Los Angeles herald., 1892-06-26
HER OWN WORK.


the small, colorless face at times posi-
lively radiant
We were sitting on the stairs at Mrs
Champion s. last ball. There was always
: crush at the Champion mansion, and
Kitty and had made our way out ol
the whirling vortex of dancers at immi
nent risk of life and limb, and had glad
ly sought this last refuge. Every Other
corner, every room. every niche seemed
overfowing with gayly dressed people
in groups. but more often in pairs,
laughing, chatting, flirting. And sit
ting here, just behind the. marble statue
of Psyche, had accused Kitty Hath.
away of being fiirt.
Well, it looked like it, must confess,
for she was always surrounded by an ad-
miring group, upon whom she lavished
impartial sweetness, looking all the time
SO demure and innocent as to almost de-
ceive me. |, Alan Gordon, aged twenty
five, had never been in love in my life.
If were one of the crowd of cavaliers
who knelt at sweet Kitty Hathaway 8
feet it was only because she was SO alto
gether bewitching that had no choice
in the matter. Tonight her firtations
had exceeded their usual limit.
"Miss Kitty assumed my most
magisterial expression" don't you know
that it is wrong to fiirt?"
sis it?" with swift glance, quickly
withdrawn. ''Who-who fiirts? Oh,
yes, know. You are referring to Annie
Merton. l must confess she does, or
rather tries, to firt successfully; but !
don't believes she understands the art"
"Annie Merton, indeedi" feel my
self getting indignant. ''An old maid
of forty at least! You know perfectly
well that l am referring to certain
brown eyed maiden surnamed Hatha-
way. Miss Kitty, it is shame for you
to break all these loving hearts"
She laughed clear, ringing laugh.
"Bah! Nonsense! You men have no
hearts to break. Your hearts are petri-
fed, ossified, fossilized, and all the rest
of it. You do not know what it is to
love woman truly, steadfastly."
.sKitty, stop! You are wrong, and you
know it. You know that am not a
foolish, flirting fellow. You know-or
you ought to know--that love-
.'Miss Kitty! beg ten thousand par
dons, Gordon, but this is my dance.
The Manola, Miss Kitty; and you did
promise it to me"
felt like annihilating the tall young
man who had made his way with diff
Guilty to our secluded corner. But there
was no hope; she must go. She rose,
and l fancied regretful look in the
lovely brown eyes as she turned to me
and deposited her bouquet-a magnifi-
cent collection Of orchids-in my hand.
"Keep it until RETURN" she whis-
pered. 'sIf survive this waltz / will
be back here; so don't go away"
My eyes met hers; smiled and nodded
and then she was gone. And all at
once it occurred to me how dark and
dreary the place had grown-what dull
affair the Champion ball had become
and how missed Kitty Hathaway. :
And then something else occurred to
me also-something that came crushing
down upon me with sudden force, near
ly depriving me of my senses. awoke
all at once to the fact that loved her
/. Alan Gordon, who had long looked
upDn love and marriage as a remote con-
accident which must be-
fall me some time. but not now. Oh, no!
was my own master; a fortune of
half million had fallen to me a year
ago, and was quite alone in the world
save for my mothor. She had given up
the hope of my falling in love, for not
the slightest fancy had ever troubled
the peaceful waters of my existence.
But was awake at last to the knowl-
edge that while had been dreaming
love had stolen in at the door of my
heart, and aroused myself to realiza-
tion of the truth when it was too late to
bar the intruder out.
While sat there, with Kitty's or
chids in my hand, my eyes dreamily
watching the floating white robed fig
ure-she was all in white, a feecy,
gauzy, diaphanous material striped with
silver threads-and occasionally inter-
cepting a sly glance from the merry
brown eyes from over her partners
Mrs. Champion, with her
daughter Clara in tow, made her way
with difficulty to my side.
"Dear me, Alan, what place to sit,
to be sure!" Mrs. Champion had known
NE all my life, and always addressed me
by my given name. You have not met
Clara since her return from school. My
DEAR" with a swift glance into Miss
Ciara's face, "this is your old school
mate and playfellow, Alan Gordon.
You are five years her senior, Alan.
Now l am going to leave you two to re-
new old friendship, while l go to Mrs.
Marcy yonder. l declare, the old lady
is looking faint and ill.,
mo wonder; the atmosphere is sti-
fling" thought, as made way for Miss
Clara, who sunk into the seat at my
side which Kitty had vacated.
A slender, painfully slender, young
lady was Miss Clara Champion, with
pale blue eyes and pale yellow hair, and
an air of languor.
''Just see Kitty Hathaway ejaculat-
ed that young lady; show overdressed
she is, and she dances all the time! See,
she is flirting with young Granger!"
looked; how could help it? Had |
not been looking at every opportunity
while the dancers danced and the sweet
waltz music surged upon the perfumed
air2 Yes, it looked like flirting, for Kit
ty's eyes were uplifted to Granger's
handsome face, and the very manner of
the little witch convinced me that there
was mischief brewing. All, well! she