The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-08-15

Tier mothers thin lips shut like
steel trap; her father nodded stupidity,
for he was bored with the whole affair.
When the exercises were over, Mrs.
Waring found her disgraced daughter
and dragged her up before Mr.. Justus.
She was plump little girl Of seven
teen, with a turned-up nose and a
round, ugly face, swollen with much
crying.
sit is a mere waste of money to keep
her here, y said Mrs. Waring, severely.
''The Faculty inform me that she was
not INDECENT, that she exerted herself
conscientiously. The bald fact is that
she is good for nothing. She is al
Nothing Of the kind!n interrupted
George compassionately 'sNothiDg of
the kind! viii wager you a diamond
| ring that my little cousin viii yet prove
herself good for something =
"You can return home with your
father this afternoon, Catherine said
Mrs. Waring. Il will wait during the
week for the concluding exercises.
Jane and Maria,'' turning to Mr..
Justus, twill remain here during the
vacation, in order to take a private
course in geology
Catherine cried all the way home,
and most of the night after she reached
home. She had been for four years at
school, making an honest. vain effort
to conquer quadratics and other like
mysteries. Besides, there was little at
home to soothe the ache Of disappoint-
ment in her heart
In these years of absence, while her
mother had been growing into COM
planning invalid, and her father into
drunkard the house had become bare,
| almost shabby and miserable. Car
pets were becoming worn, almost
ragged, windows clouded with dust,
| blotches of hair-flling were bursting
from some of the chairs and sofas.
The day after her arrival Catherine
made q tour of inspection. Her eyes,
though still swollen, were keen.
Then the servant was startled from
her long dream of Indifference and
idleness to find herself actually at
work. Two helpers were brought in
and paid from GATHERINGS little store
of pin-money, that came from a small
property of her own. Catherine her.
self was behind them. They could no
more lag or dawdle than could train
OF cars with an engine at their back.
Dust flew out of the house, windows
shone. Carpets were mended, curtains.
washed and prettily draped; pictures
came out of their long obscurity of
| cobwebs and smiled down from the
wall; vigorous, booming plants filed
the windows.
When Mr.. Waring came home, at the
end of the second day, he found a.
sparkling fire in the CRATE, the table
drawn close to the hearth, dainty
meal ready, and saucy little girl, with
curly hair, laughing eyes and a tip
tilted nose, waiting for him at the door
with kiss.
j "Why why, Cathy, my dearr' he
muttered. i" 1t IS Cathyp Really, this
is pleasant'' looking about, him.
Something as it was when we were
first married, I'll 60 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 great gulp in her
throat. But she was smiling bravely
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 gentleman
among gentlemen 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 Waring had been q famous con-
1 versationalist and wit; and Cathy, if
she were q Ounce, had that fine tact
which made her the best of listeners.
care you gong out, papap' she said,
| after dinner was over.
4 Ill generally take a shot or two at
| billiards in the evening""
| Eyes, remember she said, bright
i ly. 81 had the old billiard table in the
| library cleaned to-day. I thought per-
haps some rainy day you woul7 teach
me. j"
| "I'll do it now!' he said, with sud-
den zeal. The library was already bril-
liantly lighted, the cues chalked. 81
have not played at home for years.
Your mother hates the click OF the
balls. 1 had to 90 out for game.''
Cathy took UP the cue.
"Why. you little witchi Who taught
your" cried her father, after he had
watched her for moment.
"There were all kinds of games at
the college for exercise. PLAYED them
all fairly well. 1t was the only thing
at which was not hopelessly stupid, 2
said Cathy, laughing. =
As the week of Mrs. Warnings alb
sence passed, her husband discovered
that his little girl had learned one or
two other things well. She was dex-
ferrous seamstress His clothes were
| put into perfect order. The girls had
had cooking club, and Cathy showed
a positive genius for compromising dam
ty, appetizing dinners day after day.
Bring some of your friends home.
and will give youa game SUPPER"
she said.
The friends came. The supper was de-
cious The old fellows all fell in love
with the cheerful little girl who listened
to their stories, and untiringly sang
them old ballads and ditties in voice
which, if unskilled, was as sweet as q
birds and full of pathos. They went
home in high good-humor and-sober.
Mrs. Waring came home at last, so
! i'll that she was carried to bed. Instead
of Martha's sour visage, Cathy's rosy
face beamed down on her. Something
in the changed appearance Of the room
startled her.
so you've been playing house
maid? she said. But she soon grew
too i'll even to grumble. When after a
months tedious suffering she recovered,
her physician said: ssIou owe your
life to thecare of your daugher as much
as to me. Miss Cathy was born to be a
nurse
"She was unfortunately not born for
anything better,n said the mother.
My ambition has been terribly thwart-
ed in the girl, DOCTOR She. is no
scholar"
ut is something, after all, to be a
woman" said the doctor, dryly.-
But when the disease returned and