Middletown transcript., 1881-04-08

+ dreadful COW in, and, oh, please won't
you drive her out am SO afraid of
COWS and 1 am expecting every minute
j she will discover 1 am here, and turn
! upon me ~
J Had Ben Hazard had the good for
: tune to be born decade or SO earlier in
the century, he would probably have
made valuable addition to that large
force of generals which shed such
, lustre on our Union arms, so rapid was
, his grasp of the strategical situation,
and his assumption of its key.
II think that would hardly be right, +"
he said. 1t would be an interference
with the town authorities, and might
make trouble. But I'll tell you what
III artfully; "I'll sit here on the
wall close beside you, and if the animal
makes the least attempt at violence,
|. will jump over and protect you, even if
it costs me the last drop of my bloodl''
'Ben, don't be absurd. l would
much rather have the COW turned out,
or be helped out myself
cit would never do; trust me, it
would never do" persisted the
audacious lover. "And you know you
may feel perfectly safe when you have
me within foot of you. am not at
all afraid of cows"
Within foot Ben might well say
so. He was leaning over the wall now,
and the bright hazel eyes were very
near indeed to Kitty's downcast brown
lasheS.
''Now tell me, +" proceeded Ben, drop
ping the bantering tone for one much
more tender-''tell me, Kitty dear,
dearest Kitty, what did you mean by
planning to go away, day after to-mor-
row, without saying word about it to
me ?"
GLOW did you know ?''
''Mrs. Burnet gave me a hint she
felt very sorry for me, suppose but l /
should have known somehow if she |
hadn't. How could you do so Why |
did you, dear ?''
''Ben, III tell you, said Kitty, with
sudden resolution. ~ was-I was
going away because I'm afraid to stay
near you any longer just now. 1 don't
know my own mind. Pm afraid of
making mistake -
''The mistake of saying mo- to me ?''
Cor yes The truth is, you bewitch
me somehow when am with you. 1
can't judge, can't tell, how it is. 1
want to look soberly at the thing, to
decide as rational woman should in
matter of consequence. I"
''Kitty, there is nothing rational
about love. don't want you to decide
in that way. If you do, all is up with
me. How cruel of you to think to rob
me of my one chance! Don't know
that once you leave me and go away, ;
shall seem in your eyes the unworthy
creature that 1 am, that all men must
be, of anything so precious as yourself,
your love, your sweetness, your pure '
ardent nature. My only hope is in I
winning you against calm judgment {
and common sense in making you feel
that with all my faults, and little as l
deserve it, 1 love you so much as to be ]
worth just little for loves sake. Oh, /
Kitty, listen-don't go.' |
" All, Ben,' cried Kitty, flushed, {
quivering, pleased, moved, "I ought t
not" But precisely at this juncture ]
the red Ayrshire raised her head, gave t
moo which to Kitty's ears was like a '
threatening roar, and charged at a
brisk trot directly toward their corner. &
Kitty's words broke into wild shrek,
as, jumping to her feet in complete dis I
regard of the sprained ankle, she S
stretched her hands and cried, ooh, Z
Ben, save me save me p t
In one second he was over the wall. !
Another saw the cow in full retreat, q
and Kitty in his arms. {
" Take me away" she sobbed, hiding j
her eyes on his shoulder.
will you promise not to go ?-will /
you promise to listen to all l want to I
say ?'' demanded the wary Ben. i
oh yes, anything, dear Ben. I'll S
promise anything if only you will help S
me to safe place, away from that de- c
vOuring beast, - quavered Kitty. e
No exact report exists with regard to a
the proceedings of the next few minutes. l
Suffice it to say that when Judith, '
speeding on in advance of the carry-all, a
reached the scene of action quarter of /
an hour later, she stood transfxed at Q
the spectacle of Kitty, sitting on the v
topmost ledge of Sunset Rock, her a
hand fast held in Ben's, and such a
pair of happy eyes and blazing cheeks b
as could only betoken a crisis of bliss t
full description. b
Why, how did Ben, when did you o
get here, and how did you find out {
where Kitty was ?'' demanded the h
Judith. h
cit was the cow,'' explained Ben, Ii
waving his hand toward the Pound. b
''I'm going down now to order pair C
of silver-gilt tips to her horns" tt
Eyes, it was the COW it really was,'' G
added Kitty, the sparkle of fun dis le
placing the lingering dew in her brown b
eyes" it was all the COW. Had it not is
been for that dreadful animal over d
there, and the mean advantage which =
Ben took of my helplessness and my =
unprotected situation, should never o.
have been So" She paused for tt
word. q,
Happy P'' suggested the daring ir
Ben. II
"Well, yes" said Kitty, meeting his Ic
eyes with her own. h
And then, Judith Notwithstanding u,
Ben kissed her. !,