Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-09-22

it, don't you know? He had got to be a
good deal received, and he had drifted
into one or two exclusive clubs, and his
money would have made him match,
if he had only chosen to marry discreet
ly; while Crawford Lispenard, on the
other hand, went nowhere and had
wholly neglected the chances of acquir-
ing position. But as it turned out, the
early death of poor Alonzo (who left
considerable money to his niece and his
namesake nephew rendered that exist
ing plan the luckier one. And society
remembered the children when they
grew up. Even Kitty mad elopement
didn't ALLEVIATE us. We couldn't forget,
you know, that their papa and mamma
had really once been DIES 7aotres, notwith-
standing that hermit of an uncle. But
I'm afraid I've mentioned all this be-
fore, my dear. It's twice-told tale, is
1t Rot?"
yes" fell from Kathleen, as she sat
in the dimness of the rolling vehicle,
opposite her mother. She did not say
| anything more, and perhaps a note of
abstraction or WEAKNESS in her tone
caused Mrs. Kennaird to proceed, with
some crispness:
Remind me, my dear, when I fall
| into train of stale "reminiscences.
That Is sign of advancing years, and 1
wish to avoid all elderly follies, as 1
| hope have steered clear Of all youth
full ones. 1t is my wish not merely
| to grow old with grace. but with
a certain interesting freshness, de
mine bon enfant, you know. So
many women, as they go, get care
| less about pulling themselves together.
They sink into ruts and stay there. I
| want to avoid that sort of thing. So
| ciety rewards one if one will only make
| an effort. Wrinkles and gray hairs are
| forgiven, have observed, but never the
| tendency to be dull and Pathological.
You've passed over the instant you be-
gin to be prolix-to construct your syn
tax with an excess of perfects and plu-
perfects. Now don't want to be passed
| over, and intend to preserve healthy
cult for the present tense of things"
Kathleen smiled to herself in the
gloom. She could not help wondering,
! just then, if her mother had ever passed
| a single wakeful hour in her whole life
without serious reflections on the sub
jects of society" position" and 1.-The
people whom one meets"
No hardship or bereavement had ever
served 1ndee0 TO lessen IN TINS lady S
esteem the magnitude of these mo-
! mentous questions. And when all was
| told, she had been a woman whom
neither hardship nor bereavement had
spared. Her family chow often had
Kathleen heard sou was of genuine New
Amsterdam stock, and as Margaretta
Van Lerius, an only child, she had been
reared in that ease which only wealth
| makes possible. But while she was yet
| young woman her father met with
| financial ruin, soon afterward dying.
Margaretta had been naughty belle,
somewhat heavier in type than Kath-
leen and not half so beautiful, but with
the same graceful bearing and the same
sculpturesque arms and neck. She held
her head higher than ever did her
| daughter, and moved about with state
lier air. She was always thinking of a
! great marriage (even as a little girl she
had dressed up her dolls in bridal robes
for their weddings to imaginary princes
! or dukes) and when the family had gone
| and she was obliged to live with her
mother in a Ninth street boarding house,
her matrimonial ambitions burned still
! more feverishly.
The Van Lerius kindred (uncles and
| aunts and cousins) could cali upon her