Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-09-12

y
hands are large enough and strong enough
to work for you and keep you from harm.
| think somehow [ could make You happy
will You let me try, little one?''
Kitty raised her heavy lashes and glanced
at her cousins eager pleading place. Her
heart throbbed nervously for one brief
moment, she felt as she had never felt be-
fore; then the whole framework of her
life fell to pieces. Mother, sisters, suitors.
friends, the solid goods, the pleasant bau-
bles. all things she had been trained to
strive for and love faded from her horizon:
for that brief moment she only knew, she
only felt how good thing it would be to
roam over the fair wide world with her
hand in Pats firm warm grasp, her head
resting on his broad shoulder, the breath
of fresh, free, and wholesome life fam
ming her brow. What did it mean? Was
this loye-love of which she had read and
| heard so much, but never felt before-this
feeling so strange, so absorbing, so terri
bic, and yet $3.50
''Kitty. Kitty, where are you? Cook
says you never brought her in the peas;
and the dressmaker has come to alter your
body for Tuesday"
Kitty sprang to her feet, her dreamed
dispelled by Zeldie's voice
LET me pass-let me pass, Patrick Oh,
it's of no use-no use. How could marry
you? l tell you hate poverty-loathe it.
detest it. I-Ishould make you as wretch
ed as myself-perhaps in time as mean. as
false, as grasping, as worldly Let me
pass, Patrick
| Mrs. CantwelPs little dinner-party was a
distinct success. The soup was hot. the
wine cool, the entrees were well favored.
the joints up to time; hence it was on a
| very bright and pleasant scene that cousin
| Pats eyes rested at about nine o. M. of
that eventful night. The rooms were full
of the odors of sweet flowers and lighted
with waX-candles; through the open Win
| dows couples were passing to and from the
lawn: while Mr.. Dauber Browne. in a
| faint tenor voice, was charging the com
pany to "love for year, a week, a day"
After few moments survey, Pats
| sharp eyes discovered the hero of the even
| ing, his rival, Thompson of the Thames,
rather short stout man, who looked as if
he had enjoyed his dinner, seated in an
easy-chair, his mother-in-l aw-elect hang
ing affectionately over him and giving his
heated brow the benefit of her large feather
fan. Patrick's face clouded, his hand
grasped the back OF the chair upon which
he was leaning, and his eyes wandered
! restlessly in search of little crimson
draped figure laden with glittering, jing-
/ ling jewelry
But Kitty was not to be seen, being hid
den behind Mr.. Browne at the piano.
When the song was over, she rose and adj !
vanced into the middle Of the room; and
then suddenly Patrick Cantwel1s express
sion changed. His cheeks flushed, his
eyes sparkled, and his whole face beamed
with smile so radiantly sweet that a
young lady in his vicinity was quite capti-
waited, and was heard to declare that that
Colonial cousin of the Cantwells' was
one of the most striking-looking men she
had met for some time
Kitty had not bestowed the faintest sign
of recognition upon him or shown by word
or movement that she was aware of his
presence. Little he cared, even when she
approached his rival, spoke a few words
and then dropped into the seat by his side,
gladly vacated by her mother, for he knew
what no one else in the room knew-that
she would never share that villa on the
Thames, never touch one penny of that
precious money which lay so close to her
grasp. For Kitty had forsworn the Thomp
son colors, and had appeared before the |
astonished and puzzled eyes of her family |
and friends in a simple dress of black ma |
terial, without one patch of color to re-
lieve its monotony without single orna- |
ment save bunch of pale monthly roses |!
clustering in the soft black lace that
shrouded her white shoulders. Presently
she rose, crossed the room, her unjewelled
fingers resting on Mr. Thompson's coat
sleeve, and disappeared with him into the
night.
Mrs. Cantwell's spirits rose col siderably
at this point, and even her troublesome
nephew came in for a stray smile and a
pleasant word, which was partly tribute
to the very successful effort he had made
to look civilized. He had condeScended to
patronize Bond street tailor, and two
days before had placed his taWny head IN
the hands of fashionable cOtfeIr, with
permission to clip and crop as he thought
fit. The result was so satisfactory that
Patrick proved quite an attraction at his
aunt's ''At Home, and several people con-
graduated Mrs. Cantwell and her daugh- !
tiers on his distinguished appearance-in |
fact, one young lady declared that he was /
her ideal of the Vikings of old.
After about twenty minutes absence, !
Kitty returned alone; Mr.. Thompson, IA |
tigued by his journey of the previous |
night, had returned to his hotel, she in |
formed her mother, and had begged her to
convey his apologies, which were gracious !
ly accepted. Kitty now became very live |
", sang, laughed, and fiirted with much !
spirit, but never bestowed even a look up !
Oh her cousin, who made no effort to at |
tract her attention. AS the guests began |
to depart, Kitty evidently wishing to |!
avoid any confidential communications !
with her family that night, fastened into |
the garden, hoping to reach her room I'M |
perceived by way Of a back entrance. She |
had not gone far when she became aware !
of pursuing footsteps. She quickened her |
mace to a run, but it was Of no avail: one /
moment later she was in cousin Pats /
strong arms, and a shower of grateful rap !
turous kisses were being rained down up
on her hands, her wrists, her little ring !.
less ears. /
my dear girl-my brave girl! L knew !
you'd do it knew you would! l staked /
my all, my future, my happiness on your
worth-and I have won! Oh, my darling, /
may I be able to repay you for what you !
have done for me this day! Heaven grant ,
itp'
''Oh, Pat, PATTI cried poor Kitty few /
minutes later, when she had somewhat re- |
covered from this impetuous charge, |
''vyhat shall do-how face them all? Poor /
mother-she will never get over it, Her
heart was set on my marrying him. But |
I couida't-the moment [ saw him / knew /
I Couldn't How can / tell herr"
Come in at once, and we'll tell her to- !