Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1905-10-15
My Art and Kitty

"NN. Nf - N'fAANhh VIZ AfsNHss
'bl' ard advantages fair. The bache-
Dog uncle who had provided for ne
trum habyhuod. but never had me
WITH him. died a month before my
graduation. and nothing was left Of
iis estate except debts and legal tan
giles = ! thought myself fortunate
when secured the position OF pr.
mary teacher In Glendale Institute.
was only nineteen and possessed
Io enthusiasm for teaching in itself
Nv brain and heart were too full
\ of iile iancies and selfish ambitions.
which had come 10 MI my heart In
Ahe absence Of all home ties. | look
cd on teaching as mere drudgery. and
Intended 10 use II only as "A stepping
stone 10 something thought far
higher.
Ny art-oh what dreams pursued
me! Let me hasten 20 save a thou.
sand dollars. hurry abroad. have les
sonn. work with mad zeal. then leap
10 the topmost pinnacle In my beautl-
ful art.
: thousand dollars isn't easy 10
save when ones salary Is only three
hundred a year above board and the
vacations are 10 be provided for.
Young and sometimes called pretty.
! thought that two hundred dollars
year spent on dress represented
the closest possible economy Hon.
esty compels me TO interp:'ate here
that cannot recollect anyOne's call.
ing me pretty except John Archibald,
and of course Johns opinion on any
subject whatsoever meant little 20
me. for John was just a plain every.
day young fellow. honorable and
wholesome as the sunshine. but ter
ribly practical. In fact mundane. In
all his views and projects lie re.
scented my art dreams. and detestcd
what | called his lack OF ideals.
At the end OF four years teaching
I had saved only two hundred dol.
lars. and Europe and the masters
were atill far beyond my reach
] don't know why they had retained
me rs primary teacher nj Glendale
Certainly there was no hint OF future
promotion. and have realized since
how far from excellent my work was
while taught for money and dreamed
% art. But when had counted my
savings thoughtfully / remarked:
This Is fair nest-egg. shall put
by the rest quickly. must rcnounce
all folly. and especially go 20 econO
mixing in dress" ;vna. .c!ag M
prime folly. sent away forever. and
settled down 10 work In good earnest.
Then % vas that Edwards letter
came 4 am dying. Gail. and there
- no one TO send my little girl 10
except YOU" he wrote Nor have !
any money left for the child: but with
our uncles estate YOU ought TO ind
Il easy to provide for her. Take her.
be good Ia her. and so Heaven will
deal with you"
did not remember my half brother
Edward. who had left home In the for.
gotten days when We had a home.
And he never had remembered me. /
told myself now In bitterness. until
he needed me. No. did not want the
child. could not take her She would
interfere with my ambitions: she
would tie me TO drudgery. defeat my
aspirations. rob me OF my art. Why.
II would be as bad as taking John!
I wrote a cold letter rejecting my
brothers death.bcd request. and hast
ened To mail II. wondering. meantime
II n telegram would not be better.
When I came back TO my room. a
lonely little figure sat there by the
window Trustingly the small crea.
ture came TO me.
Aren't you Aunt Gail? I'm Kitty.
Papas friend brought me to you. be. |
cause papa had 10 go far away: but
he said you would love me-"
did not want To love her: I did |
not want 1or. she was an intruder |
thrust into my life. and | had the |
right quietly to put her aside. The /
wicked part OF me said all this within |
rapidly and vehomently. while the /
child and I gazcd az each other. /
Thankful am I that the wicked part /
was not all OF me: for when Kitty /
hhhtl A't sun w sweet confidence. /
Haven't you forgotten TO kiss me.
Aunt CALI" | stopped and took her In
my arms. and have loved her dearly
ever since"
For two months I had Kitty 10
board with me at the institute: but
the arrangement proved unsatisfac.
tory. II was expensive. and was not
good for the child. began to com
prehend some things; and one day
told myself suddenly that Kitty and
must have a home. II had been
borne In upon me that my life had
missed something sweet and uplift.
ing, and with the realization OF the
loss came also the dear hope that I
might find Il yet A home--yhat
sacred meanings Il might impart TO
existence!
Nobody could have been kinder