The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1897-01-19
AUNT JEANS MISTAKE.
DY HT:LEN FORREST GRAVES.

can artist. Shall I show You some
of my sketches?"
Aunt Jean put on her spectacles at
once.
"Well. don't object to look at
en-, said she. "But | won't promise
to buy. We got very pretty chrome
with the last pound o. tea we bought,
and Kitty cuts pictures out OF the IL
lustrated papers and paates 'em on to
store-jars.
Mr.. Leigh laughed.
''Oh, don't expect to mako sale 7"
said he. 'All these arc merely first
ideas, iotted down in the crudest of
fashions. My real object in calling
lie e this morning was to ask permits,
ZION to sketch those picturesque ruins
down by the old road"
"Ohi" said Aunt Jean; "the old
smithy. Dear, dear there amt moth.
in but n tumble.down stun wall and
few mullen stalks left there. Ef YOU
could wait till next spring. Elihue
Lewis means to put a iirst-class black
smiths shop. But you're welcome to
do oil the sketchin' you want"
KittY's eyes sparkled.
81 wish l was an artist" said she.
as she turned over the bits of mill.
board, all of which were instinct with
life and beauty
"WelI," said Aunt Jean, com.
placently, "why shouldn't you be?
dare say this young man can show you
how he does it..
Kitty looked at the young man the
young man looked at Kitty, and then
both burst into hearty peal of
laughter, to Aunt jeans great mysti-
fcation.
sob, nunty," said Kitty. still chok.
ing behind her pocket handkerchief.
that isn't the way that artists are
made"
Half an hour later Kitty Fold was
out on the green, feeding her little
downy ducklings with scalded meal.
when Judge Laughington's carriage
drove up.
Kitty let the tin pail fall in her dis.
may. To her, Miss Laughington, in
summer silk and diamonds, represent.
ed all that was elegant and adorable.
How she regretted that she still
wore her old blue gingham gown, and
that her curls were all tangled by the
sweet, soft wind
Don't run away, Kitty. DEAR" said
! Miss IIau9hin9toD, reckoning with her
ivory handled parasol "You are the
very girl that 1 want to see. NV
cousin, Mr.. Leigh, is coming down
this way to-day to sketch. l have told
him about those pretty, old ruins of
the b'acksmith's shop; so, If he comes
past here"
ooh, Miss LAughingtoD, cried
Kitty, turning rs scarlet as the big
bunch of peonies at the corner of the
house, che has come already And
Aunt Jean set him to whitewashing,
and paid him q quarter of dollar and
his dinner. Oh, how could we have
made such blunder ?"
Miss Laughin9ton laughed.
'Blunder, child! !" said she.
where's the blunder? II Horton
wants to do thing, he'll do it. If
not, the whole world couldn't compel
him."
And alter tho glistening carriage
had rolled away, Kitty Ford sat down
and cried.
judge Laughingtor's daughter
drove on to the ruined smithy, where
Mr.. Leigh was composedly "putfing
in" the lights and shadows OF the old
chimney and the mullein-stalks.
But she went back to the stately
Court with bent brow and an ill
pleased expression OF face.
Horton is so awfully eccentricl"
eQfH qlp 90 Vbaraia
ridiculous whim he will take up next"
For Mr.. Leigh had declined to ao.
cept the Inequalities OF the Court.
You always have such loads OF
company there, Antonia," said he.
'anl ! prefer quiet No-I'll come
up TO see you when the spirit moves
me but III pitch my tent in this
secluded dale. II will be better for
real, steady work"
For Kitty Ford's deep, liquid eyes
still haunted him.
" The prettiest girl ever saw 4" he
kept repeating TO himself. "a pure
| spirit, dwelling in lilly.like temple !
] must see more of her; 1 must sketch
her as Una.
So he went back that night, lust ms
/ VIE ueW was leilln8 ana tho whlppuOr-
wills beginning to sing, aud asked
Aunt Jean If he could occupy the little
room over tho kitchen, where the
brick chimney perked itself ont, and
\ the enc little window looked directly
into the bows OF the old pear tree.
"Oh, i don't care" said good Aunt
Jean. ITS Kitty that does the house.
work. She must decide"
1--WE ore plain people," said Kitty,
blushing.
Then ] may come" snid Horton
Leigh.
People wero very much surprised
when Horton Leigh brought a blue.
eyed country maiden 20 preside over
| his city mansion the next fall.
But Kitty Ford, secure in innocent
| happiness, never knew how many
tears Antonio Laughington had she'd