The record-union., 1893-06-24
REIBA, TIE COTTAGE MAID.
Written for the RECORD-UNIoN by "The
Mountain Girln1

Written for the REcoRD-UNIoN by "The
Mountain Girl."l
Papa, papa" The sweet childish
voice rang through the hall and reached
the. Earl's ears as he sat alone in his
study gazing abstractedly into the fire
which burned cheerfully in the CRATE.
Looking at him, as he sits thus, we see a
man apparently 50 years of age, his form
still upright and his eyes bright; his
hair streaked with gray, but the beard of
a deep brown, dark as when he was
young.
The freight played about him, light
ing the large room and causing the shad-
Ows to play hide-and-seek in the corners
and behind the heavy tapestry.
Poor George" he muttered, "how
strange that we have never heard from
him. Hayward youth No doubt he
has long since passed the Golden Gate"
AS his little daughters voice reached
him he reused himself from his reverie,
and opening the door answered, Here,
my darling"
Little Katherine tripped into the room,
and, seating herself upon her father S
knee, wound her arms lovingly about his
neck and chartered away like young
magpie.
No wonder the father loved her. She
was all he had. At his death she would
be Lady Katherine Crayton," for the
Earl of Crayton had no son, and even had
he one the estate always went to the eld-
est child, whether male or female. The
present Earl was not the eldest child, but
his older brother, wild, wayward youth,
had left home when boy, and for twenty
years they had heard from him only
once, when he had sent a widow lady and
her child-a girl-to the Earl, his father,
and asked him TO befriend her as she had
once done him great service.
Mrs. Lotion had found a steady friend
IN the old Earl, and now that he was dead,
in his son VIII, who placed her in one
OF the cottages near the Hall and watched
over her at all times.
Mrs. Lotion was middle-aged, quiet
little woman, and the little child, year
old when she came, he had hardly seen to
notice. His own little Kathie was the
light of his life, and he had no thought
Tor the little stranger.
When Kathie was 3 years of age, and
the little girl at the cottage /, the Earl's
wife died and left him almost broken
hearted. He could not find room in his
heart for any beside Kathie, and so the
years rolled on until Kathie was IL and
the little maid at the cottage II.
1t is the evening before Kathie's Ilth
birthday that she is sitting with her
father in the large study. AT length she
speaks very earnestly:
Papa, I am going to ask favor, and 1
want you to promise to let me do as L
ask"
Her father laughed and gave the de-
sired promise, thinking she wished for a
new frock, or for money for the poor
children of the village, never dreaming
that that promise so given wbuld change
their whole lives.
You know, papa" said the little girl.
Tomorrow is my birthday and Leon is
coming TO tea"
Now let me explain who Leon is. OPP
posfte the Craytou estates lay another
estate fast going to waste for means to
care for it; the Earl had always desired to
purchase il, but its owner, Sir Leon
Humphrey, would no more have parted
with it than he would have severed his
hand from his wrist.
But" said he, when talking to the
Earl, "you know, VIII, my name is as
good as yours and my blood as old. A
title could have had had I so desired.
If you are willing, and the children are
NOT opposed to one another as they grow
older, we will unto our estates by joining
their hands"
Thus it was that Leon Humphrey, Jr.,
and little Kath1e Crayton were betrothed
almost from their cradle, and thus he
and then the plan was to be made known
10 the children and their sanction to it
asked.
"Well," said the Earl, Leon is coming
to tea and bring his father"
And" continued Kathie, there is
just one other person l want to ask to
come to tea and stay the night with
me-"
Pray, who?" said the Earl.
"Reiba Lotion, the little girl at the cot
tage," responded Kathie,
Her father stared in amazement for a
moment, and then said:
"SuTe enough there is little girl there.
had forgotten her entirely. Imust look
after her better. But, my child, do you
know this little girl?''
80, yes, papa. 1 have seen her many
times among the flowers in their garden.
and she always looks so lonely and sad
She never plays with the village children
and l think her face so sweet Nav l.
papa? Do say yes"
The Earl gave his consent, reluctantly it
IS true, but kathie was satisfied, and
danced away to bed that she might be up
early the next morning and 60 for Refba,
the cottage maid.
Let us follow Kathie this bright morn
ing in October. The once green trees are
crimson and gold. The leaves rustic un-
der foot, dry and crisp. The sun is
bright, and the birds sing in the trees
overhead gladdening the ear and heart
with their music. kathie trips along the
path till she comes within sight of the
cottage gate, and there she pauses to see
if Reiba is in sight. Soon she sees her
among the flowers along the walk, and
then she goes in.
'pve come for you, Reiba, "calls Kathie.
"Pve come to take you up to the Hail to
take tea and stay all night with me. Papa
said might"
At these words Reiba's eyes begin to
dance and then fill with tears. so, may l
conner" The d5ealn of her life had been
10 enter the stately Hall.
Having gained Mrs. Lotions permis-
sion the children slowly went their way
to the Hall-Kathie happy at having
Reiba near her, and Reiba silent in won
der if il all be true, and she was really to
enter the grand old Hall.
There is a marked contrast between the
Earls only child and the little cottage
girl, Kathie's hair of bright gold and her
deep eyes sparkling in the sunlight and
happiness OF her soul; her beautifully
shaped lips revealing pearly teeth when
she smiled; dehcately-arched eyebrows
and dainty retTouSSe nose, dimpled
hands and exqusitely-shaped feet.
Reiba's hair is a dull red; her ewes.
really beautiful, are dark, wine brown,
her complexion pale but freckIed; her
mouth gracious but large; a nose purely
Grecian; her hands tinely-shaped and
strong, and her feet, well-kathie herself
could not boast Of smaller, more beauti-
fully-shaped foot than Reiba.
on entering the Hall Kathieis first
question was:
HAS Leon cOme2D