Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1892-02-12
KATTY'S PARTY.
BY HELEN FORREST GRAVES.

"Katty, what are you thinking Off
said Mr.. DiIkes, brusquely. "Fire
all out! Lamp not lightedp
lie had come in from the barnyard
with two foaming pals of milk and
a liberal powdcring of snow on his
fur cap and heavy beard, and as lie
set the pals down on the bu,tery Ia.
bic, Kathleen sprang up and lighted
the squatty kerosene lamp. and raked
the broken logs together, so that a
vivid blaze rushed up the old chimney
throat.
"Havc you got the butter all print
ed?" said he. "And the poultry
packed, and the eggs laid down?
shall have to make an early start to-
morrow morning, and there's every
prospect of snow blizzard"
"IPs all ready" said Kathleen, SOM
brely.
Mr.. Dilkes turned short around and
looked at her.
"Eh? What's the matter?" said he.
"They're not going to invite me to
the party at Griggetts!" the girl an
swered.
"They amt, eli? Why not? l guess
you're as good-lookin' as any of 'em,
and as good, too y
81 couldn't help overhearing MalIy
Griggett and Josie Kirkc talking about
it when l went after the mail to-
night" said Kathleen. "They had lust
got their letters, and l was waiting
for chance to get near the mai! win
-u0w;ranr tnercwas a-prc0f drygoods +
boxes between me and them. Mally
said why wasn't l asked? and Josie
said because never returned any of
the neighborhood parties. 1t was all
take, she said, with Kathleen Dilkes,
and no give. And it was quite true,
uncle"
Mr.. Dilkes moved uneasily in his
chair.
eve amt party-givin' folks" said
he.
"Then I oughtn't to 90 to parties"
retoIted Kathleen. "And don't see
that shall any more. Nobody will
ask me-"
"Wcll, l wouldn't mind" soothed
Mr.. Dilkes. dts all folly and nom
sense, anyhow"
Kathleen's lovely blue eyes flashed.
al don't think it's folly and nom
sense" said she. "I want 10 60. All
the young people but me are going,
and Pm tired of drudging and work
ing the whole time without bit of
fun"
Mr.. Dilkes was silent. He tipped
his feet against an uneven brick in the
s>,sst& aAl stared at he t4,,-r--~ -.->~-... !
Kathleen came closer to him.
"Uncle," said she, "can't have
Twelftli-Night party?p
"Nonscnsow growlcd the old man.
sIt wouldn't cost muchI' pleaded
Kathleen. I'D make all the cake
myself and I've saved enough out of
my share of the chicken money to buy
sugar and lemons. And my dress
needn't cost anything. ] could trim
over my white bunting, with little
new ribbon. May have a Twelfth
Night party, unclc?"
Mr. Dilkes rose suddenly TO his
feet.
"No," said he, "you can't! And
there's an end of It'll"
Kathleen said no more. She was
used to her uncle's moods. and knew
that there was no use in striving
against them.
But half that wild, stormy winter
night she sobbed silently on her pill
low and rebelled against fate.
Early in the gray, frozen daybreak
Mr.. Dilkes rose, ate the hot break fast
of sausages and coffee and fried po-
tatoes that Kathleen had ready for
him, and started off for Cone City in
his red cutter, snugly lined with buff
falo robes and packed close with the
produce of his farm.
He had scarcely been gone an hour,
when an unexpected guset arrived at
the house-Miss Dorothy Purple-a
friend of Katlleen's dead mother and
a distant cousin of herself.
"Oh, Miss Dorothy" cried the
girl.
And to her faithful bosom she con.
fided all her troubles.
II was SO nice to have some one 10
talk to!
tBut this won't do" said Miss Dor
othy Purple, viewing the well-shod |
toes of her pretty feet as she warmed |
them at tie lire. "'You can't be slru,
up here like lark in its cage. You
must go ont like other people. Idon'l
wonder they have left of asking you.