The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-02-26

horrid, owiish old thing, With he q
dreadful, snub.noscd. red.haired chill. q
drcn!" said Kitty 10 herself irreverens' 0
Ba, then Miss Eczish would often say j
To herself:
"IIow can Hissy wan, 10 marry that I.
un2odly Arthur l.awton, who goes to
dances, and wears blue necktic, and !
would study law, when his father and
mother wanted him to 30 minister
ar he would have said that To herself
Il she had cared enough about KEYS
affairs 10 say anything. The truth
WAS that she was 80 bound up In her
own matrimonial plans and prospects,
ius, nov, that she had almost entirely
forgotten her niece; for which kizy
was truly thankful.
A. Tor Kizxy and Mr. Arthur I.awton,
she was not sure that she did not wish
"a marry him, but she was quite sure,
that, II he asked her, she should iind It
rather hard 10 say no; and she did rash.
or wish he would ask her, TOO.
II that h rather an illogical statement,
altogether, Il Il ktxxy's fault, and not
mine. That Il precisely the way In
. which che thought of the matter.
She looked forward ~ the dance With
| considerable slutiering III tho heart. For
there was the i've. mile drive 10 Rockville,
4 and back. that she and Arthur were 70
1 take alone together. A good deal may
= be aid in that time.
0 Tho next day was 81. Valentines Uay.
1 she remembered. Would Arthur send
Y her anything? Probably he would not
Q think II Il, st. Valentine WAS 10 out Of
n fashion. Nobody ut Glover's Corner
|. thought Of doing him any honor.
q Of course II did not even occur TO
a Miss Keniah tina, II was St. Valentines
E" Day, until, ~ she was polishing
20 the old.fashioned brass knocker Of
c. the door next morning "a du.
N ty in which she delighted, ~ presenting
50 an ediiying example Of housewiiely In
no dustry 10 all passcrs), q small boy
tn alighied from horse, at the door, and
IN presented her with dainty little box.
n, It was directed to "Miss Keziat
bc Knowlton."
~ Miss Kczish, not Miss Kizzy. II
Ily doubt that Il was intended for her crosses
n, Miss Kexiah's mind, for everybody GALES
Id her niece Kizzy.
i,h With sudden remembrance that thi
lse Was St. Valentines hay, and . though
Q OF the new minister, Miss Kexiah ran "
nd 20 her room, with the agility and hope
~, Of sixteen, carefully concealing her trea'
'as ure in her apron. ,
The Once securely fastened into her room
.ici she opened the box with trembling III
liss gers.
vas A beautiful bunch Of viOlcts lay With
|, at Il. and little note. The light OF q!
lie teen had come back 10 Miss kezish
zee, eyes! Il was pitiful to see the cage
ness with which she unioldcd the not
nat Mr. DEAREST KIxxy-l send these howe
: an as n 81. valentine's o6ering, h0ptn. they y
o.,. , say for me what have not dared 10 cay
myself; though think my manncr ln" '..,I IlS
ana my heart. II you will wear them TO. morn,
r. night In your hair-that lovely golden ~
U " whose every thread seems twned around
him. heart-i shall know that may nohe. IL
! IN do not, shall try 70 bear my late like IN,
and trouble you no more. hut can not
uled iicye shall have 80 hard fate as that to be
iva that have been utterly dsluded IN WIN
q have dared TO fancy could rsaM IN YOU, u
Ally. where wish to to. night. Yours ever,
rom "a. L. Absalom Leach!"
wos Miss Keziah actually uttered shr
for Of joy, and would have tainted, II o
oder a. L." had been there that she mil
eve: have sunk into his arms.
ar 20 Her mind Was SO full Of the minis
Miss that it did not occur to her that tn
MONT were the initials Of any other name.
she Not . shade Of doubt marred
felicity.
nm" Her hopes had reached their
,eeas fruitiou. the dreams OF her lifetime
looks come true, 1t last! She had love
bona fde lover, and be Vas minis
Mrs. Oh that dear, sweet letter! Miss
ziah read it over and over again.
said "lovely golden hair!" Yes, It
think golden, though 1t was . little sea
and slightly mingled with silver thre
IA nj. and the curls that she wore on each
,con's OF her face were "l0vely," the
that enyious niece-Kizzy-of
ous to had said they looked like corkscr
psn 80 and begged her to put them up.
Hope did not deceive him In te
thered him that she would wear his violets
night! No, indeed! II flowers did
she rather dressy for the sociable. .
they did attract . great deal OF .
mite q ton, what did it matter?
hat he Everybody would know soon!
she would enjoy telling Mrs. De
Who Scudder, who had heard that be VI
nv ss gagged to . chit Of . school.girl! 81
ctually full, envious woman! she naa pro!
or eyes made up that story" said Miss K
to herself.
Such AZ soon a. the shades Of evening
sacon's near, Miss Keziah began to dress II
hanoed socisble. Time had never dragg
Kizsy: heavily with her before. She coul
At tie wait any longer to try the effect OF
arr" viOlets In her hair.
V,, They were not easy to Arrange
!, n a,o;Ic found; she would have liked ia
IA ths them near her face, but ~ she wo
Ksz;.h front hair hanging in three curls Of
- To- side, It was clearly impossible to
,,n~ lsS them in. There was nothing to
Thst to fasten them ct one side OF thu
!. ~ o"r small coil-Miss Keziah had . boil
~ " ~~' ror OF false hair-at the. back {
What head. The bunch OF violeS was
Is going larger tnsn tne 'vl, sI ', sIe ' h,'
|, r Mr. Miss Keziah thought that nothing
a GONE be more beautiful.