Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-06-10
ROMANCE OF 4 GLOVE.
" Does it please you, Katy ?"

Does it please you, Katy"
"Oh. it's splendid! could not have suited
myself half so well had been left to choose"
But you have not seen the wine cellar yet.
lt Is o treasure of its kind Let's go down
again."
They went down the stairs together. he talk
ing eayly, she with a troubled look on her face
After duly admiring the place she put timid
hand on his arm and said: "But, Arthur. dear.
let's have no wine in it,
"Why3" he asked, I'm surprise.
Because l have resolved, IL I am ever the
mistress of a house there shall be no liquors
Kept In it-no social glass for friends"
why, Katy, you are unreasonable. did not
know you carried your temperance opinions 80
far as that. OF course I shall keep wine in my
house, and entertain my friends with 1t, too"
She raised her face appealingly.
ARTHUR" she said in tone Of voice which
he knew how to Interpret
Arthurs brow grew elOuded.
'But you cannot fear for me?" he said, with
half offended pride
81 must fear for You, Arthur If you begin as
he did. And 1 fear for others besides, for the
sons and husbands and fathers who may learn at
our cheerful board to love the poison that shall
slay them"
They went up the steps again and sat on
sofa in the dning-r0om for few moments,
while Katy put on her hat and drew on her
gloves.
The argument was kept up It Is unnecessary
that we should repeat all that was said on both
sides. 1t ended, at last, as similar discussions
have ended before. Neither was willing to
yield-Katy. because she felt that her whole
future happiness might be involved in IT, Arthur,
because he thought it would be giving way to a
wOman's whims. and would sacrifice too much
OF his popularity with his friends.
He had bought this house. Maid for IL and
furnished it handsomely, and in few weeks was
to bring Katy as its mistress. But when Arthur
closed the door and put the key in his pocket
and gave Katy his arm to see her home, it was
all "brOken up" between them, and notice,
ITO Let" was put over the door on the very
next day.
1t was the most foolish thing to do; but then
lovers can always find something to quarrel
about
They parted with cool "Good evening" at
the door Of Katy's lodging house. She went up
to her room to cry; he went home hurt and an
cry but secretly resolved to see her again, and
give her chance to say that she was in the
wrong. He would wait few days, however; it
would not do to let her see that he was in a
hurry to 'make 1t up"
He did wait nearly week and when he called
at the modest lodging house, where he had been
wont to visit so often, he was told that Miss
Gardiner had been gone three days.
''GOne where?" he asked. slow to believe
.'She did not tell me, sir. She said she was
not coming back Her aunt lives at Bristol
He then took the next train to Bristol and
investigated; but neither there nor In any other
place, though he searched for months after
wards did he find sign or trace of Katy Gardi-
ner.
All this happened more than a year before
saw Katy; but we three factory girls" who
knew nothing about it She came to the fac
tory and applied for work. The superintendent
thought her too delicate for such labor, but she
persisted and In fact she improved In health,
spirits and looks after she became used to the
work and simple fare of the factory girl.
She was stranger to us ALL and it seemed
likely she would remain so. But one day Mary
BascOms dress caught In a part Of the
machinery and, before any one else could think
what to do, Katy had sprung to her side and
rible danger that threatened her. After that
Mary and Lizzie Payne and l. who were her
dearest friends were Katys sworn allies.
We all lodged together. then, in the big "Fac-
tory boarding house." But Katy took it into
her head that we should have so much nicer
times 10 private lodging to ourselves; and
when she took anything into her head she gen.
orally carried it through. In less than week
she had found the very place she wanted, ar
ranged matters with the superintendent, and
had us sheltered under Mrs. Howels vine and
fig tree. We four girls were the proud posses
sors OF tolerably large, double-bedded apart
ment, with a queer little dressing room at
tached-and the liberty of the paror to receive
callers ina provisO at which we all laughed
This was "home" to US after the labor of
the day. In deed and in trust, Katy made the
place so charming that We forgot we were fac
tory girls" when We got to it. She imprOvised
cunning little things out of triies that are
usually thrown away as useless. and the flowers
growing In broken pots in our windows were a
glory to behold. She always had fresh book
or periodical on our table; and better than this
she brought to US the larger cultivation and the
purer taste which taught us tOuse opportunities
within our reach.
What made you take to our style of life,
katy!" asked Lizzie, one evening, as we all sat
in the east window watching the out coming Of
the stars and telling grlish dreams.
destiny, my child" answered Katy, stopping
to replace the little boot she had thrown off to
rest her foot.
But you might have been an authoress, or a
painter, or a-bOOk keeper Or
Lizzies knowledge Of this world was rather
limited; Katy broke in upon her.
'There, that will do. was not born genius
and hate arithmetic"
''But you did not always have to work for
living Katy?" said Mary. "YOu are lady,
know"
Katy laughed aqueer, short laugh.
yes" she said, land that's why don't know
how to get my living in any way but this. So
behold me healthy and honest factory girl"
She rose, madea little bow, and a flourish with
her little hands, and we all laughed, although
she had said nothing funny.
.Mlly," said she. 'please light the lamp and
get the magazines while hunt up my thimble
and thread. Ladies, / find myself under the
necessity Of mendng my gloves this evening
Oh, poverty! where is thy sting? In shabby
glove, do believe, for nothing hurts me like
that, unless it be a decaying boot"
Katys gloves were marvel to u.s. She never
wore any but Of good quality, and always the
same cOlOr-a brownish, neutral tint that har-
moniZed with almost any dress-but just now a
new pair would seem to be the thing needful,
from the appearance Of the ones she brought
out.
She sat and patiently mended the little rents,
while read aloud, and when she had finished
the gloves looked almost new.
The next day was Saturday, and we had a
half holiday. Katy and l went to make some
slight purchases and on our way home stopped
at the big clearinghouse, to see one of the girls
who was Ill. When we came out Katy ran
across the street to get a magazine from the
news-shOp, and came hurrying up to overtake
me before / turned the corner. She had the
magazine open and one Of her hands was I'M
gloved. but 1t was not until we reached home
that she found she had lost glove. 1t was too
late then to go and look for it. We went and
searched for 1t In the morning, but could not find