The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1889-11-13
A TRIP POSTPONED.

How It Happened That Katie Did Not
Go to the City.
Mr.. Foster was i'll the hall gathering
his letters and papers into convenient
package as he spoke.
BE suro you are ready, Katie. when
! come. can't tell when it will be, but
shall be certain to be in a hurry. and
have no time for waiting; so remember,
ii you want to 60 you must be ON the
watch"
81 will papa" Katie said, positively;
'you needn't be afraid. shall got
ready this morning, and be looking out
for you all the while"
Mr.. Foster smiled on his young
daughter. kissed her, then sprang down
the piazza stairs three steps at time.
to catch a passing car. He was very
busy man, and was nearly always in a
hurry. On this particular day business
was calling him TO the large city, which
was only thirty miles away from the
small one where he lived. Katie was
very fond of going to tho city with her
papa, partly because she had friend
living there who was always glad to see
her and did everything imaginable to
make her have a good time. and partly
because papa was such IL busy man he
rarely had time to take her with him.
So when she returned her fathers kiss
nd I, f<,,.
she would be sure to be ready, nobody
could have been moro certain than
Katie Foster that she was speaking the
truth.
An hour afterward Mrs. Bennett, the
housekeeper, called out to her on the
piazza where she sat teasing the cat.
Il should think you would go and get
ready, Katie. How do you know but
whatyour papa will come soon'"
Pm going in minute" said Katie.
"bat papa will be sure not to come this
morning; he can't get away from the
office in time for a morning train"
Ten minutes more and Irish Kate
looked out of the window and spoke
good-humoredly:
My name is Kate. and I've more
sense than some people of that name
that know of. Ifa certain Kate of my
acquaintance was going TO the city some
time to-day you'd see her brushing her
hair and putting on her best dress in u
hurry"
Katie laughed.
1T doesn't take me so long to prink
as it does you, Kate" she said; "Tll
be ready in good time; don't you be
afraid. Papa is always later than he
has any idea he will be. !"
Another half-hour and Katie had
really made her way upstairs and laid
out the dress and ribbons she meant to
wear, and begun to brush her hair
Then she espied tho Sunday-school
book she had been reading the after
noon before.
Il declare" she said, stopping short
in her work, Il forgot all about that
book. / wonder what became OF
Norm Decker? l do hope he got to be
somebody. I'll just read few pages;
there will be plenty of time to dress,
after that; papa is sure not to come be-
fore the two o'clock train. / know as
we'll as want to. that we shall not gel
back tonight. I'll put up my nigh,
things in bag and have them all ready.
and papa's too, so he can be comfort
able il he has to stay, but first I'll read
just little bit.
So saying she pumped herself on Il
the white bed which Irish Kate hai
made up nicely for the day. and in two
minutes more was so absorbed in The
fortunes of Susie and Nettie Decker t.
say nothing OF Norm and Jerry, that al
thought Of dressing or of packing wa
forgotten. One more warning she had
Her cousin Edna. who was IL young
lady and had charge of her uncle
house, looked in and said: "Why
Katie, you ought to be dressed, dear.
heard Uncle tell you he might come a
any moment, and it is nearly luncl
time"
'Tll be ready" said Katie, dreamily
papa is sure to be late.
But it is late already, child; III
lunch bell will ring in fifteen minutes.
We'll, it doesn't take me fifteen min
utes to dress, and papa won go befor
the two clock train. feel sure. Edns
you ought to read this book; it is res
exciting
I'm afraid you will be excited in al
other way before long," was Edna
last warning. but she shut the door all
went on with her work.
Five, ten minutes more, and fair
tinkle of bell shout to ring made Kat
realize that he, few minutes had bee
many, and that the morning was gon
She raised herself slowly TO a 81
I ting posture, still with her eyes on HI
book. If she could only find out whet
er the General was Jerry's father 81
would be content to wait for the res
E Suddenly she ,nrew the book from h
!. with such force that it landed on Il
s floor, kicked off her slippers and beg'
, to button her shoes with anxious hast
She was thoroughly aroused. i "