The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1901-11-14
Kitty Grccra' 6
Elopenent .as
BY WILLIAM j. HAMPTON
Copyright, 1901, by Authors syndicatcJ


from the cradle TO the grave. She
was pretty and petted, and even the
promise she had given TO her lover
was not always reminder to her
that her first duty was to him. John
Meldon was one of the mH who be-
lieve with the poet;
Her very frowns are fairer far,
Than smiles Of other maidens are"
And when she frowned upon him for
the good advice he, as ten years her
senior, felt he had the right to give
her, he loved her the more and was
the more Jealous, feeling that when
at last he had won her completely
she would be more precious to him
for the effort required in the winning.
But Kitty Green's temper and tenn
permanent were not of the John Mel
don sort yet, and although she had
promised to be his wife and said she
loved him better than any other man
in all the world. it must be confessed
that Kitty could not persuade herself
to withdraw her beauty and her win
some ways entirely from the admira-
in all cases of affairs of the heart
the woman should do. No, Kitty loved
admiration, and she loved to tease
the excellent young man who had
been the only one who had won a
final and definite promise from her.
They had been engaged for three
months, and, while a portion of that
Do fn
were other portions of it when, IL he
had been asked for his opinion, 1t is
feared that it would scarcely have
been appropriate for publication. Yet
with it all, the idea of not loving her
never once entered his mind. He
knew the story, from his infancy, of
the children of Israel in the wilder
Joy in the Promised Land was his
pillar of ire to lead him through the
darkest night of Kitty's willfulness
and coquetry.
Her latest disregard of his wishes,
not to say his rights, was her permit
ting the attention Of one Maj. Hunter,
who had appeared in Winston social
circles as hero from the Philippine
islands. Nobody had inquired of the
war department at Washington for
the majors credentials, and he was
such an attractive gentleman that no
one thought of doing such a thing.
In fact, all Winston society simply
fell at the majors feet and worshiped
because he had such elegant manners
and such an extensive and intimate
acquaintance with fIIth avenue and
Newport and the diplomatic circles
of the capital that to have questioned
, his position or any statement he
made of himself would have been
| high treason. John Meldon, not being
society man, was not included
among the worshipers of the major,
and he was in proper frame of mind
to consider him calmly and to con-
clude that there was q mouse in the
meal bag, though just where and how
he had not then the means of know
ing. What Mr.. Meldon knew definite
ly of the major was that he had
proved conclusively to himself that
Kitty Green would come into posses
sion of fortune plenty large enough
for two when she was 21 years OF
age and that no other girl in Winston
had anything like such prospects. For
further particulars the major did not
seem to care.
Kitty's lover maintained a discreet
silence on the subject of the major
until forbearance ceased to be a vir
tue, and then he very mildly suggest
ed one evening that she might a
least divide her time between hel
promised husband and the ubiquitous
major.
Maj. Hunter is gentleman" sh,
said, with toss of her pretty head
"and if / want to see him every da.
in the week l shall do So"
"l on have the right to do as yo,
please, sweetheart" said Meldon
coaXingly, "but you have no right t.
say who or what Maj. Hunter is unit
you know"
81 know Maj. Hunter is a gentle
man." she continued. Haven't / seel
him nearly every day since he ha
been in town, and if he were not
gentleman, wouldn't | know?"
Sweetheart, sweetheart" pleade
her lover, you are a dear little thin
that man of the world, such a
Hunter is, could fool to death, an
he is fooling you now. He has eve
gone so far as to investigate the rec
, ords to learn how much money yo
have"
= Kitty became wildly indignant O
the instant.
''Do you mean to in sinuate, Mr.. Me
!, dom" she exclaimed, with fushe
| face and in an angry tone, that Ma
Hunter has no regard for me exceI
, for my money!"
; Surely, Kitty" asserted Meldol
VI say it positively as my belief"
a "Then I'll ask him." she said. San,
Mr.. Meldon," she went on, "for TIL
: slander you have uttered against
, man who has always been polite an
: attentive to me, you may consider OF
engagement broken. You think Ma