Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1882-10-24

7 position, and the favors relating to /
> ought to have been returned. A dis
missed ambassador might just as wei
keep the insignia of his Office"
"Sit down, Kate, and don't put your
self in passion. Have ever done al
unkind thing to either Maggie or vo,
since we were children together ?U
1 mo, Archie, you, have not,U
"Do you really think 1 would ?"
"You said you would tell Sir Johr
things about Maggie, and that would In
unkind. Maggie loves Sir John very
much" sar, s.1,t .--.
i II would never hurt Maggie. Al
your pastor, and as your cousin, let m1
say think you have behaved in very
improper manner.p
a. "Archie !"
"Very improper, indeed. You ought
to have come to me. I would have Civ.
en- you the poor dear little letters; and
as for telling Sir John anthing to open
his eyes, I like him far too well. The
only way to be happy in love is to bt
blind"
"You think that is very satirical,
dare say"
mo, do not am waiting for your
apology, Kate. You know you ought
to make One."
Kate sat, with burning cheeks, tap.
ping the foor with her foot, and Archie
stood calmly watching her. At last she
said, "YOu are right, Archie.u Then,
putting her hand in her pocket "Here
are the letters. Do what you like with
them trust you."
| He took them tenderly, and throwing
them into the fire. mournfully watched
them turn to gray ashes. Kate's eyes
were full of painful tears
"Archie," she said, forgive me. I
acted very impulsively and very impru.
IDENTIFY. am ashamed of myself. There
is something else must tell you about
this miserable affair. I saw gentle
man in your parlor, and gave myself
false name to him."
"Oh, Kate, see how one fault leads to
another. If you had been doing right
you would not have been ashamed to
confess you were Kate Leslie. Do you
know the lady whose name you bor-
rowed?"
mo, know nothing about such
person."
"Then 1 will go with you, and you
must make an apology to the famiiy,n
Must do this?'
You must. 1t is the least you can
do"
VERY well, Archie, will do it,"
But this part of the punishment was
long delayed. The next morning Kate
was very ill, aud a severe attack of
rheumatic fever confined her for weeks
to her room. Then the fatigue and ex.
citement consequent on Maggie's mar.
riage threw her back into the inertia of
invalidism, and the adventure was all
most forgotten in its painful results.
AS the warm weather came on she
improved, and began to go into society
again One day there was law n party
at the bishops, and she promised to
meet Archie there. She was sitting
resting under a great oak, when she.
saw him coming toward her A gentle.
man with him, whom she recognized at q
glance she had introduced herself once
to him as Miss Crowther. What was
Archie going to do to her? She felt al
most ike crying; but she stood bravely
up as they advanced, and in her white
muslin dress, with roses at her waist
and throat, she made very lovely pic.
ture.
"Good afternoon, Cousin Kate"
cousin Archie, good afternoon"
Kate, this is my friend, Mr.. Harry
Crowtber."
She blushed violently. but she did not
lose her self possession. II have met
Mr.. Crowther before, once when was
on little private masquerade, and as
sumed the character of his sister. 1
hope am forgiven"
"If had a sister, she would have
been honored by the assumption. Since
the momentary favor I have never
ceased to regret my want"
They sat long under the pleasant
shade, and in the evening rode slowly
home together under the July moon.
Before they parted both had acknowl-
ed to their hearts an interest that might
be dearer tie than even that of brother
and sister.
For few weeks Harry Crowther was
constantly coming with Archie to call
on the Leslies, either for one pretext or
another Then he began to come by
himself, and then to come without any
pretext at all. 1t had been long evident
to Archie that Harry and Kate loved
each other very dearly, and at last the
dim eyes of her grandfather began to
perceive how matters stood.
"Kittie," he said, one night, after
waiting patiently through a "good-
night" that lasted an hour and half
"Kittie, why does Harry Crowther
come here so often ?"
because we do not believe in writ.
ing, grandfather. Love letters once
nesrly cost me my life;" and leaning
fondly on her grandfather's neck, Kittie
told him the fault of which she had
been guilty, and the pain and shame it
had caused her.
"Never pays, Kittie, to do evil that
good may come the price is-too high"
''You forgive me, grandfather ?"
Eyes, Kittie, with all my heart"
"Harry has forgiven me. too. You
see, after taking his name in jest, 1t is
right make the anaeade honorable by
taking it in earnest. So, grandfather,
if you will let me, am going to be
Mrs. Crowther instead of Miss Grow.
ther. May Harry ask you Tomorrow"
Eyes, he may ask me. He has asked
you, suppose ?"
"Oh, yes"
"And we are to have a wedding, and
no love letters. never heard of such
a thing"
"a wedding, and no love letters,
grandfather Love letters are slow, and
old fashioned, and very dangerous. We
have adopted visits and telegraphs in
their place."