every desire
for future existence.
Something flashed suddenly into his
face. He started. The sun was just
setting, and the startling flash was
from the beautiful diamond ring which
lay at his feet, the ring which had
sealed his betrothal with beautiful
Claudia Drummond. He, with mans
foolish heart, had thought her mangel
and had expected that nothing but
death would part them. He wasa man
of wealth, and had lived in luxury ant
case all his life.
As the diamonds brilliant reelection
was thrown across his face, he looked
down, as if from instinct, and saw Tho
little circlet lying where he had drop
ped it when Claudia Drummond haC
placed it in his hand. He raised hi
foot and was about to crush it into thu
carpet, when suddenly the expression
changed upon his face. he stopped ant
took it in his hand, and turned it abou
in many different ways to see the ligh
of the low sun flash upon it.
81 will keep it," he said, ito remin,
me continually of wOmans inconstan
cy."
With his knife he pried apart TIN
golden ring upon his watch-chain AM
slipped the ring upon it. He sat dow
in an easy chair by the window, and a
he watched the going down of the grea
sun, new thoughts, new hopes and nev
desires took the place of the old ones
and never had he felt himself so mucl
Il man us when, after an hours medi
tation in solitude, he arose and left tn
library. lie passed through the daint
reception room and opened the door o
the hall.
A pleasant murmur of voices greet
ed his ear. He stood moment irresC
Lutte, then as if TO prove the strength o
his new determination, he crossed tn
hall and entered the parlor. Ther
was Claudia sitting by the side of he
new lover, the man who had won he
heart from him. He saw that anothe
ring flashed upon her finger, in Il!
place of his, and her cheeks were glow
ing with the joy of her new engage
ment. His brothers wife was ther,
too, and his niece, and he knew by til
pleasant smiles upon their faces an
their lively chat that they either di
not know of his disappointment or di
not sympathize with him in his grei
grief.
His rival was his nephew IA ma
not much younger than HIMSELF an
lie seemed in his own great happine,
to forget the sorrow of his uncle, an
thegreat wrong he had done him.
When Kenneth Winnard entered Il
room, there was an unpleasant silent
for moment, but the composue
the rejected man, his ease and app
rent indifference, broke up the sti
ness.
81 was lust wondering where W
were Kenneth" said Mrs. Grave
"Come into the charmed circle, do, al
chat with us"
"No. Pm going TO give YOU sou
music" said Kenneth, taking his Sc
upon the piano stool
He never played better, and the roo
seemed filled with the music. All we
silent, and Claudia listened and forg