Little Falls transcript., 1886-11-26

laid down his paper and listened. r.
DO you know, Ruth, that your
cousin has a wonderful yoice?" be ask
ed presently. s"'There's not a finer
contralto in the city; 1T is g. fortune
| IN itself and must be cultivated" and
good Mr.. Hearne, whose life was SO
completely filled with the thought for
others that he forgot to think for him
SELL gave himself up to plans and
dreams for developing his young
friends marvellous gift, while Kitty,
all unconscious, Sang ON in the twi-
light.
Practical Cousin Ruth came to the
rescue. She wrote to Aunt sabrina
and Mr.. Payne letters which inspired
them with her own enthusiasm.
"kitty had been a good, kind girl"
her father said. "She had faithfully
filled her dead mothers place for
many years. It was only right and
proper that she should have chance
for herself; and now that the mort
gage was lifted from the farm, debts
paid, barns and granaries filled with
a plentiful crop, he could easily and
gladly give her the help she needed"
Aunt Sabrina was delighted to take
| the rule of the household into her own
hands, and the boys were willing to
| make any sacrifice for the sister who
had been so gentle, patient, and self
sacrificing with them through weari-
some years, and so it was settled.
Kitty worked hard and faithfully.
| She aimed to be an artist~-not an
artisan. Observant, docile, patient;
! dlligent in season and out OF season,
no failure daunted her, no success
dazzled her. If her heart was aching
with bitter pain the secret was her
own; If sometimes the memory OF her
lovers stinging mocking, sarcastic
words became intolerable she flung
herself into her work with passion
ate abandon which aroused at once
the admiration and sympathy of her
teachers. Little May and Cyril, the
babies of the Hearne homestead, be-
came her companions and comforters.
| There was truer, holier affection than
! the love of man, she argued with self,
and the children's confidence and love
soothed and inspired her.
| Four years Went by; years OF severe
labor and ceaseless study. Kitty was
now successful teacher. singer al
! ways in demand in concert rooms and
parlors, and the leading contralto IN
one OF the principal churches. Lovers
sought her vain]y; her llte was given
to her art she said. In her secret soul
she knew that her love was given be-
yond recall. Ross might prove faith
! less, wound her with cruel words, or
the keener pain of utter forgetfulness,
but she could not change.
There had been many brief visits to
the old home, the sunniest spot in
! these busy years, and now as the
Thanksgiving time drew near, she was
| promising herself a generous vacation
a fortnight OF rest and peace beneath
I her fathers roof A letter from Aunt
Sabrina, which came the week before
her departure, added fervor to her re-
solve.
"Dear Niece Kitty" it ran, II s'pose 1
! don't write very promptly, as you say,
| but what with the baking and churning
and looking after Frederiky-t that Danish
lady, as she calls herself will be the death
| Of me yet with her airs and her notions,
| putting onion in tho pudding md cinnamon
ia the potatoes when my back is turned.
She's got to so and, Oh, Lord! she's
| the seventh since Christmas. AS ] was
! saying, I have SO much to see to don
| find time to write. I'm glad you re coming
| home to Thanksgivin Your father kind
| OF poorly, and somehow nothing suits him
He wanders around the house picking up
| your books and notions from che tables
| and holding them as il they were u part OF
! you, and he sits looking at your picture for
| hours and never speaking a word. Music is
| all well enough in its place, but think your
duty is at home, Kitty Payne. l never did
think mich OF a girls ,neandering of
through the world in strange ways. The
place by the kitchen fire is the woman's
place, and she doesn't find anything better
with all her seeking after grand things.
"Yoa'd never know the white calf. It's
grown tremendously and Daisy's colt is ~
wonder to the whole neighborhood. I've
| dried piles OF crabapples and pumpkins,
and we've got the fattest gobb|er for
Thanksgiving you ever saw. / DO hope
you'll be home in time to make the dough-
nuts and pumpkin pies. / won't turn my
hand over to anybody making pies, but
your fathers got so notional. Nothing
tastes as it used to when Kitty did the
cooking. For my part I'd be glad enough
to let you do the whole OF it If you'd only
come. Your affectionate aunt,
"SABRIEA PAYNE"
"Tbe sweet, safe corner Of the house
hold FIRE behind the heads ofchildren,"
quoted Kitty, with moist lashes. II
don't suppose Aunt Sabrina dreams
that she is almost poet, but I will
get home" Then she turned the sheet
and read this postscript
II almost forgot to tell you that
Lou Chamberlain is back here visiting.
They say the Chamberlains have
done remarkably weA since they
| moved to Dakota. Ross is practicing
law in Yankton, and is looked upon
as one OF the rising men of the terri
tory! That Sullivan girl was married
last month to a Denver banker, so it
seems Ross didn't want her. after all.
Maybe was little hard on him Kit
ty,, but I meant 1t all for your good.
Lou says he's grown to be the quiet
est, solemnest fellow you ever saw,
and that he's far enough now from
thinking that Ross Chamberlain made
the world, whatever his opinion was
four years ago" ...,
"Don't forget the gray flannel for
your fathers shirts, and if you can
find q box of Sykes Resistless Lini-
ment I wish you'd bring it. They say
it's extra for rheumatism.
Four days later in the great farm
house kitchen Kitty stood at the long
table making pies. Aunt Sabrina,
stalked majestically back and forth,
arranging and rearranging the piles Of
cups and plates in the old martial
way. Life was battle for Aunt Sa-
brina, but she welded her weapons
with a brave, undaunted heart, and