Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1892-03-12

was nervous Cnilu, dlFdlu OF the uafh,
aud the sixth was croupy; and Katherine
slept in the nursery, and was up aud
down half dozen times in night.
Truly they none of them ate ike
bread of idlenessl
But had the word been twice as hard
aud the pay twice as poor, nothiag
would have induced them to appeal Tor
aid or sympathy to Aunt Adams. They
were too proud for that.
One morning, however, the doctor's
carriage stopped in front of the old laiy's
brownstone house.
81 think it's fit" said Betsy, the old
housekeeper. "She calls it bad dream
says that the Skeleton Death stood Mt
her bedside, grasping her by the throat,
and she called out on all those Hayward
girls for help, aud not one of them came.
And says the skeleton, You've sent 'em
away yourselfl' And now nothing will
do but they must be brought back here
to live, you know"
The doctor went up stairs. When he
came back, he looked very grave.
"She must be humored," said he.
"Send for those girls at once"
Rosamond and Emily were sitting over
the sickly glimmer of the gas stove in
the dismal hall bedroom.
Rossmond had been crying, but she
did not look very unhappy. Emily's
face was radiant.
"Oh, it was very careless of me, En-
my, said the girl, ''when | knew that
that yellow dragon vase was worth two
hundred dollars, and | did try to handle
it cautiouslyl But my dress caught in
one of its claw feet, and the first l knew
it was in pieces on the floor. OF course,
began to cry ard wiring my hands, and
then Mr.. Frank Middleton came in, and
and Well, we're engaged now,
and l never dreamed that he cared for
me. Pm sure l don't know what the
old gentleman will say, but I'm not to go
back to the store any more. We're to
be married right away, and you aud
Kathy snail come and live with me.
Mr.. Frank MiddIeton-I can't help call
ing him so, though he says l must say
FraDk--says am to be queen and em-
press in my new home"
Emily hung her head with the old
lilylike droop.
"I-Pm afraid I can't come" said
she. "Mr. Lesiardi-that's the artist
who enlarged Our photographs IN oils
and he has been showing me how to
color them, and this morning he asked
me to marry him. He has received an
appointment to teach the art classes in
Madam Musard's great school, and he
says he can give me good home. On,
Rosy, he's so handsomem
Just then the door opened and in
walked queenly Katherine.
"Good-evening, girls!" said She
Don't squeeze me so hard! I've given up
my place. I've given up mJ place.
couldn't endure the children's tyranny
and the mothers insolence any longer,
not to speak of that puppy Mr.. William
Eceleston, trying to kiss me on the stairs.
! boxed his ears soundIy for him-thats
one comfortl'
Darling" criel Rosamond, "you
shall live with mel
'No, she shan'tl' said Emily. "She
shall come to metz
But instead Katherine went to Aunt
Adams
"She is sick and helpless" said the
sweet-natured girl, and needs me"
The old woman put out her trembling
hand aud grasped her niece's warm fin
gers.
"I'm not afraid of the skeleton any
longer!' crooued she. "Stay by me,
Katherine sure you stay by mel"
And Katherine's sweet voice and smile
treasured her
She recovered in time for Katherine to
decorate the house for her sisters we'd
dings. Even Aunt Adams could not
object to these alliances. Mr.. Frank
Middleton was rich and Signor Amato
Lesiardi was well able to support
wife.
"But," said Mrs. Adams, 'Katherine
is the flower of the flock-my Katherine
Whoever she marries must come here and
live. can't let her go away from here.
And rather think Mr.. Van Roslyn adj
mires her--eh, Rosy2'
"Thlnkln cried Mrs. Lesiardi. az
don't think anything about til know
he's hopelessly captivatedl But only
think, Aunt Ada us, Kathie will never
care for anybody but that pale young
city missionary that she met at the
Ecclestonsm
Nonsense, nonsenser' brisllly cried
Aunt Adams. "Why, he isn't worth a
cent! And the Van Resigns are rolling
in gold. Katherine never would be such
a foolr'
"But she has BEEN said Rosamond.
"She has refuse Die lrich Van Roslyn.
know it to be fact"
81 never will allow it!> said Aunt
Adams.
That night the skeleton form came
to the bedside again; and this time not
to be repulsed.
At the turn of the night, Mrs. Adams
called softly to her niece:
Katherine! Where are you, Kath-
erine2"
"Here, Aunt Adams" was the soft
reply.
81 am drowsy," murmured the oil
lady-"yery drowsy; but there's some
thing | want to say to you before | 90
to sleep. Marry the man that you love,
Katherine. Rich or poor, marry the
man that you love" --
So Aunt Adams went to sleep-for-
ever.
Z All her money-and the amount was
not inconsiderable-wa divided be.
tween her three nieces. Her brother,
down in Happytown, got never a cent of
it.
"Sister Amelia always was queer,
said discounted Uncle ASA. 81 sort O.
wish now, wife, that you hadn't been
quite so short with them gals"
81 wasn't no shorter than you was
yourself" said Uncle Asa's second wife.
Saturday Night.
A Handsome Russian Bandit.