The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1898-02-05

"
that she sometimes wondered how she
managed to live upon it at all. But
nevertheless, live she did, and kept
up pretty decent appearance, too,
by dint of freshened ribbons, turned
silks, and bonnets skillfully trimmed
after the fashion of those she saw in
the Broadway mIlliners' windows, and,
as was natural enough in woman,
Miss Murray looked forward to mar
riage as the only escape from this life
of drudgery.
''For I'm tired of it all" Miss Muir
ray said to herself. 'French verbs,
Thursday compositions, German ex-
ercises and drawings in crayon and
water colors. L don't think it was
ever my vocation to teach the young
idea how to shoot. I'd a great deal
rather go out to housework, if it was
only genteel."
Miss Murray was what the world
calls ga very fine girl" Tall androsy
with deep wine-brown eyes, chestnut
hair, slightly rippled, as if stirred by
some invisible breeze, and healthy
English complexion. like rose in full
bloom. She had sort of stately grace
in her movements, that made even her
turned dresses and dyed gloves look
stylish; and altogether, Katherine
Murray was the prettiest girl in Mrs.
Leatherwing's boarding house.
''I really think you've made con-
quest of him, my DEAR" said Mrs.
Leatherwing, a lady who had been
very pretty once, and still kept up the
illusion with pearl powder, false curls
and touch of rouge.
s'Nonsense!'' said Kate, with her
eyes shining and her cheeks very
pink.
'But just look at the common sense
of the thing" persisted the landlady.
Bouquets every day; invitations to the
opera, whenever there's anything
worth hearing; new kid gloves; all the
latest novels. OF course, he means
something serious, Miss Katherine
and I'm glad of it, for he's got nice
income, and isn't much over forty,
and it's really time he thought of set
ting himself. hope, Miss RATHER
inc, when you're married to him, you
won't be too proud to notice your old
friends"
81 shall always be grateful to you
for your kindness, Mrs. Leatherwing,
whatever lot in life may await me-"
said Kate, finging both arms around
the good-natured landladys waist and
kissing her heartily.
In fact it had become, so far as ap.
pearance went, quite foregone con.
clusion. Kate was sensible girl, not
apt to fly off at tangent, nor to be
misled by mere chance concatena-
ton of circumstances; and Kate really
believed that Mr.. Appleton Arkwright
ssmeant something"
"But wonder why he doesn't pro-
poser" Kate asked herself, one night,
as she was musing, in her little, fire.
less room, after an evening among the
Italian lakes and Swiss sunsets of the
Academy of Design. She was kneel-
ing at the window, looking at the three
chevaux de frise of chimney pots, with
her pretty pink nostrils buried in a
bouquet of -colored roses, edged
with white carnations. 81 thought
surely he was going to, when he
squeezed my hand so, in the carriage,
coming home. Oh, how happy Ishall
be when"
And then, blushing and dimpling
all over, Kate extinguished her lamp,
and went to bed. And all through her
dreams went one refrain
HE loves mel He loves mel"
For it is onlys ice in a lifetime that
one can be eighteen and in love!
''Mrs. Hayes, who would have
thought of meeting you?" -
"Kate Murray, is this yourself, or a
pink checked vision of May? Well, /
declare I am delighted to meet you!
Where are you staying now? I am
only in town for few days, but / must
see something of you."
Kate gave her address, with beam
ing face. 1t was seldom she encoun-
tered on old school-friend like Nina
Hayes,
''ssveuteea pomino plaosl Well.