Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1890-05-10
Cousin CkarIoffa.

COHSln GRaFlOytc.
Mrs. Lee looked up from the letter
she was reading Cousin Charlotte Is
coming to spend month with Us, J" she
said.
There was sudden silence; startled,
dismayed chances passed around the
breakfast-table. Mrs. David Lee, who
had just been brought home q bride,
asked, %Who and what is Cousin Char
lotte?"
The Judge made haste to answer:
%Mis Charlotte Bell is q most lovable
woman of about thirty. She has fine
intellect and warm heart. There is
no scheme of philanthropy in her ma
tive city In which she does not take
part"
%She is beauty, tool" exclaimed one
of the boys. II do not know more
beautiful woman"
~She is faithful Christian, said Mrs.
Lee, gravely.
@If sheis perfection, why do you dread
her coming?" Mrs. David asked her
husband when they rose from the
table.
wait and you will see," he said.
next day; Coming on night train"
There were six trains that night from
the West. Judge Lee and David
haunted the station from o'clock until
two in the morning, but no Cousin
Charlotte. The night was cold and
stormy, and the Judge went home aching
with iumbago. All of the next day and
night some of the Lee family were on
guard at the station, but they watched
In vain.
Two days later she arrived, gay and
smiling. "You expected me? Too bad |!
changed my mind, and really forgot
L. to wire you. I must ask you to look
after my trunk. 1 haven't the least
idea what 1 have done with the check. !"
For two days David was busy sending
kilograms in every direction for the
missing luggage, while Cousin Charlotte
foraged upon the girls wardrobe for
gowns, collars and other such things.
Miss Bell never rose in time for break
! fast, and was sure to be absent at
luncheon and dinner-time. Her meals,
therefore, hadto be prepared separately.
The cook rebelled, the chambermaid
gave warning. Cousin Charlotte made
numerous appointments with people
concerned in benevolent work to come
to the house, and then went out and
forgot them; she always kept the family
waiting an hour for her to dress when
they were going to concert or lee
ture.
She appointed conference with dis
CHARGED prisoners for the same evening
that Mrs. Lee had chosen for recep-
ton in honor of the bride. The gay
young people and the quondam thieves
and burglars met in the parlor.
Through all these discomforts Miss
Bell passed, smiling airly. Really, I
forgot!.' or "The matter was so petty it
escaped my notice" was her only
apology.
With her heart full of kindness to all
the world, she had a singular facility
for saying unpleasant things. She de-
bounced the Pope to a Catholic, in
sisted on helping a Jew to ham and
oysters, and described the horrors of
death from consumption to young girl
already hectic with that disesae.
eff 1 had a brother who was hanged"
said David, cousin Charlotte would
talk to me of nothing but ropes! She
has genius for indiscretionsp'
She always deplored her thoughtful
ness, and the next moment, by heed
less word, stirred up some slumbering
feud, or tore open an old wound.
When, after a dozen postponements,
the day of her departure actually ar
rived, the Lee family breathed asigh of
relief.
Zone of the women who best deserve
Heaven" said the Judge, "but who are
intolerable upon earth Youths Com
pG7liOn.