The Delta independent., 1888-12-04
The Cause of Her Death.

The first thing 1, John Stirling. ever
heard of Kate Aldrich, was the bound
less love she bore her twin brother.
As often happens in such cases.
there was rare difference in their
temperament tastes and personal ap.
pearance.
This has always been subject oi
much and varied speculation with stud
ents of biology. as it doubtless al
ways will be. for science. with more
than her usual reserve, closes her
mouth and refuses to open it on this
question, and who among her adorers
is strong enough or bold enough to
filch her secret from her!
Kate Aldrich was blonde. tall,
willowy and merry, while Fred was
short. thick-set with melancholy brown
eyes which were true index to the
hopeless vein in his otherwise sunny
nature.
They were all in all to each other.
She was Jealous of every girl he looked
at, as they grew older. and yet,
strangely enough, she was the first to
experience lasting passion after all
1t was not until she met me that she
really fell in love- nor did he until
some time later. Kate always said that
II he did succumb to the charms of
some woman. it would be a matter of
life and death to him, and suppose it
was in that way the despairing vein in
his nature was to show itself. Certainly
it must be fattering to any man to
have so pretty and bright girl as
Kate was manifest preference for
his society. l wasn't much drawn to
her at first
! am blonde myself and don't you
think we generally choose our oppo-
sitesp Not through any process of
reasoning. but nature has put the true
instinct with us, to prefer which is best
for us. in this one matter, if in no 9TH
or. and firmly believe if the men and
the women of the world chose mates
entirely without the consideration of
. wealth, position or policy. each fair
haired Adonis would claim his black.
eyed charmer and each blonde-tressed
maiden her dark-haired knight.
But man must DO stick who is
impervious to the sweet courtesy and
gentle insistence of girl like Kate
courtship we were engaged in the true
orthodox fashion, and every one knew
Of 1t in a quiet way.
All was serene until went out to
spend the Sunday at Bethesda, and my
friend Ward introduced me. on the
train. to MISS Gibbon. Her name was
Leah and she was tender mite of q
thing, with -lustrous black hair and q
pathetic look in her brown eyes which
went right to your heart if you had one.
And had one, Heaven help me,
though of course l ought not to have
had.
A woman reading this cannot under.
stand how there could be the space OF
straw width in my heart for any
woman except the one l belonged to-
but man will readily see how, with
out for . moment losing sight OF my
obligation. most intensely enjoyed
the society of this sweet little thing
believe II hadn't been engaged. I
should have proposed to her before we
ended our journey.
never saw any one who just suited
mo so completely rs she did; SO little,
20 feminine, so round and abounding
in delightful little curves. and such
hands! Why could cover the two of
tham with one of mine and lose sight
of them both. And she was SO naiue
She sat quite near me and looked up
at me with those dear eyes. In the
main I'm not poetic. but something
which some one said about the shadow
of an early death lying in the brown
eyes of some woman, came to me as
Hooked down at her. For aill of her
innocence and her almost childish ap.
oh
loved to see her speak; Watching her
lips. and knowing that what she said
would be different from what any
other woman would say on the same
subject.
You may call it magnetism or an in
dividuali;y or what you will. but there
was an element in her which made il
impossible for you to forget, having
onco seen her.
Everyone wanted to do something
unusual for her. Every man want
cd her to be remembered by some ia
vor shown her, the meeting between
them. In that respect she was certain
" the most remarkable woman ever
heard Of.
She liked me the moment she saw
me.
It was the master passion of her
life. or SO 1t proved. should have
told her at once that was engaged,
suppose but how nbsurd it seemed to
mef Don't touch,'' ..hands off.
sold" might as well have placard
cd myself like the vases in bric-a-
brac shop. You might think needn't
have sough. her the next day.
On my word of honor our meetin 6
.wns pure accident
But was exqulsitely. foolishly hap
py when l saw her at The spring at II
o'clock on her way to church.
Az it happened, was going tc
church. too. that morning. though
didn't generally go, aud Fate decreed
wc should have decided on the SAM
place Of worship. When l started fol
town Monday forenoon there she wal
going In to do some shopping.
What a nerveless girl seemed KATE
when next saw her.
Beautiful. yes. much handsomer thar
Miss Gibbon. but her eyes looked fla
and palc; she lacked brains. vivacity,
and all thing, the other was SO boun
tifully blessed with.
One after day met Miss Gibbon ant
her aunt In town and took them Il
breakfast with me. How the Tso..;