Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1889-06-12
COLONEL KEMP'S WARD.

Colonel Kemp sat at breakfast, on a
fine September morning, in the dining
room of his country-house, a fine old
mansion situated in a beautiful Berk-
shire glade not far from Windsor. Wis
avis to the old gentleman at the well
appointed table was his daughter and
only child, Victoria, a blooming,
brown eyed, creamy checked young
lady of about three-and-twenty.
The Colonel, who was a widower,
had gained considerable reknown dur
ing the war in the Punjaub. He had
earned a great deal of prizemoney and
numerous medals and crosses; and,
having besides his pension, much pri-
vate property, partly derived from his
deceased wife, he was enabled to keep
both country and a town house, and
to 1--we in good style
In person he was a tall, sunburnt
man, muscular and active, taking into
consideration his siXty-eight years.
His eyes were of a clear steel blue,
bright and penetrating in their glance,
and his teeth were almost as white and
well preserved as those OF a man of five
and twenty. Like many field officers
who have seen much active service, his
frame seemed rather to have acquired
it; ana there was mingled with his
haDitual air OF command a natural
courtesy which fascinated all with
whom he came III contact In short.
Colonel Kemp was IAN officer and geL-
tleman.'
His daughter Victoria owed her name
to her fathers extreme loyalty to his
Sovereign. She was the apple of his
eye,' and well did she deserve his
warmest affection. The girl was some
what above the height of the majority
of her sex. and rather more strongly
formed. Perhaps her constant partici-
patton III her fathers out door pastimes
had something TO do with this. She
was an accomplished rider and archer
ess, followed the hounds occasionally,
ana knew how to use the trout-rod and
to bring down a partridge from a covey
with a small light gun which her father
had had built especially for her. Yet
there was nothing masculine about Vic
toria Kemp. True, she Joined in her
fathers sports occasionally, and was
his constant companIon; but then she
had neither mother nor sisters, and her
dearly-loved father was as yet her all
in-all. In the home circle Victoria eX-
hlbIted all those soft and feminine
graces which so well adorn a woman,
and which, by force of contract with
her own sterner qualities, are so at
tIactIve 10 the opposite SEX
Besides a finely formed figure, V c.
tor ia was endowed with most attract
i've features. Her nose was straight
and finely chiseled, her mouth, though
large. eXquisitely cut, her complexion
of a clear cream color, slightly tanned
by the sun, and her eyes were large,
lustrous, brown. and full of feeling
Her feet were small and well arched;
but Ter hands, though nervous and
well moulded, were rather larger than
is usual in her sex. Her crownIng
glory, however, was her magnificent
chestnut-brown hair, which, braided
in natural plaits, formed a splendid
crown, and was most appropriate to
one with so Queenly a presence, and so
queenly a name.
The post had just come; and the
Colonel, while he Iwirled his egg-spoon
irritably between his fingers, was con-
ming one of his letters with a perplexed
! look.
What on earth does it mean?' he
muttered, Il can't make head OF tail
| of it,
Victoria held her peace, knowing
perfectly well that by doing SO she
! would soon be enlightened.
Here's letter. continued the Colo
| nell a letter from Secundabad-po
Calcutta, from an old friend Chevil-
stone, containing IA extraordinary
proposition-most extraordinary, my
dear-most extraordinary
Here the Colonel hemmed, adjusted