The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-09-13

ty's face. leaving only the ashes OF
hopeless despair Then she asked.
"Shef WhOr'
'Why, Kitiie Harper. OF course. You
surely know that / meant herr
kittie Harper. the gayest little black
eyed debutante that had danced that
season. and the foremost OF the fiatter
Ing cOquettes that had practiced their
budding Establishments on the gallant
old major:
Yes, OF course, knew. but you see
II wanted 10 make you confess" she
replied, at last. with n laugh that
would have Weakened any more sane
man. Then she went frantlcally on In
reply 20 the unsuspirious mans eager
questions:
mo, she never really told me-but-
| know when woman loves"
All this time the elated major was
/ putting on his coat aud gloves. and az
last lie asked. with a return Of his old.
| time c0urtlness:
Il want 10 thank you. Miss Hetty.
for you have done me the greatest Ia
vor woman ever did man. II IL old.
fashioned now. know, but both Of us
hTe old enough 90 remember, are we
not, when a gentleman showed his re-
spect aud homage to lady by kissing
| her handf'
Without n word she extended her
poor. trembling little hand. and he laid
his lips rcyerently 90 her cold fingers.
| Hut she could keep IN no longer. and
I the startled major heard first q stlned
Sigh, then moan. and al last a great.
/ cruel sob rose 10 her pale. qulvering
llps. and Miss Il"ity had betrayed ner
self.
MAJ. Doane staggered back aud his
/ face grew terribly white.
Il beg your forgiveness n thousand
times. madam" he said nc last. Ia o
low. strange voice. 4 never dreamed
until This Instant -"
hut Miss Ilctty Eat bolt upright Ia
her higll-hacked chair. clutching the
carved lion heads on It's arms. and
raised 10 him her poor. hurt eyes, wild
with desperate appeal.
"Will you please 20. Maj. Duanef
/ And as for df aiming you are mlstak-
en-, for there Is nothing for you 10
I DREAM Ihen she rose from her deep
chair. still holding the Hons heads till
her nails bit into the hard polish, and
I said.
And please tell-Klttie that Miss
I lletty sends hcr-blesslng.
l lie closed the door behind him %
I gently as though there were someone
dead IN the little brown cottage.
/ The fire on the shallow crate had
died 10 low. even glow when Miss
| lletty finally stirred from the high.
backed char. and took from its place
the dear little painting Of the dead
owner Of the house which now shel.
tered her. Propplng Il ~ on the low
table Ia front Of her. she sat the vlo-
lets beneath. and then knelt down be-
fore 10. bending her tired little head 10
her qulyering hands. The last emhcr
ON the hr turned black the light Ia
the roSy-shaded lamp buried lower aud
lower and finally nickered out. The
servants NJ az the blg house felt no
apprehension az the non.appearancc Of
Us mistress. as she had told them she
would spend the night with a friend
farther down tne block The hours
crept On. the storm mcked the little
brwn cottage. the dawn revealed che
crooked old steps drlf,ed high with
snow.
They found her that morning. with
the dim light falling iclly on her tiny.
gray facc. Just above was the canvas
with the other dead eyes and lips. but
there was no CLEAN like the morning
glories In the sweet. pathetic. fragmni
loneliness u the violets against which
the silent woman's weary cheek rested