The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1894-09-27
CHAPTER 1.
wiIful Girl.


concluding. her slightly mutinous speech
with hurried bitterness, and turning
aside to the window as an ominous
rising In her throat gave warning that
II was high time her eloQuence should
come to an end.
1T Is utterly out of the question,
interrupted her father. languidly, so
put 1t out of your head once for all.
could not let yol have a farthing
just now-eyen supposlng 1t We're .
matter of life or death-being as hard
up as | well can be; my usual condition,
by the by. Look here, Katherine, IL
harrington calls while am away,
send him up to the square field, will
you, where / am going about those
partridges? Come, Belle Gallant, get
up, you lazy disturbing with
his foot. as he finished speaking, two
magnificent pointers as they lay doing
beside his chair.
The coolness of the refusal, know
ing, as she did, how idly and seltishly
her fathers money was spent, together
with his whole bearing, reused Miss
Blount's quick temper beyond control
1T would be better for you to give
up your hunters and dogs and dress
your daughter properly than to go on
living beyond your means in the dis
honorable way you are doing" she
cried. passionately. her fine eyes fash
ing.
THAT is Just one of the many points
on which you and so totally disagree.
Archibald Blount answered pleasantly,
no whit moved from his, usual calm
gentlemanly demeanor by his daugh-
ter's yehemence, moving indolently out
OF the room as he concluded, and clos
ing the door with almost womanly gen.
tleness behind him.
When he was gone the girl clinched
her small hands tightly together to.
keep down the rebellious tears, and,
leaning her head back against the shut
ter. strove hard to suppress the feelings
that rose SO angrily within her.
AS she thus stood, battling bravely
with her thoughts, the dazzling August
sun shone brightly down upon her,
flushing her head and face and figure
with its gay warmth, so as literally to
frame her in its yellow gold-and q
very beautiful little face 1t was to
frame, richly tinted, changeable and
passionate. expressing only too clearly
at times the secret workings Of her
heart
Numerous were the victims who cried
for quarter to Miss Blount; indeed, she
had it very much her own way with
the sterner sex, few being able to with
stand her tender, wild, childish beauty,
even hardy veterans giving in hope
lessly to the little queen who thinned
their ranks SO mercilessly. Old and
young, grave and gay, succunDed with
cut murmur to her smiles.
With women, however, she scarcely
got on so well, her exquisite unsatisf1ed
face being no passport to their favor.
They could see no charm in it for their
part-voted her OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
bly, fast-barely good-looking," accord
ing to each speakers view of the case,
and sought ito keep her down" with all
their might, though to no purpose;
for, cfter employing all the energy
they were capable of to reduce her to
the common level, they were fain to
confess that Katherine needed them
not. She lived her life alone, careless
of their appreciation or the reverse, and
but for Harriet Charters would, in
eli probability, have possessed no fe-
male friend.
Her father, Archibald Blount, was
cold, worldly, and selfish to the hearts
| core. No love for his beautiful child
ever warmed or frightened the stag
nant feelings of his breast; she was
| Heretofore his eyes-the living image
of her dead mother, but to him she was
| little more than an encumbrance, the
| UNIV ished for consequence of regret
ted marriage.
1t was small wonder the girl should
under the circumstances, pay but little
| outward respect to his wishes or com
1 mands, though in her inmost heart
| there lay hidden for him a lasting love,
| far stronger than even she herself be
| Iieyed could possible have existed fol
/ the father who held her in such slight
1 estimation, and spent his time in racing
/ or betting, or gambling away the small
| income-a remnant of his once princely
| fortune-that sufdced to keep them
/ from utter restitution.
1 Leaning back, now, with her head
against the woodwork of the window
| she almost swore to herself that nc
| love dreams should come between hel
and her hopes of earthly riches; and
| as she thought with bitter earnestness
i her revery was suddenly broken IL
upon by the entrance of young mar
of four-and-twenty, who. coming oVe1
to the window, sank lazily into chair
directly opp site to her. For momen
he gazed woraleringly at the girl:
half avertad sorrowful face, WHEREOF
the recent tears had left their silen
traces; after which scrutiny he inquired
without any very great regard to ths
selection of his language:
| NV +
For goodness sake, why cannot vel
speak proper English?" Miss Bloun
| asked. pettishly, gla acing swiftly rount
from the window as she spoke. What
ut--now how ami to understand wha
| you mean by that, unless with
short Iaugh-''you meant my temper
That is up to oil intents and pur
| roses. l allow you. Did you neal
Iit?"
"No. my dear, I did not" the youn,
man answered, calmly; II am onl,
anxious to learn what ii Is that ha
grieved you during my absence. Wi
you tell me?"
what is the use?'' Miss Blount in
, uuirad, still with the sense of injury III
upon her. you cannot help me, an
most probably, If / told you my griey
Il
, men consider girl frivolous if she haT
pens to wish for little more than til
common necLssaries of life"
There is an exception TO every rul'
SO put me out of that list" her con
) panion answered getting up trout III
seat and possessing himself of one {
the little nervous hands that for til
/ past few minutes had bees endeayorin
| most laudably to work a hole In til
andkerchief they held. 81 do not b
long to it, as could hardly think yo
! | frivolous even IL I tried, or--or an.
thing else unpleasant, fancy, 50 tie
! me your misfortune, and let me ASST
! you IL / can"
"Well, 1t Is all about the Taunton
ball." the girl murmured. Il cannot !
because / have no dress nice enoug
ond papa will rot give me new OF
: that's all; so now confess at once TIL;
you think me ridiculous, and hay
. done with it,"
Poor little thingv' was all the 9th,
said, but iiis eyes wandered out to Il