The Somerset reporter., 1907-11-21
katherine's
Lessons.
.......By CECILY ALLEN.
Copyrighted, 1907, by P. {. Eastment

1t was Katherine Morgan's first week
at the Sediments house. 1t was also u
week of revelations She was now
alive to the fact that despite her ia
theirs wealth. her liberal education. her
years abroad she knew little or moth
ing of the great mystery of life.
Katherine had plunged into settle
ment work most impulsivey directly
after her quarrel with Arnold Gresh-
am. If war had been In progress she
felt sure she would have gone out as q
field nurse. She had thought seriously
of entering nunnery. but. being a
Protestant. this would have taken time.
and at that particular moment kath-
crime did not want time to hang heay-
lily on her hands. She wanted action,
and a different action from the usual
round of teas. dances and dinners.
Moreover. she wanted action apart
from the world where she would meet
Arnold Gresham. and. somewhat bit
terly. she remarked to her tear stained
image In the dressing table mirror that
unquestionably Arnold never would
find time to visit Settlement house!
Neither wealth nor careful chaperon-
age had been able to protect Katherine
Morgan from the shafts of one Dan
Cupid. Heretofore the wealth at least
had bought her everything that she de-
sired. but 1t could not buy the slavish
devotion which, In her unthinking way.
she demanded of Arnold Gresham.
Other men had apparently been will
ing to spend their days and a large
portion of their nights In serving her
smallest ends. meeting her least impor-
tant desires. but grave eyed Arnold
Gresham. who had asked her to marry
him and pl;seed the betrothal ring on
her finger had actually insinuated that
he was not sufficiently enamored of her
to play the role of doormat
To be sure. II was not Arnold who
had spoken those words literally but
Katherine's brother Bob, and the
words ranked. Arnold had merely
refused to break important business
engagements to follow her In sudden
flight to Mrs. Croxton's house party In
the Adirondacks. And on various oc-
casions when she had called up his Of
fee on the phone he had been out
when he had said that he fully ex-
pected to be In all morning. II. during
their engagement, he was 80 indiffer-
ent, what chance had she to queen II
over him after marriage? And Kathe-
rine down In her willful heart wanted
to queen II over him as she had
Queened 1t over all who had come her
way since babyhood
Wherefore the Settlement house and
Katherine seated In deep window
ledge with Maggie Delaney. discussing
Saturday half holidays.
''It's fierce to get all your plans laid
and then have the boss turn 'em all up
side down." Maggie was saying. with
tears very close to her big gray eyes.
''I wouldn't care so much for myself,
but Tom. he's sort of run down. and
he needs fresh air We was going out
to Ridley's park, where you can get a
boat for 25 cents an hour. and the
music's fine. Tom he always takes a
nap under the trees. and then we have
row and n bite to eat. and he feels
just fine for dancing. The dancing pa
vilion at Ridley's Is just grand"
"Are you fond OF dancing?" inquired
Katherine mechanically.
"Do | love to dance? Well. guess
yes" answered Maggie enthusastcal-
ly. "And since Tom and me are en-
gagged 1t seems sort Of different. When
the band plays. Td Rather Twostep
Than Waltz, Bill seems like 1t ought
to be Tom instead OF Bill | could
just dance right through life with Tom.
Funny what a difference 1t makes
when you know some one loves your!
She looked up lnquiringly at her
companions lovely face, but there was
no answering enthusiasm.
81 really don't know how 1t feels"
replied Katherine as If her body be-
side the young factory girl had sud-
denly been unlinked from the soul
which answered the question.
The mobile face of the factory work
er changed. and her voice softened
-Of course | know 1t amt Toms
fault. but If he's ever going to make
home for me and take me outen the
factory he's got to stand In with his
boss. Rldleys or no Ridley's. we'll take
a trolley ride after supper anyhow, SO
| guess I'll be moving on and make a
new stock out of that lace you gave
me. Say. that's a lovely piece. | had
a mind to save 1t for my trousseau.
only 1t will please Tom If have some
thing pretty and new on. Might as
well chirk him up a bit He's worse
disappointed than me-"
The daughter of the rich and the
factory worker went out of the door