Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1909-04-02
TANNING
A SHREW
By Martha McCulIoch- Williams.
Copyrighted. 1909. by Associated
Literary Press.

Pretty Kitty Clyde was not really n
shrew. 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
it 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, By a
curious mental alchemy Kitty uncon-
sciously stored the unpleasantness as n
grudge against the absent Douglas.
so when he came home ten years
later and fell openly and instantly n
victim to her charms she was In two
minds rs 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 busi-
ness II 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 dislnterested. 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 1t would cha
grin the Ackroyds and that II she final.
ly broke 1t 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 discomfi-
ture. Then her people were 80 happy
over lnc IToSDcCl' hht ie"hJ h'""t
lot to her.
Dimly Mt 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
stinately insisted upon her naming the
day
go awayl The role of impatient
lover does not ut you In the least"
she said to him, with the most fetch
ing pout. "You know you'd be dread
fully upset IL | agreed to anything so
insane. We can be married when we
are too old to care for tearing about.
When you are thirty-6ve | shall he
thirty-two. That Will be quite time
enough to do the Darby and Joan act.
Until then-well. we will stay ms we
are"
1--WE will notr Douglas asserted
selling both her hands. understand,
Pm going to be a married man before
the year II OUT
~ dare say you can get Lena Shot
well-or somebody like hor--all on
sudden this way" Kitty Interrupted
trying to pull away her hands.
douglas held them tight. "Pm go
ing to marry you-nobody else" he
said make up your mind to the fact
ladykln, and give up gracefully while
there Is time"
"Of all impertinencev' Kitty flashed
out at him. "Let go my hands 80
can take Off your rubblshy ringl
won't marry you-now, never nor nex'
day. | won't even speak to you even
again II you hold me second longer
"What peaceful home we shall
havew 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, | ought TO want you
to be sensible, but the fact Isl don't
Il Is ever so much more thrilling To
take you thus In spite Of yourself. You
have never even let me kiss your hand
No matter when we married. this
would have to come some time. You
know you need 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 II 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, ftood beside him. her hand
laid detainingly upon his shoulder.
"Tts hard TO bear, mighty hard,
she whispered. We've ought to bear
1t for the child. Spelling her 10 is our
work. But for heavens sake keer
still Her whole future depends on 1t
Douglas IL the man Of men for her
and she VIII throw him over II she
has the least chance"
DADDY! Oh, dear daddy" Kitty
painted, trying to reach out appealing
arms. Dou"las pinioned them fast AM
went close to Major Clyde, saying
with q laugh that was not quite easy
major, this girl you gave me IL be
having so badly. think you nigh
throw in one Of old Flossy's pups Il
even IN the trade"