The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1894-09-27
Katherine BlOunt S love.
Nv The Duchess.

/ shall be reconciled to my fate; but
and here the softness vanished, the
old hard look taking Its place
swear that IL | can avoid it, 1 Will
not end my days in this kind of pow
erty; shall marry riches, or not at
ALL
He dropped her hand hurriedly, al
most rudely, and turned away.
Money does not always mean hap
piness,. he sal.
But poverty is always unhappi-
ness" she retorted quickly.
s'Tita," he reasoned after moments
pause she generally went the name
of .sTita"-short for Titania-with her
two most intimate friends, on account
OF her fairy-like proportions-''T ita, do
not place too much dependence upon
riches; they win fail you In the end
my dearest-believe me. they will
whereas love that never dies, and a
bare sufficlency, win carry you
through all difficulties"
"As, for instance?' she asked half
mocxingly But whatever his senti-
ments on the subject of that much dis
cussed topic, "a sufficiency," might be,
she was never doomed to hear them,
as at this juncture the door was once
more opened slowly to admit Archi-
bald B1ount He advanced in his us
ual well-bred manner until he had
reached the table, whereupon he de-
posted piece of crumpled paper.
81 have changed my mind Rather
ine," he said. Here Is ten-pound note
for you; so you can go to this much
coveted ball, IL you wish"
''Oh, papa" exclaimed Miss Blount,
regretting bitterly now all the hasty
words and thoughts she had been In
dulging in, forgive me! do not de
serve your kindness, I know, after
what 1 said to you few minutes ago;
but believe me, / am very grateful
to you" Yet still she did not move
forward to kiss him, as perhaps
more beloved daughter would have
done.
s'Do not distress yourself, my dear"
her father replied, with the faintest re-
Election Of sarcasm in his voice. II am
so well accustomed to your numerous
little tender speeches that they ceased
to embarrass me long ere this;" and so
saying he went out closing the door
carefully behind him.
II have wronged him." Miss Blount
said, with extreme compunction, when
she was again alone with her cousin.
Il have wronged him greatly both in
word and thought; but that Is just
like me. is it nOt-So ready to judge, so
quick to condemn, and never hesitat-
ing a moment to think before speak?
All, If / could only change my nature
In some things, J. do believe In the end
might learn to be .EappyI'' ~ ~ y
And are you not happy now, Tita 2"
Blackwood asked, gazing down with
Ill speakable tenderness upon the dis
consulate little person beside him,
who, with folded hands and moistened
eyes, looked blankly out Of the win
| dow; and as she spoke he took her
| chin between his hands, SO turning her
face toward him.
Not as happy as I might be-" she
answered, glancing back into the face
| above her own-as brave, kindly and
true a face as woman need care to see
mot as happy as most of the girls l
| know. Do you know at times I am
even miserably DISCONTINUED with my
lot But there-it is my portion in this
| life to have trouble, / suppose, SO /
dare say by and by I shall get used to
| it,
Katherine" said Blackwood, wistful-
ly, my darling, / cannot bear to hear
/ you talk like this. / wish to heaven /
had it in my power now to shield you
from every grief and pain; but at pres
ent what can do? Perhaps afterward
lin time-if you win wait little
HUSH Miss Blount interrupted
him quickly, eagerly, laying her hand
with unconscious vehemence upon his
\ rHyhi1f n nf int o1,o
across her face. Hush, Blackwood-
you must not speak to me like that! i
/ viii not have it. You are my cousin
my brother-the dearest girl could
have, but nothing more-never any
thing more"
The expression of Blackwoods eyes
changed.
DO not pretend to make any mis-
take he said, almost sternly, unloos-
ing her fingers from his arm and hold
ing them firmly between his own.
You know as well as I do that, for
everything the world contains, l would
not be your brother. You know also
that / will be to you all or nothing. =
1T must be nothing, Them the girl
answered very sadly, though firmly,
but not daring this time to raise her
1 EJN9 ~ tAAksS d1lNL WlISA Sl1C WdlhCO
away slowly toward the door without
another word Arrived there, however,
she fingered -woman-like-with the
handle in her hand, to see If he would
not make some answer to her last cru.
ell speech; but she waited in vain
Blackwood made no reply; and
glancing inyoluntarily toward the
window. where the autumn sun was
cleaning brightly upon the upright fig
e. ure, she could see that the dark hand
some, loyal face was white to the very
lips.
Blackwood Craven was Miss Blount's
first cousin, as far as relationship went
but in reality he had eyer been fai
more to her than that term generally
signifies; in her babyhood he had been
hel companion, In her girlhood Il broth
er, and ever since she had reached the
age of seyenteen-now three years
since-her steady and constant lover.
His father had died when the boy
was still In his infancy, and the mother
dying some few years later, had CT II
fded the child on her death-bed to hel
Crly brother, Archibald Blount, togeth
er with a few hundred pou ads, and ri
earnest prayer that he would do The
best he c5ud for the little one. Til:
prayer Mr.. Blount attended to as care
fully as it was in his indolent, selfisI
nature to attend to anything
uncol nected with his own personal in
terests. sending his nephew to school
and from school to college, with til,
money intrusted to his care, until tht
lad lad finished his education, and hat
, come home at last, only to fall madlJ
+ in love with his beautiful cousin. Thel
, it is hard to say what would hav,
become of the handsome, restless fel
!, low had not brother of his father
come forward and, obtained for hin
a commission in Line regiment:
profession very much suited to thu
! young nan's tastes and inclinations.
/. This same relative, dying soon after
left his nephew two hundred q year
!, whereas he might quite as easily hav,
left him two thousand upon which
= and bis pay as lieutenant, Blackwoot
!, Craven found il excessively difficult I,