The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-05-09

firm and would listen to none. II
"At last the young fellows grew wea-
ry Of their fruitless attempts at love-
making and the greater part left her
alone.
"a few, more unkind, would ask
when she expected her young gentle
man home, and taunted her in cutting
speeches and insinuations.
"Nine years went by, aud then there
came the battle of Waterloo, when Off
GERS and men went down in hundreds
together. tI...... .......
''Stiil, no word from Kinloch, and
Kitty's heart, which had never failed
in its lightness, nor her step in its
speed, now sank and faltered for the
first time.
"Early in the next year-in fact, on
New Years night---the officers gave a
ball, and every girl and young man for
miles around was invited
"Girls we're in great demand, and
went down to my aunts house espec-
tally for that night
| was anxious to see Kitty myself.
and to find out how the years had pass.
ed over her head.
"You think, perhaps, 26 was rather
old to be called girl--do you, Kitty |
"Well, | felt almost the same as | |
did when | was 16, aud quite as ready |
to enjoy dance or Irritation, l can as
sure you. 't
"Kate Daly---that was her name
went to help the ladies unshawl them
selves, ard be ready with needle and
thread when an unhappy damsel with
torn skirt or fiounce should require her
assistance. -
"She was then 2S, and the young
girlish beauty had developed into the
most lovely OF women. Only when
her face was at rest, and you caught
the supicion of an anxious heart upon
it, would you have guessed her age.
"She wore pale teal rose-tinted
gown, with ruffias of lace of her own
making at the neck and sleeves.
at was a wild and stormy night
without, Just such a one as this, bat it
only served to enhance the brightness
and animation of the scene within.
"The dancing of the high heeled
shoes and the silvery laughter rose
higher than the wall Of the wind, and
the tinkling wine cups drowned all
sound of rain.
Suddenly their was Iull we stop.
ped in our dances; chill blast seemed
to have entered the room we turned
and saw silent, dark figure standing
in the doorway.
He was tall and handsome, but his
large black cloak, carefully slung over
his shoulder, was dripping with the
rain and making large pools on the
floor. His legs, booted and spurred
D were mud mp to the hips.
"Just at that moment the clock
t struck u, and the year 1916 had bro
d ken. Som" Of tn more rxcitablA girl
I screamed and ran behind their part
= ners,
4 "Was it an apparition Was it al
d i'll omen for the coming year
! 81 seem to frighten yon, good people
? Does nobody know me ?"
a "Ki,ty at that moment was briugin!
" in a jug of iced clarrt at another drol
a "She heard the voice and turne,
y round trembling, with a Wild cry, Kin
loch, Kinl1ch, knew you wonld com
back ! Aud amid a crash of breakin
u glass-for she 1T the vess ! slip fro'
= her hands---she bounded to hrs SIDE an
4 then disappeared in the folds Of tn
IL great cloak.
How splendid, Aunt Bell y said ht
to niece, drawiog deep breath "but
~ she married him then, do not see VIII
she should not heve done 80 before"
10 "Ah, but she was a wise girl, lit
us one she knew it would test his col
or staucy and prove if he really loved he
OF A young mans love at 81 Gas she kne
very welD would not be his choice {
at 8l.S
on "What become of them, aunt?"
ne "Ob, they married and travel'
ca about good deal, and finally bo
at died out in India within few mont
of each other. There was one son, al
u | believe he is in the army also. Com
IN Kitty, shall go to bed, and not wa
'ur up any longer tor your father"
I'D "There is new Lieutenant comiI
IT. in Mr.. Perry's place." said her niece
she bade her goodnight.
'in "Tne young men are not what tn
ar used to be- sighed the old lady. "Sor
yer little whipper-snapper, I'll be bour
S. with feet that would go in your slippe
Good night, childie.
Kitty went slowly downstairs a
ng pondered over in her mind the story
the beautiful Kate DAILY and the fai
on full Kinloch. She went to the wind'
and undid the shutter. She pictur
,lrl to herself the young man coming to I
we window aud scratching his name on t
lad glass, and then taking the girls ha
ess into his own, slowly guiding it just
low.
n.y. She leant in the deep shadow of (
er' windowseat and strove to realize ea
30 scene in the little drama. There, un,
Ve' that very door, stood the black.rot
my figure they had all shrunk away fir
olo in the midst of their mirth. Whs
'ty, Was she dreaming What stood tn
'hu at that very moment
A figure darker than the gloom
en- the room. The rain poured in fo
en- outside, and the wind whisteled ,
axe moaned round the corners of the hol
The figure came a little further i
am the room. She saw, by the misty lig
cal, he was tall man with dark cl
la,l over his shoulders, booted and spur
ook with mud up to his hips.
ne She felt as if the whole scene wa
ing be played again before her very ey
her but she looked in vain for the pr,
lett girls and ladies in their puffed slee
and short waists, their flowing C
'ge, and high-heeled shoes, Kitty-wl
cen was she
ail And here she blushed to hersel
the the dan ikness.
ing There was a Kitty but not the
and The man came up to the wind
'wn evidently thinking no one was in
room.
ears The girl shrank back as the
uph cloak hruahpl auainat har ,,haak