The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-04-04
Here Aunt Bell stopped.

firm and would listen to none.
3" AT last the young fellows grew
weary of their fruitless attempts at love-
making, and the greater part left her
alone.
A few, more unkind, would ask
when she expected her young gentle
man home, and tainted her in cutting
speeches and insinuations.
Nine years went by, and then there
came the battle of Waterloo, when Of
ficers and men went down in hundreds
together.
"Still no word from Kinloch, and
kitty's heart, Which had never failed
in its lightness nor her step in it's
speed, now sank and faltered for the
| first time.
Early in the next year-in fact, on
New Years night-the officers gave a
ball; and every girl and young man for
miles around was invited
Girls were in great demand, and /
went down to my aunt's house espe-
cially for that night.
" was anxious to see Kitty myself
and to find out how the years had
passed over her head.
You think, perhaps, twenty-six was
rather old to be called girl--do you,
Kitty?
Well, felt almost the same as /
did when | was sixteen, and quite as
ready to enjoy dance or Irritation,
| can assure you.
Kate Daly-that was her name
went to help the ladies unshawl them
selves, and to be ready with needle and
thread when an unhappy damsel with
torn skirt or flounce should require her
assistance.
4" She was then twenty-eght, and the
young girlish beauty had developed
into the most lovely of women. Only
when her face was at rest, and you
caught the suspicion of an anxious heart
upon 1t, would you have guessed her
age.
"She wore a pale tea-rose-tinted
gown, with ruffles of lace of her own
making at the neck and sleeves.
" 1t was a wild and stormy night
without, just such one as this, but it
only served to enhance the brightness
and animation of the scene within.
1.-The dancing of the high-heeled
shoes and the silvery laughter rose
higher than the wall of the wind, and
the tinkling wine cups drowned all
sound of rain.
Suddenly there was a lull; we
stopped in our dances; a chill blast
seemed to have entered the room; we
turned and saw a silent, dark figure
standing in the doorway.
He was tall and handsome, but his
large black cloak, carelessly slung over
his shoulder, was dripping with the
rain and making large pools on the
floor His legs, booted and spurred,
were mud up to the hips.
just at the moment the clock struck
twelve, and the year 1916 had begun.
Some OF the more eXcitabe girls
screamed and IAN behind their partners.
" Was it an apparition? Was it an
Ill omen for the coming year?"
"' l seem to brighten you, good peo-
Pile. Does nobody know me?'
in jug of iced claret at another door.
She heard the voice and turned
round, trembling, with wild cry. kin
loch, Kinloch, l knew you would come
oackP And amid crash of breaking
glass-for she let the vessel slip from
her hand.-she bounded to his side,
then disappeared in the folds of the
q eat cloak"
How splendid, Aunt Bell?" said her
niece, drawing deep breath; "but if |
she married him then, do not see why
she should not have done so before"
All, but she was a wise girl, little |
one; she knew it would test his con-
stancy and prove he really loved her.
A young mans love at twenty one Gas
she knew very welD would not be his
choice at thirty-one."
"'What became of them, auut?'
son, they married and travelled
about good deal, and finally both
lie d out in India within few months
Of each other. There was one son. and
believe he is in the army also. Come,
Kitty, shall 60 to bed, and not wait
up any longer for your father"
There is new lieutenant coming
n Mr.. Perry's place." said her niece as
he babe her goodnight.
The young men are not VIII at thew
lsed to be-" sighed the old lady. Some
little whipper.snapper, I'll be bound,
With feet that would 60 in your slippers.
Goodnight, childie."
Kitty went slowly downstairs and
'ondered over in her mind the story
# the beautiful Kate Daley and the
aithful Kinloch. She went to the win
low and undid the shutter. She pic
ured to herself the young man coming
the window and scratching his name
pon the glass, and taking the girls
and in his own, slowly guiding it just
elow.
She leaned in the deep shadow of the
and strove to realize each
Gene in the little drama. There under
hat very door stood the black-robed
CURE they had all " shrunk away from
a the midst of their mirth Whatp Was
he dreaming? What stood there at
hat very moment?
A figure darker than the gloom of
ne room. The rain poured in floods
Inside, and the winds whistled and
loaned round the corners of the
ouse.
The figure came little further into
he room. She saw, by the misty light,
e was tall man with dark cloak
YER his shoulders, booted and spurred,
18th mud up to his hips.
She felt as il the whole scene was tn