The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1907-03-19
Ghe
narridan-Ormsley
E.opement
BY Mary GOOD
Copyright, 1906. by c. H. Sutciffe
BY Mary good

from being 4 power in her world. At
the young ladies' seminary she was the
acknowledged leader as well as the
most intimate friend of her twelve
classmates, each of whom had the
promise of being bridesmaid at her
wedding. In this they were president,
since Thorndyke Ormsley had for some
time made her the object of his atten-
tons.
Thorndyke Ormsley did not altogeth-
er meet with the approval of the class.
They thought him lacking in the dash
and daring requisite for u suitable
match for their president.
Katrina. however, viewed the matter
from a different standpoint. AS she
confided to her youngest sister Pamela:
There is something restful in Thorn
dykes cOnventionality. l always know
just what TO expect from him, and l
fancy that can furnish more of the
clement of the unexpected than is
found in most orthodox families"
She therefore smiled upon her adj
mirer. 1t followed that she had been
graduated but few months when he
made up his mind that to marry her
was the only proper course of action.
lie was too well regulated a young
man to propose to Katrina without
having first spoken to her father. This
was Il procedure that the astute mOrsel
of girlhoOd had foreseen and arranged
for.
AS he afterward complained to Ka-
trina: Il cannot understand it. Your
father was brusque, nervous, quite un-
like himself All that 1 could get him
to say was that you were too young
and that he entirely disappr0ved.
When I tried to argue, Pamela came
in, and he intimated that the inter-
view was closed"
Katrina buried her face in his shout
der. "Oh, dear, oh, dear" she walled.
What shah we do?'
ThOrndyke attempted to comfort her,
and he found the process so agreeable
that he prolonged it for some moments
before saying soOthingly: do not be
discouraged, dear. l will call on him
again. He must be made to see rea-
son" As happy thought struck him:
why don't you speak 10 him your
self! You girls have always seemed to
get Your way pretty thoroughly. He
will say yes to YOU
HE won't" Katrina's voice, though
smothered. was decisive.
why nOt?''
Because l won't let him. Without
giving her lover time to recover from
the shock she hurried on: "Papa has
lost a great deal Of money these last
years. He has really hard time to
get along. so that another wedding is
out of the question. You don't know
what a wedding costs We have had
five. So we do. There would lie the
presents and dresses for those twelve
bridesmaids, the flowers, music, cater
er. tr0usSeau-Oh, it is awfulv' and she
clasped her hands despairingly Papa
is always so good. He wanted 10 mort
gage the house. but / said no."
Light had begun to dawn upon Orms-
ley. Let me. Katrina" he began.
Two red spots appeared in Katrina's
cheeks. And have us all ashamed to
look you in the face? Never! Pamela
and | have decided never to marry I'M
less we elope."
Thorndyke Ormsley stiffened. "That
is impossible"
Katrina began to cry in earnest 81
always knew that you were proper,
but / never thought you were 50 hor-
ribly proper that you cared more for
what people would say than you did
for me-" she sobbed.
Her lover could not resist her tears.
you know that love you better than
anything else in the world" he said
tenderly. ut is not entirely on my
own account that l object. There is
Aunt Harriet. She would be utterly
scandalized by an elopement Is it
right to distress her when she has done
everything for me and / am all she
has?'
At this virtual capitulation Katrina s
tears ceased to flow Then if / get
Aunt Harriet's consent you will be
willing to elope?" she asked guilelessly.
Il would do anything to marry you
he answered, with unusual reckless
hess.
Katrina threw her arms around his
neck. "Then it is as good as settled"
You don't know Aunt Harriet"
Ormsley admonished.
YES, / do. And, what is more,
wager that if you do exactly as l tell
you she herself will suggest an elope-
ment"
So the two put their heads together.
Most men would have wished them
selves in Ormsley's place. lie must
have been sensible of his privileges for
he left the house more in love than
ever and vowed to play his part in the
comedy. Katrina refused to,admit the
possibility OF tragedy.
Miss Harriet Ormsley lived in a big
old fashioned house called the Larches.
She had the only victoria in town her
butler always stood behind her chair
at dinner, and her parlor maid wore
French caps. In all respects her estab-