Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-05-08

anxious to meet her. Her name sou nded
prim, 1 thought; and her aunt's mention
of parochial work had raised forebod-
ing within me- She was sallow, angu-
lar, old-young lady, felt sure, who
spoke always with polish and precision.
and whose conversation savored of the
mothers meeting. / was angry with
myself for coming to this place, and
waited for the dinner-hour on thorns
Even then no relief came. As the
bell rang, Lady Pownceby sailed into
the drawing-room. / looked past her
in search of the niece, but she was not
there.
dorothy hasn't come in yet, Mr..
Oswald Jones' We will not wait dinner
for her; one never knows when she will
return; will you give me your arm?"
felt that was man with a griev-
ance. i, Oswald Jones, of the Middle
Temple, Barrister-at-Law, one of the
rising men, the papers said. had con-
demned myself to spend my vacation in
an obscure country house, and Dorothy
Braithwaite (but a rather pretty name,
l thought), spinster, showed herself so
unimpressed as to absent herself from
the house the whole day. 1 felt dis
agreeable, and slipped my soup in
silence. But with the fish came
Dorothy.
Il am sorry I am SO late. aunt" she
said. MRS. Wade's Tommy has the
measles, and had to mind her other
olive-branches while she fetched the
doctor. This is Mr.. Oswald Jones?'
I had risen, and she looked at me
!. 81 am terribly hungry she said. II
l hopirninp TO hot I Sho,,lA no
; too late to get any thing"
She sat down and began to eat with a
, healthy appetite. 1 watched her. My
foreboding was utterly stultified. Not
angular, but tall and stately; not sal
low, but with complexion of red and
brown, fair hair and pair of eyes SO
; large, blue, dark-fringed, expressive,
that felt my visit was not in vain.
I would have gone twice as far to make
the acquaintance of the owner of such
eyes. She was not prim, but perfectly
, self-pOsSessed She seemed to ignore
me. She seldom spoke during the meal,
, and when she did it was to tell her aunt
of some incident of her days work. DC.
casionally she would look up at me, and
1 was charmed with her delightful eyes.
When the ledies left me, did not lin.
ger long, but fastened after them. Lady
;, Pownceby was settling herself for hel
post-prandial nap; Dorothy was sitting
at the window, leaning back in he1
chair. and looking out into the gather
ing dusk.
Come and sit here" she said to me-
and placed chair opposite her.
, You must make yourself at home
Mr.. Oswald JONES'" said a sleepy voice
l from the other end of the room 81 an
an old woman; you must put up with m
l | weaknesses"
Il am rather surprised to find mysel1
here" said to Dorothy.
D Are you? Aunt often speaks of you
= She thinks a great deal of you"
Indeed. 1 hardly know her."
''She reads the Times. you know. and
! whenever she sees your name in the
law reports, she reads them with ten
fold interest Here's Mr.. Oswald Jones
name again. she will say; Il really
: must know more of that young man."
why does she always call me by my
full name? Why not Mr.. Jones, sim
ply?"
..Oh, there are so many Joneses, yor
+ know. Our curate's name is Jones, and
no doubt she calls you Oswald Jones t.
distinguish you from him.
Perhaps Dorothy was to be assistant
curate in more particular sense
: Strange to say, felt jealous. But
D was prevented from asking any ques
| tons by sudden Introduction to another
inmate of the house. Something stirred
behind the curtain at my side. and ou
sprang large white cat, which, having
been disturbed in its sleep. dug it:
claws into the carpet and arched it.
back in cat fashion, and then leapet
S into Dorothy's lap. Dorothy began t.
fondle it, stroking its head, putting he
head against it's, and performing thos,
, many little tricks which ladies and cat.
enjoy. Now I abominate the whole
feline race, but the thing hate most il
the world is white cat. And this ca
= especially won my detestation. Its fu
/ was spotlessly white. and the fact tina
1 could find no fault with it made MT
hate it the more Dorothy spoke to i
and kissed the animal loathed it.
II hate cats" cried.
s.Popsy hates men, Dorothy serenely
: replied. Mr.. Arthur Jones, our curate
you know. is the only man she will al
low to touch her."
Perhaps he is not the only JONES'
said, feeling more jealous still lie
q me try"
|
a ting. Somewhere from her interio
proceeded low rumbling, her ears were
: laid back. and judged it wise to relin
quish the experiment.
I'VE are to be enemies. then" l said
l and / fear / was scornful of Dorothy
e evident affection for the cat
Here Dorothy suggested that W.
$ should walk in the garden: 1 agreed
and that walk was the first of many
Before fortnight passed was madly
!. in love with Dorothy. 1 was distracted
; 1y happy when in her company. But
felt some little uneasiness because O
Rev. Arthur Jones and the white cat
:; had watched the reverend gentleman
+; carefully. He was a bright, happy-faced
} young cleric, and his behavior left nc
sort of doubt in my mind that he loved
Dorothy. And his high spirits seemed
proof to me, either that he had won the
lady or fully expected to do SO. Scarce
l ly night passed without my dreaming
l of him or the cat. In one of my dream:
1 saw an ancient Sybil warning me with
outstretched finger to beware of the
, white cat, and as 1 gazed, fascinated, a.