The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1883-06-21
HOW KATE WENT HOME.

HOW KATE WENT HOME.
~ ETTIR loaRls.
"Paps d not like himselk He never
was harGh 70 me BEFORE" murmnred
poor Kate.
"Yet you must not be unmindful that
your father believes he il acting for
your interests" vas the rather doubt nj
remonstrance Of Mrs. Scott.
Papa 70 acting entirely under the in.
nuenoe Of Percy Talbot the girl assert
ed, excitedly; ''if he were not, he would
understand how grieyous it would be
should I marry man whom detest-
how utterly impossible it 10 when my
whole heart 10 given to another. Oh.
What could theeentle wife the troubled
mother, say1 She loved her husband.
unreasonable a. he might be, she idol.
lied her only child, and she shrunk
from holding either blan,able. So she
remained silent, while two big tears
rolled slowly down her fair faded
cheeks.
Mamma, my dearest, you do not
blame me, do your" pleaded Kate, cross
Ing the room and throwing herself on
her knees beside her mother. 1T
would break my heart to give up Rob-
ert! love him 30 dearly-oh, mamma,
% very dearly! You like Robert, too,
and 20 did papa before this Percy Tai
trouble for us ali. And I have 1ancied
sometimes that You distrust him quite az
much ~ i do. You do pot really wish
mo to marry him, do your"
'Your father il dete rmined that YOU
eaal! DO his wife,. Kate" said Mrs. Scott
winding 2 kindly arm about the slim,
kneeling figure, aud drawing the pretty
brown head to her bosom.
II know. And ~ l disobey him. he
declares be will no longer recognize me
- his child" returned Kate, with little
gasp Of anguish; "he will send me away
from him, from my home, and from YOU.
Oh. mamma, 1t is hard! And yet, II you
would not blame me, If you can trust me.
I had rather 90. After q time paps
might relent and wish me to come back
Tho mother sighed, but she clasped
the pretty pleader more closely to her
tender heart, and fondly kissed the
j.eet, bright face.
II do trust you, Kate" she answered,
With much earnestnees. always re-
member, derlinR, that wherever you
may be, shall trust my daughter to do
the right. fyou choose to 20 rather
than become Mr.. Talbots unlovinR wife.
shall not judge you too harshly; and it
may be that some time the STORM will
pass over, and this trial will end happi-
ly for us ALL"
After such = concession the mother
could scarcely refuse to acquiesce with
anything her child might decide to be
best. And 80 Kate took her last regret
1ul look Of the dear old familiar rooms:
with quivering lips she kissed her weep
sng mother; anu then in the early, quiet
morning she left the pleasant house,
Che doors Of which, a. it might be, had
oeen closed upon her forever.
father said briefly, in grim anger. land
henceforth she is dead to me:.'
From his home, his heart, his lips,
he had banished her; and he forbid
she mention of her name in his pres
once.
And for Percy Talbot he began to
manifest singular partiality-a special
Liking that was frequently shown by con-
siderable monetary favors. Perhaps he
Gencied that he owed some sort of repair
etion TO the luckless individual who had
boen 80 signally disdained by his hand
some and refractory daughterl
~ seems strange that q rich man
would borrow such sums and 80 Often,"
Mr.: Scott once ventured to observe.
You know nothing about these mat
eers, Maria. was the sharp response.
Talbot caa be trusted with anything.
He ie shrewd man. too, and if our last
opeculation succeeds, shall be as rich
"What speculation, Peter?" his wife
inquired, uneasily.
II doubt YOU would understand If I
should tell you. he answered testify.
He had yet to learn that his own un-
derstanding of the speculation into
which he had been persuaded was some
what deficient.
Il was the "oft.told tale" of the cre-
dulity of one man and the duplicity of
another. And there came time when
Peter Scottsknew that he was beggared-
when he discovered that all his little
fortune, earned by years of honest zeal,
had been by some manner ofchicanery,
erensforred to the possession of Percy
Talbot.
my dear sir, it is one of the freaks
offortune, and is neither curious nor
uncommon" Talbot said, blandly, to
his victim. I'm my career as q specu.
!ost-even to my last fsrthina. have
been loft with nothing. absolutely moth
sng but my debts. But 1 never lost
courage; nor must you do 80 now, Be.
side. II you will bring back your pretty
fugitive daughter and induce her TO be.
come my wife, will make you free
gin Of the property that once was yours"
For . moment Kate's father regard
ed his interlocutor with q dxed and
ecathing gaze. The scales had fallen
rom those tired and troubled eyes.
my daughter" at length he enuncia.
eed, with . dignity that was majestic.
"was wiser than I-she could not Be de.
celvod by your pretensions az have
deem, may be pauper sir. but shall
still bo honored that l have q child who
would prefer death to marriage with
such ~ you"
He turned away haughtily, and went
back to the home that was no longer
bis. But the shock had been too SUD
den, too overwhelming; and an hour
Later he lay writing in mortal agony at
the worry gates OF death. In his delirium
10 raved piteously of his folly, and of
the man whom he bad 80 trusted only
TO be befooled. robbed, and insulted.
And to his disordered senses his bonny
Kate vas everywhere present. He
would listen for her gay voice and light
!ootsteps; he seemed to behold her
bright and beautiful image, and he would
pathetically entreat her to forgive him
for bis harshness and his great mistake.
Meanwhile. Kate was lar away and
not altogether unhappy. She felt that
some how, In q blissfnl time to come.
abe would be providentially guided back
TO contentment with her beloved