The Princeton union., 1899-04-27
A Lover At Large.
By BESSIE CHANDLER.
[Copyright. 1899. by the Author.l
But, Kittie, you are perfectly unrea-

ii
sonable.
'.Not at all. l know what saw
with my own eyes. >
.sWell, what did you see, thene"
'.You sat by her all through waltz,
you talked to her and-and-looked at
her, and then you got up and danced
with her, the horrid lancers. too, that
nobody thinks of dancing nowadays!
And then you went out and put her in
her carriage and tucked her in. saw
it ALL
"But, Kittie''-
"You needn't say 'Kittie' to mel
The idea of that little widow being
attractivel She's old enough to be your
MOTHER -
.tNo, she's not. We were born the
same year. and I'm six months the old
er."
"Oh, you found that out, did you?
Well, wouldn't believe her. She's
sly, deceitful thingl She's had one lov-
er-at least suppose her husband low
ed her. I don't see why, thought I
should think she'd be contented now to
stay at home and behave herself, in
stead of trying to rob other womenl''
He looked at her helplessly- big,
handsome, simple minded fellow He
was no match for Kittie. She buzzed
all around him, like tormenting in
sect too small to catch. too aggravat-
ing to be ignored.
"Kittie, you shall hear mel" he ex-
claimed. "What were you doing when
I sat beside Mrs. Millicent? Waltzing
with Captain Graham! Now, can't
waltz till that confounded knee gets
right again, and do you think it's such
a pleasure to watch you circling round
me-with other men? Mrs. Millicent
talked with me, which is more than
half the girls do with a man who
doesn't dance. Then came the lancers.
I can get through those. I Hooked for
you; but, as usual, you were off with
somebody else, so danced with Mrs.
Millicent. Surely it's no crime for me
to dance one square dance with another
woman when you dance a dozen round
dances with other men,
Miss Kittie Nicholson was unap-
peased.
''It isn't 50 much that you did it,
she said haughtily, ''as that you enjoy
ed it so.
He looked at her in amazement.
"Would ycu prefer to see me weeI
as I dance? I'll remember that next
time and drop few tears as I CO.
''Oh, it isn't that! can't make yor
understand. I'm not jealous, not at all
Still, every one says you are grea
flirt, and it seems so queer that yo1
should be loving me, as you say you do
and yet 80 perfectly contented with an
other woman, at the same time. y
"But I don't see anything Of you
Kittie. You won't let our engagement
be announced. I have to stand with tn
rest of the mob and take my chance. ,
can hardly ever see you alone. I'm per
fectly happy when I'm with you-yo7
. know am-but you won't let me
with you. You turn me off and laug]
} at me and starve ME. Then I pick u
what crumbs can from other people
tables. presume now you re going on
tonight. ="
Miss Nicholson colored and locke
confused. ''Well, yes, to tell you th
, truth, am. But not right away. Mau
has a little supper tonight"
, He looked at her savagely. "That
: always the way. shall go and sc
l Mrs. Millicent
eff you do. Gerald Hayes, I'll neve
l speak to you again. The ideal Why
Gerald, believe you really like her. y
Her tone had changed entirely, and
strain Of real anxiety showed itse
above the assumed petulancy wit
which she had been teasing her lover.
Il do like her. What do-you wal
me to do? Mrs. Miller hasn't invite
me- It's too early to go to bed ye
. Shall I go up and sit On the steps unit
you come out? I'm rather big to pls
). lamb to your Mary, but I will if ye
= wish it. y
" ''Dear Gerald" said the girl. sli
ping her hand in his, "just wait Ii
tie longer: You've been so good al
patient. will tell everybody in fe
10 days. 1t frightens me little; that
= ALL But you know love you, Gerald
y, The last words were very low, b
=. . he heard them, and his arm was arou1
~ her.in a second, and he felt that he W
d bein g more than paid for all that
20 had suffered.
d He left her half an hour later wi
s. a much lighter heart. She was an u
a reasonable, spoiled beauty, he said
di himself, but the dearest darling in
=" world.
~ He went up the street. whistli
u softly as he went.
is Where should he go? It was, as
IS: had said, too early to go to bed, and
gs course he would not go to Mrs. Mil
lg cents now. In fact, he no longer wal
VI ed to. He was full Of the afterglow
ne his last moments with Kittie.
y Suddenly he bethought him Of
ne friend Of his mother, a charmi1
ID middle aged woman, who lived rig
. on the way. He owed her a dinner p
-: ty call, too, and this was just the nit
20 to make it. So he walked along ur