The Springdale news., 1889-12-20
How It Happened That Katie Did Not
 Go to the City.

i Ns package as he spoke.
 Be sure you are ready. Katie. when l come. car, tell when 1t will bo, but l shall be certain to be in hurry, and have no time for waiting; so remember, il you want 10 go you must be on the watch.
 Il will papa Katie said, positively; 'you needn't be afraid. l shall get ready this morning, and be looking out for you all the while"
 Mr Poster smiled on his young daughter, kissed her, then sprang down the piazza stairs three steps at time. to catch passing car. He was d very busy man, and was nearly always in q hurry. On this particular day business was calling him to the largo city, which was only thirty miles away from the small one where he lived. Katie was very fond Of going 10 the 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 and assured him for the second time she would bo sure to be ready. nobody could have been more certain than Katie Foster that she WIS speaking the truth.
 An hour afterward Mrs. Bennett, the l. piazza where she sat teasing the cat Il should think you would go and get ready, Katie How do you know but what your papa will come soon?'
 ''iis m going in a minute said Katie. 'but papa will be sure not to come this morning; he can't get away from the office in time for q morning train. T
 Ten minutes more and Irish Kate looked out of the window and spoke spontaneously;
 My name is Kate and I've more sense than some people of that name that l know of. fla 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 a hurryn
 Katie laughed.
 1t doesn't take mo so long to brink as it does you, Kate. she said; I'll 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 the Sunday-school book she had been reading the after noon before.
 T declare, she said, stopping short In her work. Il forgot all about that book. l 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 thati papa is sure not to come be- fore the two o'clock train. I know as well as l want to, that We shall not get back tonight. I'll put up my night things in a bag and have them all ready. and papa too, so he can be comfort able fl he has to stay. but first I Il read just little bit. n
 So saying she pumped herself on to the white bed which Irish Kate had made up nicely for the day, and in two minutes more was SO absorbed in the fortunes of Susie and Settie Decker, to say nothing of Norm and Jerry, that all thought of dressing or of packing Was forgotten. One more warning she had. Her cousin Edna, who was 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 at any moment, and it is nearly lunch time.'
 "Tll be ready" said Katie, dreamily; 'papa is sure to be late,
 But it is late already, child; tho lunch bell will ring in fifteen minutes. :"
 Well, it doesn't take me fifteen rnin- utes to dress, and papa won't go before the two clock train. feel sure. Edna, you ought to read this book, it is real exciting
 I'm afraid you will be excited in an- other way before long, was Edna's last warning but she shut the door and went on with her work
 Five, ten minutes more, and faint tinkle of bell about to ring made Katie realize that her few minutes had been many, and that the morning ras gone. She raised herself slowly 10 sit ting posture, still with her eyes on her book. If she could only find out wheth CT the General was ,iorry's father sh, would be content "a wait for the rest Suddenly she threw the book from he with such force that it landed on thu floor kicked of her slippers and began to button her shoes with anxious haste She was thoroughly arcused 1t wa