The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1882-11-24
SELECT STORY.
KATHLEEN's REPENTANCE.


ruined mansion in the North of Ireland;
old Colonel Macdermott, owner of the
castle and its few impoverished acres
his lovely daughter Kathleen, the belle
of the county, with the bright blue
eyes and brilliantly fair complexion so
often seen in Irish women, his quiet
little browu-eyed niece Margaret, and
Roland Hargrove, the son of an old
friend.
The old gentleman was busy with an
antiquated newspaper, Roland and
Kathleen were whispering earnestly to-
gether, and Margaret had discreetly
withdrawn herself to the far end Of the
long room, rightly guessing that she
was not wanted by the other two.
And certainly any third party would
have been grievous hindrance to their
conversation, for Rolands looks were
fixed most wistfully upon Kathleen's
lovely face and downcast eyes, while
he pleaded with her for her love, his
own being entirely hers.
"Do not turn away from me, beauti-
full Kathleen; l have loved you from
the first moment / saw you, and your
love would be an inestimable treasure
to me. am poor now-would for
your sweet sake it were otherwise; it
seems 80 cruel to ask you, so peerlessly
lovely, so fitted by nature to fill the
loftiest position, to share any but
princely fortunes. But l shall not
always be poor; l feel within me the
capabilities of future success the
splendid prospects opening before me,
through Lord Carwardine's generous
offer of this Secretaryship, bid fair to
lead me to fame and fortune, and if |
could only have the sweet knowledge
that you love me and are waiting for
me, oh, Kathleen! there is nothing !
could not do, no task so arduous !
would not undertake it, spurred on by
such hopes
| Roland's face glowed with enthusi
asm, but Kathleen was still silent. He
mistook this for maiden shyness, and
continued to plead for her promise.
| Presently, raising her lovely eyes tc
his face, she said:
81 really don't know what to say
Roland. You have taken me by sur
prise, and IL have no wish to b,
married nor even engaged for a long
time. Will you give me few week.
to think about it ?"
A few weeks To q man desperatel,
in love this was intolerable, and Rolant
felt sudden chill. If Kathleen lovet
him, why not tell him 80 at oncei Blu
he conquered his impatience, and pro
missed to wait for her answer until tn
night before his departure from Castl
Dermott for London, which would b.
in about ten days. Could he have seel
beneath Kathleen's winning manner
into her cold heart and calculating dis
position, he would never have love'
her, but he took her outward beaut
and grace as sign that she must b
true-hearted and loving, and he ha
given her all the devotion of his noble
chivalrous nature.
II am in horrid quandary," though
Kathleen to herself, lying awake resi-
less ard excited long after she had It
tired to rest; 81 am twenty-five now
and have sent away no end of lover
since l was seventeen, because not on
has been able to give me the position
want in the world of rank and fashio
from which / am shut out here. If
ouly could know whether Lord Carwa
dine really feels anything beyond pas
ing admiration for me, l should kno
how to act.
Lord Carwardine was a great count
magnate, fabulously rich, a great Pa
liamentary leader, forty years of ag
but handsome and unmarried. His il
fuence had procured Roland the lucr
tive Secretary's post he was soon to fiji
and the secret of Kathleen's hesitatio
was that at one or two dinners an
balls they had all attended at his ma
sion during his short Christmas visi
he had been very attentive to her-n'
enough to cause remark, but quite suf
cient to raise ambitious hopes an
wishes in her breast.
There was to be large ball held
the county hall the following week,
aid of the Irish Distress Fund Lol
Carwardine would be present, ar
Kathleen thoughts
81 shall see then whether he thinl
anything seriously or not if he does
shall still be free, and if not, then
may as well accept Roland. dare s;
he will succeed as he says, though
will be horrid to wait for wears.
should be quite old before he cou
give me half so good a position
- would be mine at once if Lord Carwa
dine would only propose. 1t is terrib
perplexirg, but then | might be wor
off, like poor Maggie even, who nev
had a sweetheart in her life, and nev
will"
And the proud beauty composed he
self to sleep, while poor Maggie, wi
was quite little Cinderella to h
grand cousin, minus the cinders al
housework, also tossed on her piIlc
sleeplessly.
But that pillow was wet with tea
of bitter, unrequited love-a first pu
love, all given to Roland Hargrove, b
entirely unexpected by him, or any O
else.
He had been kind and attentive
her, ont of pity first, because no o
else seemed to take any notice of h,
and because she was an orphan III
himself, but from interest lately, becau
, he found her so bright and intelliger
and so ready to listen while he talk
of his hopes and plans for the futul
!; to which Kathleen always listened il
patiently, or interrupted him to a
. some question about the great peor
/ he knew in London.
Her father would gladly have Civ
her season in town, but he was t.
p. poor to afford it, and their only fas
ionable relative, Lady Burnett, h
- three plain daughters of her own
get established, and took care never
invite so dangerous a rival as the
lovely cousin so Kathleen was oblig,
to crush all her ambitious longings
be the leader of circle, unless mar
age brought her the longed.for oppc