St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1885-11-26
KITTY's THANKSGIVING.

pantry shell.
A low, sarcastic laugh came from the
depths of the great armchair, where
Ross Chamberlain was loungiug with a
newspaper in his hand.
won't YOU send me copy of your
new arithmetic when you publish it,
Kitty o. he asked in a bantering tone.
THAT will do To go with the spectre
SCOPE views YOU told about last even
ing"
''Well. wasn't the one who spoke
of Or. Holmes rs the author of the
'Biglow Papers anyway" retorted
Kitty, tainted beyond endurance.
"Ross Chamberlain, | for one shall be
heartily glad when your vacation is
over"
Ross threw down his paper, straight
ened himself mp and bent a pair of
keen, black eyes searchingly upon her.
''IOu don't mean that, Kitty y
But | do" answered the girl pas
sionately. ~ have never known so
unhappy "A time as these last six weeks.
II my ignorance is so annoying To you,
why do YOU seek my society? You can
find plenty of girls who have had bet
ter advantages. Am | to blame that
my life must be spent in the kitchen
instead of the school-rOom where !
would like 20 Toe ? am doing my duty;
please father and the boys and that
is sufficient. You presume too much
on our friendship, Mr.. Chamberlain,
when You take it upon yourself To tutor
and criticise me in that cOntemptuOus
fashion. YOu are at liberty to go
where Your fine sensibilities will not
receive such Shocks and Kitty took
up her egg heater and attacked the in
nOcent yolks with an energy that threat
cned To demOlish them.
you'll he sorry for this before the
week is out. Kitty Payne, and when
You want me back just remember that
YOU sent me away" The young man
rose to his feet, put on his hat and
overcoat and stalked down the path,
the persAnificatiOn of offended dignity.
Kitty's lips quivered rs sue saw the
tall form moving steadily along be-
tween the rows of leafless lilacs with
ont one repentant backward glance.
Already her heart was longing for re-
Cancellation, but pride forbade her to
recall him.
''He will come Tomorrow" she said
with sigh. 'He will not fail to eat
his Thanksgiving dinner with us; il
wouldn't he Thanksgiving without
Ross" She wiped away her tears and
turned again hopefully to her work.
1t had been a wearisOme, trying day
outside gray mass of clouds hung
gloOmily over the bluffs. and the keen
winds sweeping across the prairie
now and then whitened the hOllOws
with sudden tiurIies of snow. There
had been an extra amount of work to
do in preparation for Thanksgiving,
which was always celebrated by the
Payne family in royal style, an innum-
cradle army of uncleS, auntS and cou-
sins responding gladly to the annual
summons to the capaciOus homestead.
Kitty had risen unTefreshed from dis
turbcd and troubled sleep, and was
poorly prepared to encounter the toll
and vexation which lay before her. 1t
began directly after breakfast while
she was rolling out the haky crust for
her pumpkin pies. Aunt Sabrina, who
had lately become member OF the
family, was washing dishes at the sink
opposite; giving voice now and then to
an ejaculation which Kitty had learn
ed to interpret as the sigma! of com
ing storm.
whats that Chamberlain fellow
hanging round here for all the time y
SIZE demanded sharply, setting down
the milk-pails with a sarage crash.
"f4,ope god haven't got the idee into
youc head that he meane to marry YOU
kitt5 ~
The girls face tdrned from crimson
to deadly p-ilor. Was it not enough
to battle constantly with her own
doubts aIk misgivings without having
to endure her aunt's cruel thrusts !
She made no reply, but bent her head
little closer over her work, rs with
quick. dcit fingers she filed the tins
for the oven.
Aunt Sabrlna's keen eyes were fixed
piti,"SslS upon her, and she saw that
the shot had told.
Now. it's easy enough to see" she
went on. tloGrishlHg her dish cloth by
,zway of emphasis, chat he feels BIN
~ heap above You. He's always
tWitting you with your cOuntrified
ways and with his being educated,
which the land knows you amt. | at
tended select school myself when |
was girl, and | can tell scholar rs
we'll as the next one. But that don't
make it that You amt too good for him
the best day he ever saw, and here he
is morning, noon and night, all over
the house from garnet to cellar, help
ing himself to fried cakes and cookies
in the pantry, like one of the family,
and sitting right down here in the
kitchen To bother, no matter how busy
we are. And the neighbOrs tell me it's
been going OH for the last five years
How do you suppose it's going to- end
IOu can't look me in the face, Kitty
Payne. and say he's ever asked you to
have him.
No, Kitty could not; and the faint,
sick feeling her aunt's words prOduc-
ed paled her lips and drew dark circles
around her eyes. Fortunately the en-
trance of the young gentleman in ques-
ton spared her the humiliation of re-
plying. but she knew the evil day was
only postponed. Aunt Sabrina was
not to Ice baffied when once started on
a scent.
For the first time in her life her
heart was throbbing with Indignation
against Ross, while he, lazily lying
back in the easy-chair, was idly won
dering why it was that of late he could
never have Kitty "A moment to himself.
He was very certain that he should not
be satisfied with a wife whose highest
an4bition was to excel i'm household du-
ties even though she were sweet and
lovable rs KITTY Payne. He hoped if
he ever made up his mind to marry
Sher. which indeed. was extremely un-
certain. he could teach her to dress a
little more like other people. She was
always neatly and tastefully attired,
but his critical eye detected the alb
Sence of certain effects which denoted
that the fashion magazines were infre-
quent visitants at the Payne home
stead. An elegant, stylish wife would