Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-12-18
STRONGLY TEMPTED.
Tho Generous Conduct of a Good
and Brave Girl.

s+Iha, is all that you wished to say to
me, aunt?'
~SIlaa& is al. that / wished to say to
you," the elder lady repeated, with
Sigh, sarcasm, and Edwina felt herself
herewith dismissed. She went out of
alc room and down the long staircase,
feeling strangely weak and helpless.
Same one came dancing in off the
piazza, for this was their summer home
al Broomtieid. Edwina knew it must be
Kitty; but Edwina could hardly see.
Her eyes were stiil blinded by the weak
ness that had settled upon her while her
aunt was speaking. She did not call to
her cousin, as she might have done an
hour before; she did not look at her.
She did not wish to see any one justnow
Kitty least of az. But Kitty, hating,
salutcd her with a blithe s'Neddie, my
love. stop a bit; want to tell you some
thing funny"
There was little similarity in their APP
pearance. They were both fair; but
Edwina was out-and-out a Clay, tall,
slender, pale and reserved, while Miss
Carmichael had few, if any, of the
characteristics of her mothers family.
Plump and sandy was Kitty. a trile
freckled, with bewitching dimples, a
saucy mouth and divine Irish-gray eyes.
By nature she was as rollicking and i'm
Rctuous as her late father, Colonel Car
michael, whom her grandfather Clay
had never forgiven for running away
with his youngest daughter. Kitty's
p%aternai inheritance of good looks and
good nature had been greatly to her ad-
vantage IN a worldly sense. She had
this, and this only, to blame for the
i'll which her grandfather had
treated her in his will. The old gentle
nan had died something over a year
previous, leaving the bulk OF his large
fortune to Edwina, !'only child of his
Nate son Edwin while TO Kitty he had
aeft only a miserable little stipend, barely
enough to support her. Grandfather
Clay had never been reconciled to Char
Hottie, his youngest daughter.
KiMy had borne her ill-luck with
philosophers good humof, and con-
Mnucd to reside, as previously. with her
maiden aunt and cousin, for both girls
were orphaned these many years. Ed
~ LII "GNS GCIlSlOuS in uASu tuUuS Ill liz
will unjust.
Never mind, Kitty" She had said,
@'you shall have a dowry when you
marry; meanwhile l want to arrange
you a little extra pin-money.'
"Dowry is all right said Kitty, .'but
never mind the p~in-money.' And it
was with difficulty that Miss Clay could
prevail on the proud little Feature to
accept what was by rights only her own.
But Miss Carmichael's thoughts were
far enough from the subject of unjust
wills as she hailed her cousin there on
Che staircase.
Edwina descended the remaining
steps, looking pale1 than usual.
What is it?' she asked, slowly.
But kitty's sharp eyes noted
thing amiss.
''Neddie," She cried, what is up?"
.'Nothing.N said Edwina, family. Il
Il don't feel quite well. Aunt Jose
phine has been talking TO me; ! think
l viii lie down awhile
III m! if aunt has been talking to
you should suppose you'd need to lie
down and rest, " SAID Miss Carmichael,
-drilY. I'm see you &eain by and by,
Ned And she turned like a young
squirrel and Wiisked herself out again
into the open ar.
Edwina entered the a~rawing-room
and threw herself upon the sofa. 1t
was dark and quiet, and 10 one would
interrupt her there. She would have Il
chance to think over what her aunt had
been saying. Suppose ii were authen-
tic, the viii that her aunthad discovered
that very morning in lis strange hiding
place, the Old clock? And her aunt
seemed to think it authentic. II
thought il best 10 tel yon at once Ed
wina,' she had SAID. Il will no show
you the will; l have reasons But it is
certainly Your granGiather's haudwrit-
ing, witnessed by the Batcses, father
and son. who called here a week before
father died. and sailed a day Of two
later for Europe. They have been
abroad ever since. you remember.
There is another thing: Your grand
father, iUst before he dieG, spoke kitty's
name and thea the dock! w thought
only the clock should be hers. lean not
tell why / SHOULD have been impeilcd
to open that clock this morning.
Edwina, if this should be-if ,his calam-
its should fan upon you, and | cannot
help regarding ii as mcalaNnity, | do not
consider myself wanting il affection
for M sisters daughter, as we'll as my
brothers., but Kitty is so different,
so little & Clay-if this calamity
should fail You shah share all that [