The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1908-11-28
Little Kitty.
BY TIMOTHY P. O,DONNETI


TO procure Tor himself the little house he occupied
Tor himself the little house he occupied and cher
lsheo; ana here 1t was he had determined to settle
down, together with his wife and babe and face
praVeIy the many mlsfortunes that might chance
to overpower him
Mrs. Lacy was proud woman since the dav
200 had given her her irst-born and after ponder
ing her brain and consulting the almanacs for a
name she resolved to christen her prize Catherine
-aIfer her own mother, whose face Mrs Lacy
declared) was a striking resemblance to that of
her child y
Catherine she was called but whether that an
pelatlon seemed too stylish for Forker street. or
perhaps unbeftting to the puny little treasure, it
soon became mere byword and the little innocent
grew. up to be loved and cherished as 'Kitty."
She was slim. blue-eyed little creature of five
at the time our story opens, her white skin over
laid with tan and freckles; and her faxen. disor-
DERBY halr burned to steelly drab would be rudely
caught up with piece of some dingy material and
left to drift in tangled glory across her clear-cut
features.
1t was often remarked by passers-by. who would
stop Tor a moment from the busy routine of life
to caress her cheek or dangle with her sunny curls
that the child too cute to live" But the will
of God seemed destined to have in store for her a
HE that was beyond the hopes of the highest am
bition; and as day and spent her admiration
increased, and the girl was an unending surprise
to her very parents.
As September approached and the summer
months were last coming to a close Kitty started
to the Sisters school, and was at the height of her
ambition when she could recite all alone the "Our
Father" and Hail Mary" and could make the sign
OF the cross Under the careful guidance and
splendid protection of the Sisters, she soon picked
up into a neat, careful miss, who read books that
were new to Forker street. and was powerful ex-
ample to the neighborhood
All the hayward young girls who were wont to
steal out OF evenings to join the rowdy young men
on street corners were told to observe Kitty Iacv
who never did such things
Kitty also set the stvle for the street-no haunt-
ing expensive white feathers and costliest ribbons
but dressed in a trim white suit, an extra large
Merry Widow" hat, set off with huge pink silk
bow, and her wavy hair caught up neatly TO the
marcel wave she would hold the overgrown boys
Of the school in perfect awe, and they would tip
hats uneasily she passed, and comment in 81
lence. That was all.
But alas, things were soon destined to change
the sweet, modest life of little subject and they
happened in a way that was terribly strange and
heartrending. The little rosy cheeks and luminous
eyes would soon become pale and haggard; and
her beautiful smiling countenance was destined to
appear aged and thin.
One evening as Kitty was slowly vending her
way from school, softly humming a new piece they
had learned that day. she was startled by large
crowd running from all directions and making
straight toward her little home.
Immediately strange, unwelcome thoughts be-
gan to penetrate her mind and sent cold tinge
through her veins. She noticed the scared, white
faces Of the women folk and the terrible question
ing chances cast in her direction she hurriedly
pushed her way up the narrow stairs and into the
house.
A priest was bending over a PROSTATE figure
listening eagerly to the choking. almost inaudible
words of a last confession. Her mother bowed
low, her hair dsheveed and eyes haggard and
drawn gazed fxedly into the pallid face of her hus
band
Kitty saw. and in an instant realized all. Her
NJ
her fragile supple body sank faint and exhausted
upon the floor
What memories that sight was to recall in after
years can only be imagined by one in whose life
such a misfortune might have some time oc-
CURED.
There on the floor lying PROSTATE before the
priest and mother were the bodies of father and
daughter.
She-stunned by the unexpected, terrible, heart
eendng sight of her father whose life had been
part of hers, and whose love was all she asked.
He-his body broken in several places from
fall received while striving to livelihood to
bring that child up and worship her as Gods choic-
est ancel-row breathed his last. His hands were
forever numb and his lips were never more to utter
her cherished name.
Long, weary years had passed since that me-
rnorable night How sad and lonely they seemed
to the unhappy pair remaining The mother had
tried to resign herself to the will of God, to bear
no and be cheerful; but she could not. The light
Of her once happy life seemed to have been extln-
guished Her cheeks grew thin, her eyes lost their
once wonted brightness, her step once so firm and
50 elastic. hating and uncertain Her sorrow had
found no relief. and in the midst of her anguish
a dreadful fever set in, leaving the unfortunate
mother wretched and heartbroken; until with
lingering prayer to God for her child and devout
act of contrition to her father dropped
her head and died
AS for Kitty-tender. sensitive Kitty-she
seemed to fade away like flower: The glad light
had died out of her eyes, and the ripple OF her
laughter was heard no
There seemed nothing left for her in the
world that had deprived her of her most beloved
The romping playmates, the lonesome surround,
ngs and the fast deserted homesteads only seemed