The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1909-04-01
BY Martha McCuIloch- Williams.

Pretty Kitty Clyde was NOT really a
Bhrew. She had merely been born i'm
perious and had grown up absolute
monarch of an adoring family.
Until she was rising eleven Douglas
Norton had been also of her subjects.
Fate whisked him away then to inner
1t an uncle's 1rtune 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. By a
curious mental alchemy Kitty uncon-
sciously stored the unpleasantness as a
grudge against the absent Douglas.
So 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 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 warning
Douglas against her. The warnings
were not wholly disinterested. Though
the two Miss Ackroyds were quite old
enough to be his mother, there was
Lena Shotwell, 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 for 1t with
the special pleading that it would cha
grin the Ackroyds and that If she final
ly broke 1t the making 1t 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 very warm
heart she felt that, on the whole, she
had not made them as 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
Att tn1- the har mi n fhA
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 II agreed to anything so
insane. We can be married when we
are too old to care for tearing about
When you are thirty-nve shall be
thirty-two That will be quite time
enough to do this Darby ana Joan act.
Until then-well. we will stay as we
are"
I'VE will notv' Douglas asserted,
Selling both her hands. Cumberland,
I'm going to be a married man before
the year Is out
81 dare say you can get Lena Shot
well-or somebody like her-all on a
sudden this way" Kitty interrupted,
trying to pull away her hands.
Douglas held them tight I'm 60
ing to marry you-nobody else" he
said. Make up your mind to the fact,
ladykin, and give up gracefully Will"
there is time"
"Of all impertinencer' Kitty flashed
out at him. Let go my hands so
can take of your rubbishy ring!
won't marry you-now, never nor next
day. won't even speak to you ever
again IL you hold me a second longer"
What peaceful home we shall
have" Douglas murmured. letting go
her hands, but catching her in his
arms. He pressed her close and went
on, with his lips against her pink ear:
Little darling, l ought to want you