Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1884-06-04

pointing significantly to the singed in
sect, don't be rs foolish as that silly
thing. Its eyes were dazzled, and 1t had
no strength to resist the fatal fasclna-
ton.
q Father, said the girl, STOPPING down.
and kissing his gray locks, you may
trust me.
Here Aunt Bell stopped.
!" Is it interesting. Shall 60 onG"
.sOh, do! Did he come backQ" said
her niece.
well, the years passed on, and the girl
was ioked and leased, and had many
offers of marriage; but she was firm
and would listen to none.
cat last the young fellows grew weary
of their fruitless attempts at love-mak-
ing and the greater part left her alone.
"a few, more unkind, would ask when
she expected her young gentleman home,
and tainted her in cutting speeches and
insinuations.
mine years went by, and then there
came the battle of Waterloo, when Off
GERS and men went down in hundreds
together.
''Still no word from Kinloch, and
Kitty,s heart, which had never failed in
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
ball and every girl and young man for
miles around was invited.
''Girls were in great demand, and |
went down to my aunt's house especial
ly for that night.
81 was anxious to see Kitty myself,
and to find out how the years had passed
over her head.
"You think, perhaps, twenty-six was
rather old to be called a girl-do you,
Kitty2"
"Well, felt almost the same as 7 did
when was sixteen, and quite as ready to
enjoy dance or Irritation, | can assure
you.
"Kate Daly-that was her name-went
to help the ladies' unshawl themselves,
and to be ready with needle and thread
when an unhappy damsel with torn skirt
or founce should require her assistance.
''She was then twenty-eight, and the
young gir'ish beauty had developed into
the most lovely of women. Only when
her face was at rest, and you caught the
suspicion of an anxious heart upon it,
would you have guessed her age.
''She wore pale tea-rose tinted gown,
with ruffles of lace of her own making
at the neck and sleeves.
1T was a wild and stormy night with
out, just such one as this, but it only
served to enhance the brightness and ami
nation of the scene within.
Suddenly there was lull we stopped
in our dances; a 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, were mud up
to the hips.
''Just at that moment the clock struck
10, and the year 1916 had broken Some
of the more excltable girls screamed and
rap behind their partners.
'Was it an apparition? Was it an i'll
omen for the coming year2
q" 4 seem to brighten you, good people.
Does nobody know mep
''Kitty at that moment was bringing in
jug of iced claret at another door
''She heard the voice and tV+,c =! -Jund,
trembling, with q wild cry: ''Kinloch
Kinlocksl knew you would come back
And amid crash of breaking glass-for
she let the vessel slip from her hands
she bounded to his side and then dis
appeared in the folds of the great cloak "
How splendid, Aunt Bell" said her
niece, drawing a deep breath; ''but if
she married him then, / do not see why
she should not hav@done so BEFORE"
''Ah, but she was a wise girl, little
one; she knew it would test his con-
stancy and prove if he really loved her.
A young mans love at twenty-one Gas she
knew very welD would not be his choice
at thirty one"
''What became of them, aunt?"
"Oh, they married and travelled about
a good deal, and finally both died out
in India within a few months of each
other. There was one son. and believe
he is in the army also. Come, Kitty,
shall go to bed, and not wait up any
longer for your father"
F'There is a new lieutenant coming in
Mr.. .Perry's place." said her niece, as she
babe her good night.
''The young men are not what they
used to be, F" sighed the old lady. "Some
little whippersnapper, I'll be bound, with
feet that would go into your slippers
Goodnight, child"
Kitty went slowly down stairs and pom
dered over in her mind the story of the
81 i ~ II r