The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1883-03-14
THE DAILY BULLETIN.
KENNETH SHIELDS.

mill hands. Indeed, her august indig-
nation knew no bounds when the manu-
| factory of Mr. Shields was erected just
outside her yard, on the grounds adj
joining.
The village was village no longer,
but metropolis, spreading its borders
over the hills, to the east and west, to
the north and south; and down in the
valley was the throbbing heart, tenn
ing with its busy people. It's factories
and mills were being erected in what
had once been the suburbs of village.
NV aunt Hester Stuart, and her
daughters, Geraldine and Clotilde, we're
| ladies of fashion, and all that the word
implies they were. The greatest
'catch V of the season, the newest
opera, the latest prima donna, and the
styles, were the sum total OF their con-
versation.
II was conceded by all the household
| that Miss Geraldine was the lady of the
house. Even her mamma called her
| Miss Geraldine, and it was high mis-
demeanor to omit the important prefix.
Miss Geraldine always had the first
and best Of everything, and Clotilde
was obliged to submit TO her sometimes,
in a very humiliatimg manner. /, the
poor dependent orphan niece, was child
ed byone and upbraided by another, I'M
| til. between them all my lines were
hard ones thought if my aunt pos
sessed such thing as conscience, sure
" ii would say TO her, Sleep no more.
When Mr.. Shields was building, and
my aunt was unacquainted with his per-
sonal history. this sooty mandatory,
with its smoky chmneys, was an eye
sore to her fastidious taste.
Ii ought 10 be declared nuisance,
this grimy old factory and those greasy
workmen, What a desirable view from
our parlor window! 1t is outrageous
Thus would my aunt comment upon
Mr. Shields workshop.
But VERY soon it began to be generally
known that Mr., Shields was bachelor;
then she began to cultivate his acquain-
tance and to court his favor He was
rich: he would be such capital hus-
band for Miss Geraldine.
Siege was laid Immediately, and if
cunning diplomacy was to be depended
upon, surely the citadel must surrender
Mr.. Shields was reported to be per-
fcctly impervious to the arts and wiles
spread out for him BY mammas and
daughters who were on the - lookout,
so to speak. 1t was generally supposed
that he had been through ." deep wa
ters.
The gossips said that he had. when a
journcyman and poor, loved a lady
whose father would not consent to the
match until he could produce stipu-
lated sum. He worked hard, and be-
gan to amass af9rtune; but the girl was
tickle, and before he was ready had mar
ried another. This embittered him.
Now he was wooded to his work Bust
ness was his idol-money his wife and
children. He scarcely gave second
! glance to any woman.
Ny aunt and Miss Geraldine began TO
lay their plans, and the distant, resery-
ed Mr.. Shields was often invited to balls
and dinners. Almost every afternoon
You could hear them laughing and ex-
changing merry sallies from the window
As the days went by often noticed
him looking intently at me as / per-
formed my daily work. Sometimes
when was busting the parlor, would
chance TO look toward the mill and
catch his glance | often wondered
what he thought Of me, if he thought Of
me at all. Perhaps he was only medi-
tating lost in his speculations, and his
eyes happened to rest on me. tortur-
ed my brain TO find solution to this
enigma, asking myself If | was vain
enough to suppose that Kenneth Shields
was thinking Of me. This Indifferent
man was only thinking of his gains and
losses; he had no possible interest in
girl who washed dishes and busted par
Tors in her aunt's fine establishment.
Shall | tell you how his appearance
struck me, and how deeply became in
terested in him, in those days? can
not describe him quite as he appeared
to me; can tell you only Of his sunny
blonde hair and his deep gray eyes, Of
the well built figure, standing perhaps
five feet seven. cannot tell you Of a
beautiful Apollo, tall and beyond all
men fair; but can say in pure truthful
ness that this calm, almost grave face
fascinated and drew me on with pow
erful hold which other fairer faces had
no power to do. felt my poor heart
huttering when his eyes rested upon me-
crept away to chide myself with re-
newed vigor in the privacy of my own
apartment.
Thus | had grown familiar with him,
and his daily appearance began 10
watch for, and when he failed to come
often went to my room and cried, out
of sheer loneliness. His presence was a
solace; although he had never spoken TO
me, yet | was sad and disconsolate when
Ne was absent
One evening my aunt and cousins
were going out. was assisting them,
when ] CHANGED to drop Miss Geraldine $
ivory fan and break the tiny mirror.
She tapped me smartly on the ear, and
in bitter anger said
"You awkward little fool! Now my
fan is in nice condition! II you can.
not be more careful hereafter, you had
better let things alone!
Turning TO her mamma she said,--
" Mr.. Shields always takes my fan, i
chance to lay it down, and now III
utterly ruined by the carelessncss o
that thing!'