The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1892-07-15
CAUGHT IN HER OWN TRAP

the small color,ess face a: times posi-.
ively radiant
We were sitting on the stairs at Mrs.
.ampton's last ball. There was always
crush at The Champion mansion, aud
Kitty and had made our way out OF
the wlirling vortex Of dancers at immi-
nent risk of lie and limb, and had gladly
sought this las. refuge. Every other
corner, every room, every niche, seemed
o-etaowing with gayly-dre.sed people in
groups, but more often in pairs, laugh.
iag. chatting. flirting. And sitting here,
JUS, behind the marble statue OF Psyche,
had accused Kitty Hathaway OF being
1irt.
Well, It i1oLel Ike it, must confess,
for she was always surrounded by all ad.
miring group, upon whom she lavished
impartial sw eetuess, looking all the time
80 demurs aud innocent as to almost de-
ceivs me. !, Alan Gordon. aged twenty
Eve, had never been ia love 10 my life.
Ill were one of the crowd OF cavaliers
who Enel. q: sweet Kitty Hathawsy's
feet it was Only because she was so alto
gether beuItcniug that had no choice
in the matter. Tonight her firtations
hat excited their usual limit.
Miss Kitty - assumed my most
msgisterisl e1 pression-- don't you know
that {. wron; to 1irt?"
is it;- with switt glance, quickly
Withdrawn. Who-vho firts. Oh,
yes. know! You are referring TO Annie
Nsrton. must confess she does, or
rather, tries 70 firt successfully, but
don't believe she understand. the art. "
Annie Merton, indeeI!r feel myself
getting indignant. Am old maid Of
forty at least You know perfectly well
that am referring to q certain brown
eyed maiden suruamed Hathaway. Miss
Kitty, it is a shame foF you to break all
these loving hearts. "
She laughed, "a clear, ringing laugh.
Bali! Nonsense! You men have no
hearts to break. Your hearts are petri.
fed, ossified, fossiIzed, and all the rest
fit. You 90 not know what it is to
love woman truly. s-.adfsstly."
Kitty, stop! You are wrong and you
know it. You know that / am not n
foolish, flirting fellow. You know-or
you ought to kno~-that / iove-"
Miss Kitty! beg ten thousand par.
dons. Gordon. bu' th.s is my dance.
The Manoia, Miss k..ty; ard you did
promise it to me-.
Ifelt like aunihla:.nS tlo tall young
man who had made his way
with difficulty to our secluded
corner. Bat there was no hope I;
she must 60. Size rose, and fancied q
iegretful look in the lovely brown eyes
as she turned to me and deposited her
bouquets magnificent collection Of or.
chids-in my hand.
Keep it until l return she whisp-
cred. III ! survive this waltz will be
back here; so don't 60 away"
BY eyes me. hers; smiled and nod
ded-and then she was gone. And all at
once it occurred to me how dark and
dreary the place had grown-what dull
flair the CHAMPION ball had become and
low l missed Kitty Hathaway.
And then something else occurred to
me salso-something that came crushing
down upon Ee with sudden force,
nearly depriving me of my senses. /
asoko all at once TO the fact that loved
her-I, Alan Gordon, who had long
looked upon one and marriage as a re.
mote contingencv-all accident which
must betali me sometime, but not now.
Oh, no.
was my own master; fortune Of
half million had fallen to me year
ago, and was quite alone in the world
save for my mother. She had given up
fl,ah han ~ Col in, lrt at
the slightest fancy had ever troubled the
peaceful waters of my existence. But I
was awake at last to the knowledge that
while / had been dreaming love had
stolen in at the door Of my heart, and I
aroused myself to realization Of tho
truth when it was too late to bar the in.
truder out.
While sat there with Kitty's orchids
n my hands, my eyes dreamiiy watched
the floating white-robed fSure-shs was
III in white, Aeecy, gauzy, diaphanous
material striped with silver threads
and occasionally intercepting a sly glance
from her merry brown eyes from over
her partners shoulder, Mrs Champion,
with her daughter Clara in tow, made
her way with difficulty to my side.
Dear me, Alan, what place to sit,
o be sure.' Mrs. Champion had known
me all my life, and always addressed me
by my given name. You have not met
Clara since her return from school. My
dear" with swift glance into Miss
Clara's face this is your old school
mate and playfellow, Alan Gordon. You
are five years her senior, Alan. Now
nnI going 10 leave you two to renew old
friendship, While l 60 TO Mrs. Marcy
yonder. declare, the old Lady is look
ing faint and i'll"
NO wonder; the atmosphere is sti
;,inT,' thought, AS made way fol
Miss Clara, who sank into the seat at my
eide which Kitty had vacated.
4 slender, painfully slender, young
lady was Miss Clara Champion, with pal'
Llue eyes and pale yellow hair, and ar
air of languor.
Just see Kitty Hathaway" calculated
that young lady; how overdressed sh,
3, aud she dances all the time! See
Cia 4. 0irt Z, with yonpo Crap~artr