The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1884-08-29

Oh0 Gnu u tne second DAY, he found q
sparkling fire in the CRATE, tbs table
drawn close to the hearth, a dainty
meal ready, and a saucy little girl
with curly hair, laughing eyes and a
tip-tilted nose, waiting for him at the
door with a kiss.
"Why-why CJatthhT my dear!" he
muttered. at is CatHy? Really. this
is pleasant" looking about him.
Something as it was when we we're
first married. I'll go up and change
my coat, my dear" 1t was long since
he had changed his coat for dinner.
Cathy watched him moving slowly
up the stairs with a great gulp in her
throat. But she was smiling brayely
when he came down, and offered her
his arm to lead her to the table. Some
thing OF the old instincts and habits OF
the days when he was a gentleman
among gentleman awoke in him as he
sat facing his daughter.
He had not lost his power of appre-
citation, and he saw that she was bright,
sincere and gentle. He grew more
watchful and more courteous and ten
der. 1t was a gay meal, however. John
Warning had been q famous conversa-
tionalist and q wit; and Cathy, if she
were a Ounce, had that fine tact which
made her the best of listeners.
Are you going out, papa?" she said,
after dinner was over.
I'll generally take q shot or two at
billiards in the evening"
Yes, / remember, she said, brightly.
II had the old billiard table in the lib
rary cleansed to-day. I thought per-
haps some rainy day you might teach
me-"
I'll do it nowl" he said with sudden
zeal. The library was already brilliant
ly lighted, the cues chalked. II have
not played at home for years. Your
mother hates the click of the balls. /
had to go out for a game"
Cathy took up the cue.
why, you little WITCH Who taught
your" cried her father, after he had
watched her for q moment.
There were all kinds of games attic
college for exercise. Iplayed them ali
fairly well. it was the only thing at
which / was not hopelessly stupid"
said Cathy, laughing.
As the week of Mrs. Warnings absence
passed, her husband discovered that his
little girl had learned one or two other
things we'll. She was a dexterous seam
stress. His clothes were put into per.
feet order. The girls had had a cook.
ing club, and Cathy showed a positive
genius for compromising dainty, appe-
thing dinners day after day.
Bring some Of Your friends home,
andI will give you a game supper, she
said.
The friends came. The supper was
delicious. The old fellows oil fell in
love with the cheerful little girl who
listened TO their stories, and untiringly
sang them old ballads and ditties in a
voice which, if unskilled, was sweet as
a birds and full of pathos. They went
home in high good-humor and-and
/ sober.
Mrs. Warning came home at last, so i'll
that she was carried to bed. Instead
of Martha's sour yisage, Cathy's rosy
face beamed down on her. Something
in the changed appearance Of the room
startled her.
$50 you've been playing housemaid?"
she said. But she 500 grew too Ill
ever to grumble. When after q months
tedious suffering she recovered, her
physician said, "You your life to
the care of your daughter as much as to
me. Miss Cathy was born to be 9
nurse.
"She was unfortunately not born for
anything better" said her mother.
"My ambition has been terribly thwart-
ed IN that girl, doctor. She is no
scholar"
"It is something, after all, to bea wom-
an" said the doctor, dryly.
But when the disease returned And
Mrs. Waring rapidly sank under it, it
was to Cathy she turned, and on Cathy's
breast she leaned while dying. Cousin
George was there, strong, quick and
kind. He seemed to know by intuition
the plans that CathY wished to carry
out in her little world, and silently
helped her in them.
In the year that followed Jane and
Maria began their careers; n as o
professor Of Greek, the other as q stu
dent Of medicine. They did not come
home again.
what with the habits of their un-
fortunate father, andpoor stupid Catha-
rine, 2 they said, .the atmosphere OF
home was sitting. All mental life
died in it"
But home and peer stupid Gathy
grew every day deafer to Mr.. Waring.
His old tastes and habits. his finer
nature, revived under the sunshine Of
his daily life. He sought out old
friends whom he had avoided for years,
and brought them to the house to pre-
sent to his daughter. He struggled
desperately during all that winter to
break loose from the yoke he had car
| ried so long.