Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-04-02

mont al lmhalIa-tnC boy with hand
some face and no prospects.
Kitty liked CubbOn more than lit
tie. He never pretended for moment .
that he was anything less than head over
heels i'll love with her, for he was an
honest boy. So Kitty fled, now and !
again, from the stately wooings of Barr |
Saggott to the company of young Cub !
bon and was scolded by her mamma in /
consequence But, mother, she said, |
MIR. Saggott is suCh-such ais so |
fearfully ugly, you know
MY dear. said Mrs. Beighton pious-
ly, 1--WE cannot be other than an all rul |
ing Providence has made ms. Besides,
you will take precedence of your own
mother, you know. Think Of that and
be reasonable. -
Then Kitty put up her little chin and
said irreverent things about precedence
aud commissioners and matrimony. Mr..
BeiRhtnn rubbed the top of his head,
for he was an easy going man.
Late i'll the season, when he Judged
that the time was ripe, Barr Saggott de-
veloped plan which did great credit to
his administrative powers He arranged
an archery tournament for ladies. with
most sumptuous diamond studded brace
let as prize. He drew up his terms skill
fully, and every ono saw that the brace
let was Il gift to Miss Beighton, the ac-
CoptanCe carrying with it the hand and
the heart of Commissioner Barr Sag
gOtt. The terms were u st. Leonard's
round-36 shots at 60 yards-under the
rules of the Simla TOXOphilite society.
All Simla was invited. There were
beautifully arranged tea tables under
the deodars at Annandale. where the
! grand stand is now, and, alone in its
glory, winking in the sun, sat the dia-
mOnd bracelet i'll blue velvet case.
Miss BeiGhton was anXiOuS-alnost too
anXiOuS-tO compete.
On the appointed afternoon all Simla
rode down to Anuandale to witness the
judgment of Paris turned upside down.
Kitty rode with young Cubbon, and it
was easy to see that the boy was trou-
blCd in his mind. He must be held in
nOCent Of everything that followed. Kit
ty was pale and nervous and looked long
ut the bracelet Barr Saggott waSrgor-
ReOusly dressed, even more nervous than
Kitty, and more hideouS than ever.
Mrs. Beighton smiled condeScending-
ly, as befitted the mother of II potential
commissioners, and the shooting be-
gan, all the world standing a semicircle
as the ladies came out one after the
other.
Nothing is so tedious as an archery
competition. They shot, and they shot,
and they kept on shooting, till the sun
left the valley, and little breezes got up
in the deodars, and people waited for
Miss Beighton to shoot and win, Cub
bon was at one horn Of the semicircle
round the shooters and Barr Saggott at
the other. Miss Beighton was last on
the list. The scoring had been weak,
and the bracelet, plus Commissioner
Barr Saggott, was hers TO a certainty
The commissioner strung her bow
with his own sacred hands. She stepped
forward, looked ut the bracelet, and her
first arrow went true to hair-full
into the heart of the gold
nine points.
Young Cubbon OH the left turned
white, and his devil prompted Barr
Saggott to smile. Now, horses used to
shy when Barr-Saggott smiled. Kitty
saw that smile. She looked to her left
front, gave an almost imperceptible nod
to Cubbon and went OH shooting.
l wish l could describe the scene that
followed. 1t was out of the ordinary and
most improper. Miss Kitty fitted her ar
rows with immense deliberatiou. so that
every one might see what she was do
ing. She was perfect shot, and her &c
pound bow suited her to n nicely.
She pinned the wooden legs of the
target with great care four successive
times. She pinned the wooden top of the
target once, and all the ladies looked at
each other.
Then she began some fancy shooting
at the white. which, if you hit il, counts
exactly one point She put five arrows
into the white. 1t was wonderful arch
cry; but, seeing that her business was
to make "golds" and win the bracelet,
Barr Saggott turned a delicate green
like young water grass.
Next, she shot over the target twice,
then wide to the left twice-always
with the same deliberation-while a
chilly hush fell over the company, and
Mrs. Beighton took out her handker-
chief. Then Kitty shot at the ground in
front Of the target and split several ar
rows.
Then she made a red-or seven points
just to show what she could do if she
liked, and she finished up her amazing
performance with some more fancy
shooting at the target supports Here is
her score as it was pricked off Miss
Beighton-Gold, l; red, /; blue, D.;
black, 0; white, 8; total hits, z; total
score, 81.
Bars aggott looked as if the last few
arrowheads had been driven into his legs
instead of the targets, and the deep still
ness was broken by a little snubby,
mottled, half grown girl saying in q
shrill voice of triumph, Then I've
won -
Mrs. BeightOn did her best to bear
, up, but she wept i'll the presence of the
people. No training could help her
through such disappointment. Kitty
unstrung her bow with a vicious jerk
and went back To her place while Barr
Saggott was trying to pretend that he
enjoyed swapping the bracelet on the
snubby girls raw, red wrist. It was an
awkward scene-most awkward Every
one tried to depart in body and leave
Kitty to the mercy of her mamma
But CubbOn took her away instead,