Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-12-28
KATHERINE OF CAisDl.
a CHRISTMAS STORY.

afternoon In January, came Katherine La
Tour. walking at brisk pace; her seal
cap down to her pretty brows, and little
curls OF fluffy golden hair straying like
tendrils against the rich fur; her eyes dark
blue, clesr and sparkling, her cheeks rosy
with the exercise of walking; seal skin
coat fitted her fine form, maff swung
carelessly in one hand, the other hand
snugly ensconced between the buttons of
her coat; picture of pretty. wealthy
Canadian, fit for an artists brush
She turned down Queen street, at this
hour of the afternoon thronged with we'll
dressed ladies shopping and snow-shoe
club members in their very picturesque
costumes of blanket coats, knickerbockers,
scarlet sashes and stockings, and on their
beads scarlet tuques with long tasseis.
The Tuque Bleu Club. in white and blue,
were out, and the ST. Georges Club. in yell
low and black, and many young ladies in
the same colors, with skirts of the gay
blanket stripes and moecasin-shod feet, in.
Dictated that they, too, had been on tramp,
for each one carried her snow.shoes sus.
pended from strap. The ''raeuettes" Jas
the Canadian snow. shoes are called) were
fringed with the colors the girls wore, the
eolors contrasting we'll with the snow
covered streets. These young people,
healthy and glowing, were the bone,
beauty and sinew of this fair city, and a
Joy TO behold. katherine was member
OF the lady Tu6de Bleu Club, SO was kept
| busy bowling right and left.
| The McGill University boys were out IN
! full force. and it was only few nights ago
that the class for 's5 were entertained at
| Katherines home by dance and supper
| the La Tours, annual custom with each
class. So Katherine was saluted on all
sides, group of three finally stopping her
| to ask if she would not join their party that
| night for tramp to their club house at
| Cote St. Antoine, and a dance, Mrs
| Blake and Professor Wilkins wife being
the lady chaperones.
"Ah, If that beastiy Virgins would only
reserve his snow till we are off," said
young Windrose. He is a wretched old
prognosticator."
Il fancy we would rather have pro-
crastinator in this instance" said young
Blake. The track is 6ne'
II am exceedingly sorry" said RATHER
inc, answering their invitation, II really
cannot go tonight, but at your next meet l
| will surely try"
| So with this promise she walked on, and
the students broke out into doggerel song
of invectives against Virgins, the weather
prophet, and Katherine heard their clear,
sweet voices rising above the sleighbell
| music in
Old Virgins, the prognosticator,
| Amt worth am see YOU later
A1d tell you it much straighter,
| Ii the clouds don't roll by
| With whack, fol, rol, lie Jolly OH
| claj 4, ,oo 4 ]
up through pair of iron gates left open
usually in winter, up snow covered car
riage-drive to a large handsome house, with
| the front veranda supported by Ionic col.
| umns, the grounds surrounding the house
| beautiful even in winter, giving vistas of
the St. Lawrence. the high trestle of the
toboggan slide, black with tobcggans, and
Mount Royal, snow-capped, in relief
against the gray sky.
She opened the first door and passed into
cozy library in the left wing a coal
fire burnt brightly in the large CRATE; Grim.
son curtains shaded the long French win.
dow. Her father, a tall fine looking man
was reading late paper. He looked up al
her entrance saying, "Ah, daughter, yor
look bright and happy. what IS the gooG
news you bring ?"
AN invitation to Lady Lsnsdowne.
ball at Ottawa, and letter from Paul say
ing be will be here soon. He has an in
vite a'so, and if agreeable to me, will be m,
escort"
Yes, that will answer nicely.n replied
her father. And ! have had note from
Colonel Sangster saying his wife will chap
erone you, for found it impossible to go
and wrote her in view of this invitation.
expect to be in Qdebec."
''On business asked Katherine.
"Yes-er, at least-well, in fact, my dear
: ought TO have told you before, but it wa
, -er-so undecided that
"Oh, don't keep me in suspense, papa
said Katherine, wondering what in tn
} world made her father hesitate so, and lay
ing her soft cheek against his SIS she leane
on his shoulder.
| My dear, you know how lonely hay
: been since your mothers death, and now
after all these years, l intend to MARI
again"
"Oh, papa!' gasped Katherine.
IAN estimable lady" he continued" nc
6 noticing the gasp "a Mrs. Louisa Ru
dolph-fine family and only one little sor
e four or five years old. While you are i
n Ottawa we will be married-very, yer
quietly, as she wishes tin Quebec, an
return here before you get back. 1t wi
: make no difference in your life, my deal
and happy change for me. So l trust 70
| WILL w OIL " uudhC uCf uSH uOul6 pl6dSdU
d for her. Now you can go, for l have i'm
portant letters to write" And Ka.herin
felt herself dismissed.
She simply kissed him and said: q
: hope you will be happy papa, dear"
I She left the room, and Carl La Tou
never knew what his daughter thought G
his new departure at his time of life. II
| had had every home comfort and the con
slant companionship of katherine eve
since she left Queens College. After hi
: wife's death, when Katherine was but seven
, his sister was with him. So he was "a be
unjust in the implied reproach of th
lonely life he led"
: 1t was twilight when Katherine went I
her room to lay off her wraps, and quit
dark when she was ready to face the future
She stood at her window to think over thi
piece of news that would change her Who'll
life. The air was filled with flying snow.
The snow falls through the velvet dark
Yet spite of snow the night is soft,
And he whose ears are keen may hear
Elfyoices singing far aloft;
The snowfakes singing as they drift
That summers reign is over past;
Through leafiess bouehs they softly sft,
And cover poor cold earth at last.
So this, she thought, was the end of he
happy home-life. Another woman in he
! mothers place; woman who would tax,
her place in her fathers love. "katheriu.
La Tour, you must be brave, and you hav,
Paul, dear Paul" she said softly; but sh,
!, clinched the small hands and bit her ret
lips to keep back the tears, for Jeanette, he
maid, was coming in with lights, and sh,
must not know how hard it was to bear
this relipquishing of her rights-a dethron
ing Of home queen.
"Ciel, Mees Katherine she exclaimed
you in re dark? I hat no idees you had
entered. Zesnow is falling charmant, and u
weather is many degrees lower. Will u
mamselle want my service at this time
Ma fol" she added, turning around, aftsl
lighting the gas from candle in her hand
81 see re cry on "a cheek of my meestriss
What is re mattiere?"
II have q slight headache and have been
using the pungent, that is all, said Rather.
inc, as she left the room, not wishing Jea.
nette to know her trouble. She simply
used e womsn's excuse for heartache the
world over. She entered the sitting room
replete with every luxury. A coal fire
burnt in the open massive steel CRATE that
threw reflections on crimson and gold
plush, and brought out in relief every ele.
CANT bit of bric-a-brac in the room. She
drew up small stand with work basket
on, and small fauteuil, and tried to em.
MI har ,.l r.