The Penn's Grove record., 1884-06-21
y TOUCH OF JEALOUSY,

"Done! hnishedl Thank fortunel'
said Kate Wise, with a great sigh OF
relief, as she threw down a velvet hun
ting jacket which she had just been
M nding for her brother-ln-law; adding,
in the next breath: "If | thought |
should ever have a husband to make
and mend for all the days of my life,
should get some kind friend to put me
in the lunatic asylum to begin with"
"'Then, If you really do intend to re-
main a maiden, Miss Wise, it is quite
time you were beginning to put your
age back" commented a mischievous-
looking young man who seemed very
much at home in the coy morning
room; s'for you know that some of your
~ill-natufed friends already believe o
to be twenty-at least"
GAS if I care who knows it'll" retort-
ed Kate, with a scornful toss of her
dark, curly head. 81 am twenty-at
least mockingly, "and l hope to be
twenty more before 1 even begin to
think of settling down. Just look at
Laurie, there-only two years my senior,
and | have actually looked upon her as
an old married woman for the past five
years."
Nevertheless, +" put in Laurie, smil-
ing .contentedly e her work, ''my
weight of years has not utterly crushed
me. At least, | believe / am not gray
headed yet"
"Oh,- no, not quite so bad as thatl'
admitted Kate, rather reluctantly.
"But you know very we'll that you
spend many an evening in the nursery
or the sewing-room, when, if you were
not married, you would be enjoying life,
dancing and flirting, like the rest of us.
Beside, you no longer have the delight
full privilege of choosing your escort
from among half-a-dozen anxious suit
ors, but have to content yourself with
the same n always, whether you like
it or not"
''Still, l am always III of some invi-
tation," retorted Laurie, with a good
natured laugh at her sister, land that
n is certain to be from my favorite."
"Oh, pshaw!" said Kate, contemptu-
ously. "You can't make me believe
that that married woman lives who
does not regret the freedom she has
thrown away!"
''Mark my words, Kate, you will live
to take back that assertion. and wonder
that you ever made It'll" exclaimed Jack
Brandon, rising from the sofa and gath
ering up his hunting-traps, as Laurie's
husband entered to don the jaunty
shooting-Jacket which his kin~d-hearted,
but hberty-loving sister-in-law had
mended SO neatly.
But Kate's only answer to Jacks
haunting remark was a decided shake of
the pretty head and a saucy, defiant
laugh, as the two gentlemen strobe down
the walk in the crisp autumn air,
whistling to their dogs as they went.
Accustomed as he was to hearing it,
Kate's latest TRADE against m%atrimony
Jared unpleasantly upon Jack Bran
don's ears. All day long, amid the most
exciting sports of the chase, her haunting
words rang through his heart and DIS
turbed the full tide of happiness which
the bracing air and his own fine animal
spirits sent through every fibre of his
young and healthy frame.
81 can't doubt that she thinks she
means it ALL" unused Jack, walking
slowly up to the bird which had just
dropped with a last luttering gasp, to
the ground. 'sPoor thingl" he said,
pityingly, as he took it up. ~ wonder
if Kate would care if she saw me lying
wounded and dead like this-killed by
her crueltyl BAIL I'm getting senti-
mental The truth is, | know she likes
me-and 1 believe she would discover
that she loves me, too, if she would
only take the trouble to look into her
own heart a little. But hat she will
never do while her life glides on so
smoothly. No wonder single blessed
ness looks delightful to her-half a
dozen devoted slaves always at her COM
mand, and myself the greatest BOBBY
of the lott Well, suppose we disturb
the evenness Of the current a little, and
see what will come of ltp
That evening the pleasant parlor of
Laurie Morton's hospitable home was
brilliant with light and music, and her
sister Kate, the willful seamstress of
the morning, was entertaining, in a