Milford chronicle., 1885-05-01
A Heart Sketch.


She came to our far-away, quiet,
mountain-fanked village, in early sum
mer, and stopping first at the hotel, she
registered her name as Kate Burbank OF
New York. She might have been two
and-twenty-not older than that-and
was very pretty. No-pretty is not the
word She was beautiful, with that
style of beauty which belongs to true,
living Womanhood. Examine her closely,
and you could discover nothing grand
or regal about her. She was easy,
affable, and very pleasant, with dimples
in her cheeks and chin, about which
bright smiles lurked most alluringly;
and, furthermore, she was not regal at
all in stature, being rather below the
medium hight of woman. And yet when
she walked away alone, in the fresh,
braoing air, you would declare there was
something regal about her after all.
But she did not remain long at the
hotel. She brought letters of recon-
mendation to the rector of our parish,
and was soon admitted a member OF his
family. To him she told the story OF
her life. She was an orphan, without
brother or sister. She possessed prop
erty enough to support her, in an humble
way, until she could turn her hand to
some profitable and pleasant employ
ment She had friends ready and will
ing to help her, but she preferred to be
independent.
At the end Of a fortnight, Mr.. Edgar
ton, the rector, had made up his mind
what profession Miss Burbank should
! E-1 81 1,n
music. Her skill at the piano was
marvel, and her voice was sweetest
melody. During those two weeks she
had become a source of sunshine IN the
household, and all had come to love her.
She romped and played with the chill
dren, tearing over hill and dale with
bounding glee; she sang and played not
only for the family, but for favored
visitors when they asked it; and when
opportunity offered, she could sit IN the
rectors study, and converse with an
understanding and erudition that sur
prised him.
Toward the end of July the rector'f
nephew, Arthur Grafton, came on visit.
| He had graduated at college, adstudled
law and had been admitted to the bar
| and, now, before commencing practice
! he had come to the mountain village for
recreation. He was four-and-twenty
years of age, tall, strong and robust
the very picture OF manly health ano
! beauty. And his beauty was OF the
vigorous kind with heart and soul in it.
His brown curls shook over his high
fair forehead when he laughed, anC
his laugh was contagious. At all events
Kate Burbank found it so, and new
| endowment was added to her life.
And how about Arthur Graftons lie
Did he find a new enjoyment in this un
expected inmate of the rectory? Some
how Kate gradually ceased rompine
with the children, and walked Witi
Arthur instead. He had been leading
oarsman at college. and now he cleaned
up and cushioned an old boat belonging
to a neighbor, and rowed Kate over TN
silvery bosom of our Lake ofthe CLOUDS
And then the evenings. What melod.
fioated out upon the listening ears tina
gathered around. Arthur was superl
singer. with a cultivated baritone voice
and Kate made such music as had neVe
been heard in our village before.
OF course all this could tend but on
way, and the good rector saw at yer
early period whittier that way woul
lead. He had strong love for his dea
sisters child, and was anxious that hi
opening manhood should not be cloudec
To this end he wrote to a friend in Me-
York in whom he had entire confidence
and from whom one of the young lazy
letters of introduction had come, Stain
frankly the circumstances, and askin
for information touching Miss Burbank
: antecedents. He received an answer
by due course of mail, that the lady l
question was one whom any man, wit
courage for the real work OF life, mlet
be proud to gain for a wife.
With this Mr.. Edgarton was conten
and thenceforth he allowed matters
take their own course.
Certainly Arthur Grafton had nevt
before met woman to him like this We
man. Strong and intellectual as ne wa
there was no department of his life int
which she could not enter with heart an
soul. She Joined him in his sports, ga
and ;rolicsome; she joined him in b
sylvan rambles, dwelling fondly on Il
poetic side of nature; she joined and le
him in music; she discussed with hi
understandingly subjects and autho
which he had deemed understood on
by college graduates; and when It can
to the graver things Of life-religiol
and all the duties Of faith, hope an
charity springing therefrom--she b
came almost as one inspired hers VI