The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-04-04
SELECTED STORY.
kitty's Namesake.

"Tbe rain is coming down in foods,''
said young girl, peering out into the
pitchy darkness.
A barrack ground (still and ugly I'M
der the most favorable of circum.
stances), looking like some vast desert
waste in the bowling wind and driving
rain, was just visible.
why Aunt Bell" she continued,
pausing with one hand on the shutter,
"here is a name scratched on this
pane of glass. l never noticed it till
this minute.'
"What is the name?" asked the old
lady, indifferently, half asleep in her
coy armchair by the Preside.
" kim l-o.c-h TX inloch. Scots
Greys, 1885," read the girl; "and
then Kitty written very badly just
below"
Kinlochl Kittyl" said Aunt Bell.
starting up with sudden interest. "Why,
that must be the same mani" Then
she sank back again, murmuring: cab,
Kitty, there was love in those days,
and romance, tooW
els there no love, now?" said her
niece, coming to her aunt's side and
kneeling down on the hearthrug.
The ruddy flames and glow from the
fire lit up the girls chestnut hair, fair
complexion and bright hazel eyes.
Aunt Bell looked lovingly down at
the piquant little face held up to her.
and said: "Now and again we meet
some of the right kind; but would you
like to hear the story of that namesake
of yours, Kitty"
Very much"
Well, fifty years ago, as you can
easily reckon, | was girl of sixteen,
and was invited to spend the summer
months with my aunt, who then had
one of the finest houses in the county
of Kildare.
"Several regiments were stationed at
the camp and at the peighboring vii
lage, so you may imagine the girls of
the party, and | looked forward to hav-
ing gay time. Oh, those few short
summer months, Kitty! l grow young
when | think of them! The rides across
the Curragh in the fresh morning air,
when in parties of ten or twelve we
would gallOp for miles on those breezy
stretches of emerald turf; the hand
some officers who enjoyed having hide
and seek in the dusky evening hours
all over the old-fashioned house, start
ing out of the corners and from be-
hind doors and chasing us breathless
down the slippery oaken corridors.
Then, tired out, we would stroll into
the gardens, and under the trees there
would be songs, limitations and whis-
pered condolences and promises made
by the score and never fulfilled
What mad, merry time it was
And the maddest, the merliest, the
handsomest OF all was a Young Scotch
lieutenant, Kinloch Kinloch. His
mother was Irish and had beuueathed
to him her good looks and propensity
for joking. And now for Kitty, the
heroine. She was the daughter of an
old gardener who lived about a mile |
away from my aunts house, and of all |
dlstractingly pretty women who have |
made men do foolish things, l am sure
Kitty was one of the prettiest."
What was she like?'
No description could come up to |
the original, but can tell you that she
had the Irish blue eyes, a complexion
like milk, hair of the brightest and
silkiest chestnut, curling all over brow
and neck, and slender, upright figure
that was the envy of half our girls.
One day, as large party of us were
standing chattering under the trees,
kltty passed US with a basket OF fruit
klnlocb for the first time noticed
the girl, and seemed struck dumb with
amsZ ment.
=" He stood at little distance and
kept lis eyes fixed on her.
=" 1t was love from that moment, and
every one noticed it.
"All the other young fellows, of
course, Immediately swarmed around
the glrl's basket, and began helping
themselves without so much as By your
leave
Kitty began expostulating, but they
put her off.
g. Sure, Kitty said one, sand Won
would like US to have the best, ri be
bound
And another, Malone, one kiss
from that cheek with the bloom of the
peach upon it will save you from these
rascally thieves, for l will fight them
all for such favor!'
But Kitty would not be bribed, and
seemed about 10 resign herself to the
loss OF her fruit, when Kinloch shout
dered his way into the group, and, Civ
ing The last speaker friendly push.
cried, : Leave the girl alone, Grantl'
And then, turning to Kitty, took the
basket out her hands, saying, 1t is too
heavy for your little arms, and there
Will come no one stealing your fruit
now, Pm thinkingl'
THANK YOU said Kitty, gratefully,
and walked along by his side.
That is the first time have seen ]
my lady allow any one to fetch or 6
carry for her, said my brother.
:, - There is no gainsaying Kinloch, ]
then, as | can tell you, Harry cried,
: for he always gets his own way in what !
he wants.
Sc Especially when it has to do with l
pretty girls!' sneered Grant. c
60 Treasonl' we all shouted, in I
breath. Kinloch is the same to us all. q
to every body of course, said !
Grant, recovering his temper, but are b
you not all pretty girls?' i
"We laughed and did not DENY the h
soft impeachment; 80 the momentary
breach was healed.
"That WAS the last time we not;ood | 4