Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1909-04-06
TANNING
A SHREW
By Martha McCulloch. Williams.
Copyrighted, 1909. by Associated
Literary Press.

Pretty Kitty Clyde was not really
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.
1t an uncle's fortune and 60 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
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 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 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 disinterested. Though
the two Miss Ackroyds We're quite old
enough to be his mother, there was
Lena Shotwell, their niece, over in Kilt
| 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 It 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 discomfi.
ture. Then her people were so happy
over the prospect. That really meant
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 III content
with the estate In life wherein she
now found herself until Douglas OBJ
stlnately insisted upon her naming the
day.
go away! The role Of impatient
lover does not ft 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 10 care for tearing about.
When you are thirty-6ve 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"
1--WE will mott! Douglas asserted.
| seizing both her hands. Understand
Pm going to be married man BEFORE
the year is OUT
81 dare say you can get Lena Shot
well-or somebody like her-all on
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 while
there Is time"
"Of all impertinence" Kitty flashed
out at him. "Let 60 my hands so l
can take off your rubbishy ring!
won't marry you-now, never nor next
day. i won't even speak to you ever
again If you hold me n second longer.
What peaceful home we shall
haye! 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.
It 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 1t. Come
| along. want you to hear me tell
daddy all about 1t. 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 or
shrieks availed.
| He lifted her as IL 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.
"It's hard to bear, mighty hard"
she whispered We've ought to bear
1t for the child. Spelling her so Is our
work. But for heavens sake keep
still! Her whole future depends on 1t.
Douglas Is the man of men for her,
and she will throw him over If she
has the least chance"
Daddy! Oh, dear daddy" Kitty
painted, trying to reach out appealing
arms. Douglas pinioned them fast and
went close to Major Clyde. saying,
with laugh that was not quite easy:
Major, this girl you gave me Is be-
having so badly. l think you might
throw In one Of old Flossy's pups to
even up the trade"
At that Kitty screamed afresh. The
najsts breath came hard, his face
grew apoplectlc. but his wife's hand,
closing and unclosing cOnvulsively.
warned him not to interfere.
He tried to assume judicial air
and say. 1.-The case admits OF argu.
ment," but at the second word the
door opened to admit Miss Alicia Ack.
royd, who usurped and abused priv.
ileges Of intimate neighborliness.
The Ackroyd house stood just across
the road. The two sisters had been
on watch In the front windows ever
since they saw Douglas ride through
the Clyde gate.
They had heard the screams and
had made their incursion. Somebody
| r,uof ha billing oomahodv 0vpr there