The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-03-15
KITTY BLAKE.

Of 1872, quilted my comfortable study
for the purpose of ensconcing myself
behind white tie and encasing my slim
person in those stereotyped sable gar
ments which cry "Open sesame" at the
portals of society.
Ny friends, the Wilkins, were indulg-
ing in grand ball, and could not po-
litely refuse to 60. Vainly pleaded a
necessity for reading up a case with
which the eminent firm of Tozer & Bull
some had intrusted me. VainlyI de-
clared to Wilkin, upon the honor of a
man and brother, that was "out of that
sort OF thing that had read that par
ticular chapter in the Book of Life clean
through dG 600 uSgue Gd n1GlG, and that
was good for the mahogany; he did
MT, or rather wouldn't, see it, and with
sense of bitter injury at my heart and
an unmistakable sense of frost on the
tip of my nose, pulled myself together,
dressed hurriedly, and arrived at Har-
ley street in humor the very reverse of
amiable, and with the full determine
ton of merely showing myself to Mrs.
Wilkin, imbibing glass or perhaps two
of sherry, and getting back to resume
the perusal of q novel.
IL fGODtVL6 proposes. L uc CIuSu ndu uOU
been as yet we'll turned on, SO my ascent
TO the drawing-rooms was no very diff
cult task.
Upon the lobby Mrs. Wilkin was
standing, behind huge bouquet, and
Wilkin was prowling in the immediate
vicinity, with the air of man who has
succeeded in losing half a sovereign and
was engaged in looking for it as though
he wanted it very badly.
''Ah, Mr.. Brookley! I'm so glad that
you have come. Freddy told me that
you were doubtful-all clever men are,
but you know | always believe in you
and look to your aid to make this af-
fair go off we'll.
I groaned in spirit. This meant stop
ping till all the candles were snuffed
out-rlntil the tallow-faced green gro
GERS We're paid of-until the milkman
arrived at the area railings, and until l
should be jibed by disappointed cabbies
as 1.-THE cove as was a-playin' the plan
ner."
.'By-the-way, Brookley, there's lit
tie Irish girl stopping here, Miss
Blake. Come and I'll Introduce you as
q friend o. mine" observed Wilkin,
dragging me, bon gre, NAL gre, toward
mass of tulle illusion, surmounted by
bunch of white flowers.
Now any Irish girl whom Ihad hither-
to been fortunate enough to meet, had
somehow or another, been always too
much for me.
held back much after the fashion of
a dog being led to corpereal punish
ment through the medium of collar
and a string bowed grim, ungainly
bow, and proceeded to fiddle with the
buttons of a pair of soiled, bulgy gloves
and to glare in every direction save that
supposed to be occupied by Mrs. Will
kin's Hibernian guest.
At this juncture an attenuated, wax
en-looking, half-fed artist hung in chains
and clad in garments shining with grease
and threadbare from age, proceeded to
pound away upon the piano, aided and
abetted by a pudgy man, who appear
ed to be blowing his whole person into
battered cornucopia, and another con-
spirator, who discharged his duties to
society and to Wilkin by dolefully scrap
ing upon violoncello.
''This is our quadrille," exclaimed a
sweet voice at my elbow, with just a
touch of the brogue pervading it like a
perfume; and soft little hand placed it
self confidingly upon my arm.
/ had not asked her to dance-she had
evidently taken it for granted. Would
say that / never danced? that l had
sprained my footp or invent some patent
and plausible excused No! 1t would not
be fair to mine hostess, so 1 sullenly re-
signed myself to my fate.
! sEThic &c xyicit in TNVo6nro ~
chirped Miss Blake.
"Oh, indeedn'
81 live in the wilds of Connemara. u
81 wish you were there just now, twas
my inner thought.
'.It's the widest place on the face od
the earth, and the loveliest-but won't
you try to secure a Uts-d-UiS?'
/ compound with pink-faced youth
who was in the talons of a fall, lean
vJlturelike woman, to face me in the
| forthcoming melancholy ceremony anc
to assist in carrying out its sad solemn
tiles in all their funeral details.
'.Have you ever visited Ireland, MIR
BrookleyP" asked Miss Blake, at tn,
conclusion of the first figure.
81 should think not. Ireland is ;
wretched mistake.
The moment the words escaped from
my lips I could have parted with a goot
deal of ready money to have been ena
bled to draw them back again. They
were childish, rude, ungentleman-like
and I turned to her to apologize.
The hot flush was upon her cheek, tn
little hands were clenched until tn
gloves threatened to ''burst up" and he
| flashing eyes met mine as she hotly re
torted,-
''You must be an English boor to say
So"
The pas seuI commenced, and, to US
a stage phrase, Miss Blake event on.
What charming figure! What an ele
giant turn of the head! What grace il
every movements! had committed
thrice-accursed mistake. and | felt it
She went through the entire fgur
alone. She would not deign to take
to touch my outstretched hand. | ha
no words at will to cudgel into prope
form of apology, and l was bewildere
by her beauty. Lovely blue eyes, wit
sweeping blue-black lashes; dainty lii
tie nose, with rosebud mouth, an
teeth like muf1ied diamonds; radian
brown hair in massive plaits-and he
expression!
| We did not speak during the quad
rifle. The pink-faced youth-confoun
his impudenee-struck up an acquaint
anceship with her, and treated the wi
ture-looking woman badly. / fen il
clined to hurl him at his partner, impal
him upon her nose, and rush frantican
from the room.
The charming disdain with which