The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-07-18
"The second, then 7"

81 really can't; Count de Morgan
ville's name is down for the second,
| fifth and seventh, and the intervening
ones are all taken up. i am afraid my
tables are pretty well filled, Mr. Lysle,
but l will spare you waltz some.
where near the last" ..... l
That was all with smiling nod OF
dismissal she turned to greet new ar.
rival who had been impatiently await.
ing an opportunity to address her.
Ernest could scarcely credit the evi
dence of his senses. For moment he
stard at his betrothed in i'll bred
amazement, then, recollecting himself,
he turned silently away. Kitty was
unmistakably the belle of the ball, and
the evening was very far advanced be
fore he again found an opportunity to
address her. Discovering her alone
for moment at last, he made his way
rapidly to her side. She was looking
flushed and tired, but she greeted him
with a slight smile and made room for
him beside her.
"Not here, Kitty he said, bending
lovingly over ber. "Do not forget
that have not as yet had as much as
one word with you alone. Are you
too tired for promenade ."
81 am quite tired, Mr. Lysle," Kitty
answered, entirely ignoring his first
question. "Please be seated and tell
me how you enjoyed your trip to Eng
land y
"Enjoyed it" Lysle echoed indig.
nantly. "How can you ask, Kitty
when you know that every moment
that l was detained from your side
seemed to be an eternity p Darling,
how can you treat me so cooly?"
"Cooly, Mr.. Lyslei' with a slight
elevation of the perfect eyebrows, and
a light of quiet surprise in her bonny
blue eyes which were gazing straight
into his own. ........r. ....E
"Mr. Lysle,' Kitty, what has come
over you! You appear to have quite
forgotten that my name is Ernest"
"Would it be quite proper to address
you i'll that manuer-quite consistent
with the rules of etiquette 7"
Etiquette be hanged" au.
"Sir!' ....... ...
81 beg your pardon, Kitty, quite
forgot myself" ...'
$50 it appears" .. ...l
"Kitty, you are cruel is that the
sort of reception l had right to ex'
pect ?" ..
The look of pain and reproach in
her lovers tender brown eyes came
dangerously near sweeping away the
last remnant of Kitty's reserve, but by
supreme effort she managed to meet
his glances calmly. Fortunately for
her, burst of waltz music trembled
through the rooms at that instant, and
Ernests next question prevented re-
ply to the former one. /,
"Kitty,' he whispered, softly, ''are
you sufficiently rested to give me this
waltz 1t is the last one on the or
DER
Kitty arose without word, and a
moment later was being whirled away,
clasped close to her lovers breast.
Down the long room they floated, and
every eye in the vast assembly was
turned admiringly upon them. Ernest
was conscious of half-insane wish
that the waltz might last forever, fol
Kittys eyes were gazing up into his
own with the old familiar love light in
their clear depths, and the old winning
smile played about her coral lips, But
with the waltz all this ended, and dur
ing the remainder of the evening she
was the perfect, languid society belle
once more. Her conduct toward
Ernest remained unchanged during tht
whole of the gay season which follow
ed, Notwithstanding his earnest efforts
to draw her into some of the old, half
saucy, impulsive ways. He could no
openly complain, for her demeanor tt
him was polite and gracious always
but no manGuvring on his part coult
disturb her graceful ease and languit
repose of manner Then, too, ther
was about her a certain undefnabl
dignity which eventually checked
every approach toward love-like demon
strations. If he had longed for a wo
manliness and dignity on the part 0
his affianoed, he had it now with ven
geance. He was sincerely glad whel
her visit was ended and he was per
mitted to accompany her back to Eltol
Farm. Almost unconsciously he ha,
cherished vague hope that, once re
moved from New York society, Kilt
would fall into her former impulsiv
ways, but two or three visits to the farr
convinced him that he had been fostel
} ing a vain hope.
1t was balmy, moonlight evenin,
in the month of May. Ernest had ru
down to Elton Farm for the day, an
as he stood in the old-fashioned porct
preparatory to taking his departure,
sudden resolution came over him {
learn whether his half-formed suspicio
that Kitty's love for him had change
was correct. .... .....
"Kittv," he began very humbly, fo
the proud and only son of the wealth
old banker, shave you forgotten ths
the day appointed for our wedding
but two months distant 7"
. forgotten it Dear me, Mr.. Lysl,
! what an absurd question ! When di
r you ever know a lady of II to forg,
} the date of that all.important event 7
"Kitty y Lysle exclaimed, passion
ately, clasping both her hands, almo
. roughly, in his own, and gazing ster
= ly down into her eyes, "you shall N
, treat the subject so lightly. Tell n
: once for all, have you ceased to 10,
4 me y ......
D "Assuredly not , whatever p
such Ridiculous idea into yo'
:. head =
"Your conduct toward me duril
: the past six months, Really your ma
y ner is so dignifed and cold that | fiji
I il very difficult to recognize in its pc
d SCISSOR my sweet little darling of scare
+ ly year ago"
J. "And yet, if ! mistake not, you ha
: repeatedly Informed me that digni
e was quality quite essential to the
e ture, Mr.. Lysle, Really, sir, you 8
It pear very hard to please
> "Forgive me, Kitty, ! think you a
It fully avenged for my idiotic behavi