The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1888-08-09
TITZHERBERT.

Smith, without change or auultlon
of vowel-and l was in no way dis
contented with it till l fell in love
with Katie Rogers. Katie had never
sneered at it, but her elder sister,
Miranda, had more than once limited
that it was neither romantic nor un-
common; and her father, in his some
what lengthy discourses about the
British aristocracy, had an aggra-
voting way of looking apologetically
at me every time he spoke of"a good
name."
In our commercial community
Smith was counted a better name
than Rogers, and young Smith, the
rising cotton-broker, more distin-
guished member of society than old
Rogers, ex-captain Outrageous, who
could scarcely pay his thirty-pound
rent, and never wore a decent hat.
Iquite agreed with my neighbors
on these points till fell in love with
Katie. and grew familiar with Mir
anda's sentiments about "the ignor-
ance of Philistine Riverbank
Captain Rogers was descended from
Fitzroger who came over with Con-
queror, and, as listened reverently
to the history of the family progress
| through eight centuries, there was Il
total collapse OF my once foolish
pridein belonging to what Il local pa
| per called zone of the Oldest families
in Riverbank." For Riverbank was
scarcely as old as my father, having
grown into town with Il speed rare
ly equalled on this side of the Allan
| tic.
In a general way 1 did not under
value myself, but it was with a deep
sense of humility that implored the
descendant of Fitzroger to become
tather-in-law. We were alone to-
gether in the dining-room of the
thirty-pound house, he sitting in q
| shabby armchair. l standing on n still
shabbier hearthrug. He looked up
at the "Battle Roll of Hastings" ?"
which hung over the mantlepiece,
and down at the fire kept by
economical Miranda. Then, hav-
| ing apparently weighed the past
glories of Fitzroger against the pres
ent price of Goals, he accepted my
proposal with the magnificent conde-
scension of a king consenting, for cer-
tain State reasons, to bestow the
hand of royal princess on an aspir-
ing subject.
So Katie and were engaged, and,
for time, was supremely happy. |
was not quite vain enough to share
my darling's opinion that l, John
Smith, was better worth worshiping
than all Carlyle's "Heroes" put to-
gether; but | was rather easily con-
vinced that was far too fine fellow
to fear any rival. So, when Katie
went on visit to London, there was
no bitterness in my regret, for I be-
| lieved in her-and myself
At first [ was not disturbed by
Miranda's boasts about the advant-
ages her sister was enjoying in "the
best society,"" but when the Lon
don visit extended for weeks
and months beyond it's orig
inal limit, 1 began to feel
vaguely uneasy. In those days
Katie's letters, though loving, were
not long, and she more than once
apologized tor their brevity of plead
ing "a particular engagement" the
nature of which she never explained.
My confidence sank, my jealousy rose.
At last she came home, and then
noticed a changein in her that seriously
alarmed me. She was pale and
quieter, and at times there was a
wistful look in her eyes, suggestive
something on her mind. 1t could not
be anxiety about her fathers pc
cuniary affairs, because about that
time he appeared in new hat, and
Miranda kept better fires. These out
ward and visible signs of prosperity
would have given me sincere pleasure
if it had not been for the suspicion
that old Rogers was more than ever
disposed to take the Norman Con-
quest tone with me, and for the GER
tainty that Miranda sneers at''peo-
pie who could not count their grand
fathers were all for my benefit.
What did that sort of thing mean?
Had Katie been tempted away from
me by lover with a long pedigree?
Would Rogers tell me some day, like
the father of old-fashioned romance,
that he had "other views" for his
daughter?
One evening 1 called much later
than usual, having been detained by
an important business matter in the
neighboring city of Shipley. The out
er door of the house was open, and /,
in my usual way, turned the handle
of the vestibule door and walked into
the drawing-room, which appeared to
be empty. l was just going to ring
the bell for the servant, when heard
q pleading little voice behind me:
''Oh, say, Jack, don't do that!"
1t was the voice of Bob, the young
est of Katie's many young brothers,
and, turning sharply round, I saw
his scared little face peeping between
the curtains drawn across the bow
window.
"Come here, dear old jack" he en-
treated: "and stay with me till she
goes past.
''What she?" / asked, as l stepped
behind the curtains to find BOb's
hitherto invisible form clad in q
nightgown.
Miranda" he added in q tragic
whisper.
| Bob had blue eyes and golden hair,
and in his white array he looked like
an angel in a picture. But l rightly
guessed that he had descended from
the upper regions that night on no
angelic mission.
81 thought she was safe up in the
L.. L. L. 4.