The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1895-01-23
THE FORTUNE-TELLER.

"Oh! papa, pfui! how can youp"

Da--!
"Oh! papa, pfui! how can youP"
The old high bailiff of Krohn pushed
away the pretty little hand that his eld-
est daughter sought to place over his
mouth.
no." he said, 'I will not keep quiet.
repeat that the whole custom of send
ing New Years cards is a d-n bad
one, and it is time to put an end to it.
What are the results of such nonsense?
"First, get my mail bag an hour
later than usual, and, secondly, it is
crammed so full with the stupid stuff
that l can hardly get it open!"
At length the old gentleman's efforts
were rewarded, the bag sprang open
and he emptied its contents with impa-
tience on the breakfast table.
"To Fraulein Katharine Won Krohn, :"
he read. "My God, are they all for
you, Kathinka?"
"Don't be so unbearable, papa, and
please don't call me Kathinka."
The old gentleman replied to his
daughters request with an unintelligi-
BILE growl and went on drinking his
coffee.
"Just look what lot there are for
mel" cried Katharine, piling the letters
up on the table in front of her and her
face lighting up with pleasure.
Are they all for you?"
"Yes, all. Now you can see what it
is to be known as beauty"
"And an heiress," added her father.
"Yes, and an heiress," she repeated
thoughtfully.
But is there nothing there for my
little Lili?" asked her father
Katharine shrugged her shapely
shoulders impatiently.
why, of course not. If a girl ex-
poets to be shown much attention she
must be little more pushing and i'm
portant."
"And an heiress. too," was the IA
theirs laconic addition to the sentence.
81 really should be very grateful, IA
ther, if you would not allude so much
to my money" was the rather curt pro-
test
Il can't help it, Katharine, when see
my little Lii here, as beautiful as the
flower that gave her the name, and
well, she is not an heiress, do you un-
| derstand? That's the whole thing"
Katharine made no answer. She was
busily studying the handwriting on the
envelopes.
A young girl who had hitherto sat
opposite to ber in silence left her seat,
went up TO the high bailitf and. putting
her fair young arms round his neck,
| gave him kiss.
A world of love shone in his eyes as
he looked at her with pleasure and
stroked her soft cheeks.
Never mind, Lili," he said, slowly.
Il am glad that you don't get such a
pile of letters, I'm grateful, too, that
you're not an heiress Perhaps then no
one will take you away from me-"
Tears came into the girls eyes, for
| though she said no word, yet the
thought that no one had e.nbered
her or cared enough for her to send her
a New Years card made her sad. But
she forced herself not to cry and tried
to conceal the few tears that would not
be kept back by kissing her father
again lovingly on the eyes and lips.
The high bailiff of Krohn, father o.
these two girls, had married twice. His
first wife, lovely, proud, but vair
woman. died soon after the birth of &
little daughter and left her the whole O
large fortune. His second wife, the
daughter of country clergyman
brought him no wealth but sweet anc
beautiful disposition. When she, too
died after two years married life h'
felt overwhelmed and had never since
wholly recovered from the blow.
Katharine, the eldest of the stepchil
dren, had just finished her Goth year
and, as she was as proud, pretty ant
Just as vain as her mother had alread,,
laughed at many proposals for her han'
and money. No one had 50 far bee
able to take her fancy.
Lii was in almost every respect tn
opposite of her sister. Small of figure
quiet and retiring, it happened that sh
was often entirely overlooked. 1t cer
tainly was not right of father to lov
one daughter more than another. Sti
he did so, and it was plain to everybod
that it was the soft, sweet, patient Ii
who was his favorite.
1t made Katharine feel annoyed t
see her father so gentle and atfectionat
toward her sister, for she said, with
sharp look at them both:
"What! kissing again! I cannot ur
derstand how you find pleasure in a
J ways lying round each others necks.
you are out of sorts, Katharine,
said her father "One of the cards yo
expected has not come, perhaps.
would almost wager that among a
those letters there is none from Baro
Horn! Eh?"
Katharine grew a shade paler {
these words.
Il certainly expected a card fro
Baron Horn,' she replied, trying
conceal her ANNOYANCE. HE surely b.