Smyrna times., 1909-05-05
TANNING
"A SHREW
by Martha Observation-Disclosures.
Copyrighted. 1909, by Associated
Literary Press.


Pretty kitty Clyde was not really a
shrew. She had merely been born i'm.
perious and had grown up absolute
monarch Of an adoring faNaily.
Until she was rising eleven Douglas
Norton had been also Of her subjects.
Fate whisbed him away then to inner
1t an uncle's fortune and go racing
about the world, thereby giving Kitty
her first realizing sense that things
could happen otherwise than according
to her will
The process was unpleasant. Bv a
curious mental alchemy Kitty uncon-
sclously stored the unpleasantness as a
grudge against the absent Douglas.
80 when he came home ten years
later and fell openly and instantly a
victim to her charms she was in two
minds as to what to do with him. and
she yielded in favor of the mind that
advised her to do something unpleas-
ant
He was a dear fellow, suiting her
exactly in some of her moods. In
others-but in those others nobody
suited her, least of all herself. Those
other moods would probably have
made her send Douglas about his bust
ness if he had not had the lucky mis-
fortune TO have the Ackroyds for
friends.
The Ackroyds whom Kitty loathed,
gave up days and nights to warming
Douglas against her. The warnings
were not wholly disinterested Thougn
the two Miss AcllrOyds were quite old
enough to be his mother. there was
Lena Shotwel, their niece, over in Kit
tredge town, for whose establishment
they were most anxious.
Given the facts, the temperaments
and the situation, the resulting. engage
ment follows logically. Kitty excused
herself to her conscience fer it with
the special pleading that it would cha
grin the AckrOyds and that if she final
~ broke it the making it would have
saved Douglas from worse.
OF course she would not think of
marrying him for years. Meantime she
would revel in the Ackroyd discount
ture. Then her people were so happy
over the prospect. That really meant
a lot to her.
Dimly at the bottom of a very warm
heart she felt that, on the whole. she
had not made them rs happy as she
might have done.
So altogether she was not ill content
with the estate in life wherein she
now found herself until Douglas OBJ
stinately insisted upon her naming the
day.
Go away! The role of impatient
lover does not fit you in the least"
she said to him. with the most fetch
ing pout. You know you'd be dread
fully upset if / agreed to anything so
insane. We can be married when we
are too old to care for tearing about
When you are thirty-fve l shall be
thirty-twO That will be quite time
enough to do the Darby and Joan act.
Until then-well. we will stay as we
are"
I'VE will notr Douglas asserted.
Selling both her hands Understand
I'm going to be a married man before
the year Is out
81 dare say you can get Lena Shot
Weller somebody like her-all on a
Sudden t,i- way" Kitty interrupted
uyin@ 90 pul. away her hands.
Douglas h,ld them tight. I'm go
ing to marcy ycu-nobody else" he
said Make up your mind to the fact.
laC-l:in. md give up gracefully while
there is time
of all impertinence!' Kitty flashed
cut at him let go my hands so l
can take off your rubbishy ring! |
won't marrr yOu-nOw. never nor next
day. ] won't even speak to you ever
again If you hold me a second longer"
"What Il peaceful home we shall
haven DOu~iAs murmured, letting go
her hands. but catching her in his
arms. Lie PRESSED her close and went
on. with his lips against her pink ear:
Little darling | ought to want you
to Ec sensible. but the fact isl don't
1t is ever so much more thrilling to
take you THUS in spite of yourself. You
have never even let me kiss your hand
NO LGlliGE W zen VIZ littlliNNls lIlf'
would have to come some time. You
know you reed mastering. but I'm too
generous to ask you to admit it. Come
along. want you to hear me tell
daddy all about it, Mother Clyde has
already agreed with me that the wed
ding had better be on your birthday"
Then Kitty forgot herself, her years.
her grownup estate. She screamed
He did not pay any attention. She
became so angry that she tried to claw
his cheek, but none of her efforts OF
shrieks availed.
He lifted her as if she were only
five years old and carried her into the
sitting room, where her father rose in
alright. Mrs. Clyde, pallid, but more
composed, stood beside him, her hand
laid detainingly upon his shoulder.
'IEs a hard to bear, mighty hard,
she whispered. We've ought to bear
it for the child Spelling her so is our
work. But for heavens sake keep
Il. L.