Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-09-16

perhaps, twenfy-six was rather old to
be called giri-do you, Kitty. Well.
L felt almost as young as when was
SIXTEEN -.
Kate DalyAthat was hen name:
went to help the ladies unshaHa them
selves. and to be ready With needle:
and thread when the unftapPY damsM
with torn skirt or flounee should re
guire her assistance. :ShesMas, then.
twenty-eight. and the yonng, girltsh;
beauty had developed into tie most.
lovely of women. Only when her fdce
was at rest, and you saw the suspicion
of an anxious heart upon it; would you
have guessed her age. She wore. a
pale, tea-rose-tinted gown. with ruffies
of lace of her own making at the neck,
and sleeves. salf's.se5; iii'
lit was a wild and stormy night
without, just such one as.this, but it
only served to- enhance the brightness
and animation of the scene within. The
dancing of the high.heeled shoes and
the silvery laughter. rose higher than
the roar of the wind. and the tinkling
wine-cups drowned all sound of rain.
Suddenly there was a lull; we stopped
dancing; a chill blasttsweptt rodnd us;
We turned and saw a silentfig,re stand
ing in the doorway.
s'He was tall and handsome, but his
large. black cloak. carelessly thrown
over his shoulder, was dripping with
the rain and making large puddles' on
the floor. His legs, booted and spurred,
were mud up to the hips.
''Just at that moment the. clock
struck twelve. and the year 1916 had
broken. Some of the nervous girls
screamed and ran behind their part
,ners. Was it an apparition?. Was it an
i'll omen for the coming year?
''-I seem to brighten you, friends.
Does nobody know me?' 4
kitty at that moment was bringing
in jug of iced claret at. another door.
She heard the voice and turned round
trembling, with a. wild cry: ~
'.''Kinloch, Kinloch, l knew you
would come baek!' And amidst a
crash of breaking glass-for she let the
vessel slip from her hands-she sprang
to his side, and disappeared in the
folds of his great cloak" .,-...i
elbow splendid. Aunt Bell!'' said her
niece, drawing deep breath; ''but if
she married him then don't see why
she should not have done so before"
''Ah, but she was wise girl; she
knew it would test his constancy, and
prove if he really loved her. "A young
mans love at twenty-one-as she
knew so well-would not be his choices
at thirty-one. .s-s
''What become of them, aunt?"
''Oh, they married and travelled
about a great deal, and finally both
died out in India within a few months
of each other. There was one son, and
l believe he is in the army, Also. Come,
Kitty, l shall go to bed, and not wait
any longer for your father
'There is new Lieutenant coming in
Mr.. Perry's place" said her niece, as
she babe her goodnight. 8
,. ''The young men are not what they
used to. be-: sighed, the old lady.
''Some little whipper-snapper, I'll be
bound, with feet that would fit in your
slippers. Goodnight, childie!''
Kitty went downstairs and pom
dered over the story of the beautiful
Kate DAILY and faithful Kinloch. She
went to the window and undid the
shutter. She pictured to herself the |
young man as he came to the window |
and scratched his name on the glass.
and then, taking the girls hand in his, !
slowly guiding it just below. She
leaned in the shadow of the window
seat and tried to realize each scene in |
the little drama There, under that |
very door, stood the tall, black-robed
figure they had all shrunk away from |
in the midst of their mirth.
What! was she dreaming? What |
stood there at that moment? A figure
darker than the gloom of the room.
The rain poured in rivers outside, the |
wind whistled round the house. The
figure came farther into the room. She |
saw by the misty light that he was a
tall man with dark cloak over his |
shoulders, booted and spurred, with |
mud up to his hips. She felt as if the
whole scene was to be played over
again, but she looked in vain for the
pretty girls with their pulled sleeves
and short waists. their flowing curls
and high-heeied shoes. Kitty, where
was she? And here she blushed to her
self in the darkness. There was Kit
ty. but not that one
The man came up to the window,
evidently thinking no one was in the
room; the girl shrank back as the wet
cloak brushed against her cheek.
''Kinloch!'' she said, half doubling
whether the figure would answer, for
she could hardly tell yet whether she
was dreaming or no. s:t.
'.Who spoke my name?" he called
put, glancing round.
II did," said Kitty, feeling very
abashed, almost at his elbow.
He glanced down. drawing away his
vet cloak.
daI am sure 1 beg your pardon;
thought the room was empty. l must
nave come into the wrong quarters.
Arriving so late l must have mistaken
he block. hope you will forgive
such an intrusion
Kitty's castles in the. air all fell to
he ground with crash. How COM
He was only the new Lieu
enant after all; but he did not appear
he whipper-snapper her aunt had