Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1892-05-20

This afternoon we were outdoors
lazily reclining under the shade of a
great oak tree that threw its friendly
shadows far away, and very cool and
pleasant did they seem this hot day.
We had been having very lively
discussion about the life of q noted man.
But for nearly a half hour scarcely a
word had been spoken. Zach one was
busy with her own thoughts Suddenly
the silence was broken by little Mary,
the pet of us all, exclaiming: "a penny
for your thoughts, Aunt Irisl''
Thus addressed, my aunt turned her
large, dark eyes upon Mary and smiled
very sadly Qt seemed as if her smiles
always had tears back of them) and
said, slowly: 'Wcll, girls, If You will all
be very quiet and not condemn me too
much, / will try TO tell you what l was
thinking about. 1t has never been told
by my lips, for it is very sad story.
But, perhaps, it will help you never to
sin as ] did"
At this we drew q little nearer to her,
and we opened our eyes in amazement
when she uttered the word sin, for it
did not seem TO us that Aunt Iris could
sin, she was always so sweet and gen.
tie. She smiled as she saw our look Of
wonder, and then proceeded:
Girls, you all remember that picture
in my album called little Kitty Hart.
You can plainly see what beautiful
creature she was-beautiful as IN
angel Clustering golden curls, sur
rounding face exquisitely fair and in
nocent, a pair of heavenly blue eyes
that seemed to look truth into the very
soul. How loved that girl then, and
ruin her young life. / was exactly tho
opposite of Kitty. had hair dark Us
midnight, wicked, black eyes that could
fash with hate or grow soft and tender
with love. 1t happened that we had n
picnic about this time, and there we
met and both fell in love with hand
some Harry Ray. ohl how loved that
handsome boyish facet / swore then
and there to win him or die in the at
tempt.
81 can see her now as she looked that
day, clad in pure white and wearing
modest daisies. The moment Harry
Ray bowed before sweet Kitty Hart,
his heart passed from his keeping into
hers. saw it, knew 1t, yet my pas
sionate, jealous nature decreed to win
him at any cost.
AS / saw them move away from me
toward the cool and inviting lake
my wrath knew no bounds. l
could have ground her beautiful
face into an unshapely mass with
my heel, and have felt u savage
delight in doing it, had it been in my
power. But this was the first of many
just such scenes. Never would Harry
notice me when Kitty was near, and it
so filed me with wrath that | almost
believe that the love / bore him was
turned into hatred. l longed to have
revenge. Time passed on until at last
the marriage day was set, and still
had found no plan to part the lovers.
"At last an idea filed my brain which
now think Satan himself must have
prepared for me. l began slowly to
carry il out
Fate seemed to work for me this time.
Kitty received letter from a distant
aunt, begging her to make her weeks
visit. AS her aunt's health was very
poor, and she was not expected to live
very long, gentle Kitty did not have the
heart to refuse her request, much as she
dislilSed to leave Harry even for SO short
time.
'The evening before her departure
Harry came over to bid her good-by.
Never will | forget that evening. 1t
seemed as if she had foreboding of
coming evil. She seemed SO very quiet
and unlike her usual merry self Moth
ing could have been better for me.
had planned it to make Harry think she
had something else on her mind. But
very well knew IL was the separation
misty and sad. Soon they left me and
wandered away by themselves I fol-
lowed, and hid myself where | could
overhear every word that passed be-
tween them.
Harry Kitty's soft voice was say
Ing, i am sorry | wrote auntie | would
come. know l am very foolish, Us it
ls for so short time. But ! feel all
the while as il something would hap
pen while / am away. / have tried to
shake off the feeling, but cannot
"'Nonsense, little one said Harry.
You have grown as whimsical as an
Did woman. What can possibly hap
pen? Six weeks from to-day you will
DO all my own, and then nothing can
take you from me for even a week. So
cheer up; tomorrow you will laugh at
your own fears
"I laughed in fendish glee to myself
TO think this was to be the last time
they would ever walk SO lovingly to-
gether. | was shocked at myself; | did
not know / could be so wicked. For
moment was almost sorry and had
nearly decided to leave them alone in
peace. Then the tempter whispered
In my ear that l might have been
Harry's betrothed bride had 1t not been
for Kitty's babyish face. | clinched
my hands in hatred as thought of It,
and all the good in me died for the time
being. l turned and fed from the spot
Into the house. I dropped letter
had prepared for her. just where
knew she could not help seeing IL.
Then / rushed upstairs TO my own
room.
"Soon heard Kitty's step on the stair.
and / knew the letter had done it's
work.
ut was almost dawn when | at last
fell into a troubled sleep. was
awakened by some one lightly tapping
at my door. called: Come in Kitty
entered, holding in her hand that letter
SO fatal 10 her happiness.
Iris she began, did you see or
drop any paper in the parlor? found
sheet Of paper there, and II puzzles
me greatly. do not know what to
think about it. Read it, Iris, and tell
me what you think
II took the letter In my hand, then
bit my lips in vcxation. had forgotten
to place all the letter there. The most
important part was missing But,
thought l, hastily casting my eye over
the page before me, perhaps If | play
my cards well shall win yet. This is
what / saw:
"'Dcar Dess. the letter began. I am still
here with the wealthy young lady lam getting
along very nicely. indeed. Am engaged 70 her,
and will soon contriyc plan 10 get some OF her
money 1t seems almost too bad to fool her for
shc ~ sweet little thing. But Bess, darling,
once get the money 1t win have TO be, good
by, Kitty. will soon bo back TO you Until
then, be-
THAT was all. I could see by the
white face Of Eitty that no more was
needed. The wretch, said, pretend
ing to be very angry, but still not dar-
ing TO lift my guilty eyes to kitty's in