Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-06-10
fer 10 New orleans and this letter wa.

fer to New Orleans, and this letter was
a revelation. Esther took il up 10 her
mothers room and strove 70 make her
understand its purport, "katesie" sit
ting silently, and, at first scornfully
by. Mrs Walton's faculties seemed too
dazcd TO follow, and Esther had 10 re-
iterate and explain. Then the doctor
came, and the hale old gentleman's
ewes filed as he read "That young fell
low is a trump said he, referring 10
Lambert; and he, too, bent over the
gentle invalid and whispered hope and
courage. Later, when Kate was wanted.
it was found she had quilted the room.
Esther discovered her after consider
able search, shirering in room up
stairs. She wouldn't talk, but that
evening came to tea.
For several days Miss Kate contrived
TO hold aloof from the general conver-
sation, but it was hard fight against
every natural impulse. Before the end
of the week her resolution had failed
her utterly, and time and again her
ready tongue had challenged Lambert
TO debate; and now, TO her chagrin, it
was he who declined. When formally
presented to MY sister, Miss Walton"
by Mrs. Scroggs, the young gentleman
had bowed very low and had striven to
be civil. As they sat facing each other,
and only the width of the table apart,
her downcast eyes and determined ST.
lence proved embarrassing, even though
long, curving, sweeping lashes and
flushed cheeks appeared, perhaps, to
dangerous advantage. "Aw pshaw!"
said Cousin Bart that evening, as he
and Lambert were smoking the pipe of
peace and the young fellow ventured a
fear that he had offended the damsel in
the butter business, lust you pay no
attention to that child for a day or
two, an see how quick she'll come
round. She just wants 10 be huffy,
She'll be hawbly cut up when she finds
you don't notice her" Potts had not a
little worldly wisdom when he wasn't
drinking, and since his installation as
cx-officio head of the house he hadn't
touched u drop. Lambert was begin
ming to like him very much, but
couldn't induce him to come over TO
camp. az can't stand that captain of
yours" was his sole explanation.
From frigid silence on Katesie's part
TO occasional monosyllable and thence
to brief and caustic comments on the
remarks of her sister and cousin the
transition was easy; but now that Lam
bert addressed no remarks whatever to
her, yet chatted smilingly with the
others, the girls position became ex-
asperating. She was willing enough, at
the start, to keep at wide distance, but
that anybody should presume TO hold
her there was very different matter;
in fact, simply intolerable. Esther
noted in silent amusement how the girl
began TO display unaccustomed So
licitude as TO the fit of her gown, the
effect of such poor little efforts at or
namentation as her simple store of lace
or ribbon afforded. Such quaint, old
fashioned bows and hounces as came
forth, such queer combinations of shade
and colorl Esther caught her more
than once glancing up shyly from under
the long lashes and looking furtively at
her vis-a-vis, for Lambert, with malice
prepense and aforethought, began tell
Ing Mrs. Scroggs of the bellies and
beauties of last summer at the Point,
and one evening when the verbalblo
ade had lasted perhaps three days he
turned to Esther as they were rising
from the table-and IL 1t twasn't taking
mean advantage of defenseless foe,
what would be2
II brought over these two to show
you, Mrs. Scroggs," said he, producing
some carte-de-visite photographs from
an envelope. This Is Miss Fordham,
who was considered the prettiest girl
at Cozzens' this year, though TINT fash
ionable street suit is perhaps less be-
coming TO her than evening dress. And
this is Miss Torrance. I think / told
you thnt our ladies are no longer wear
ing crinoline, and that these short
dresses are worn even for calling In the
daytime"
And Katie Walton was halted Mt the
threshold as she would have left the
room. What woman could resist peep
at these pictures of eigning bellies
garbed in the height of the fashion %
the day-n fashion these fair southern
sisters had never seen. and hal only
vaguely heard of Cousin Bart could
have laughed outright when he caught
a glimpse of katesie's face, but merci-
fully refrained. She flushed, stopped,
bit her lip, turned and fairly ran up
stairs, but came down five minutes
later, as Lambert knew she would,
looking for book" and Esther.
yearning over her, called her sister TO
her side. Looking Mt northern girls
pictures want making friends with
their friends anyhowl "Ah don't see
anything pretty in that one" was
katesie's prompt comment And Alb
couldn't be hi-uhd TO weah gown liko
that" But Lambert felt that he had
won the day, and tthe next evening
fetched over n whole album full. "Ce
nest que le premier pas" etc. Miss
Walton, having looked at two, conclud-
ed she might as well see the others, but
she never meant to ask questions about
thcm-as she had 10 when Esther went
In 10 see what moh would llloe for her
tea. Cousin Bart had brought In u bag
of plump and tempting "partridges"
that evening, and was beginning to
puzzle Esther very much, when she re
membcrcd how impccunious person
Bart had ever been, to account For the
supplies which he began to fetch from
town.
And 30 things were going trlfic bet
ter at the old homestead towards the
end of December. Hopeful letters came
from Walton. The Parmelee party
were having difficulty In getting roli-
nble evidence against him; his friends
were making him entirely comfortable
IN his confinement, and his lawyer as
mrcd him that his release would be
effected in very few days. Floyd wrote
that mn nid-dc-camp of the general com
manding had come with Lieut.. Waring
10 sce him, and 10 say that his casc wns
being investigated and that, as yet, no
charges had been preferred by the COM
mander of his troop. Little delicacics
and Injuries In the way OF ten, jellies,
preserves md wine-things 10 which
they had been strangers since early In
the war--were finding their way In and
greatly comforting the invalid mother,
and. could their doctor but say the dear
lady was really mcnding, the girln
would hnve had hope md courage, but
the doctor could not say.
1--WE got 10 go TO Quitman for two
days on business, Esther" said Cousin
Bart one keen morning, land reckon
I'll ask DIR. Talconcr 10 come back with
me, 4 you don't mind. and have n day
ut the birds. They'll all be gone In q
week \ this weather Keeps on"