Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1913-06-10
CATHERINE

though she was strong.
Just then Colonel Won Finkelsteir
crossed the street to enter the bar
racks. The young girl rested her
basket on the snow-covered sidewall,
to see the sentry guard suddenly
transformed into a rigid statue. II
never seemed that the things was
done naturally. But the gray mantle
Of the officer disappeared through
the gate and the muscles of the sol
| der. suddenly relaxed. Evidently
she was admiring him, so he smiled
I at Catherine, smile which covered
his whole broad face from ear to ear.
The little laundry girl blushed,
snatched up her basket and hurried
on.
"You conceited fool" she NUT
tered. The expression of disgust and
contempt told the man of his mis-
! take.
Catherine hurried toward Finkel-
stems house, half wishing and half
1reading to meet the colonel's order
| ly, a handsome Bavarian, who, al
though he was serving only in the
infantry, made love like a hussar.
Should it really be possible that
this girl who had shown such con-
tempt of the sentry might be sus-
ceptible to the love of "Prussian ?"
Perhaps not quite, but there was
in Catherine a little Eve, who was
never asleep. Sure enough the man
who wore the kaiser's uniform was
nothing but foreigner; but the for
hidden fruit always attracted the
daughters of Eve, and this fellow
was really so good looking and
charming that Catherine sometimes
deigned to listen to him.
Suddenly she shivered. She
thought of her grandmother, her
only living relative, with whom she
lived. The old woman was not a
little worried to see how her pretty
granddaughter attracted young men.
They came to the laundry under all
kinds Of pretenses, and sometimes
without any pretense whatever. She
knew very we'll that unseltish suitors
are exceedingly rare. Her old heart
trembled at the thought that Cath
crime might become inveigled into
q love affair which might dishonor
their name. But that Catherine
might throw herself into the arms
Of "schwab" was a thought which
never entered the mind of the old
Alsacienne, whose husband had
fought valiantly in the Crimea war
and the dreadful fight of 1871.
"If she knew" Catherine
thought. She felt Just a little
ashamed now and walked more
slowly. She dreaded the idea of
causing the dear old woman a mo-
ments sorrow, but she was young,
her life was so dreary and monoto-
nous that she could not resist the
temptation of listening to the COM
pliments of the handsome and gay
aatterer.
She entered the villa, handed over
the laundry to Nine. Won Finkel-
STEMS chambermaid. She was about
10 leave the house once more with
put as much as looking backward
when she felt a hand on her arm.
"How proud you are today, pretty
one; won't you ever say how-do-you-
10 to me?"
The merry blue eyes of the Bava-
rian enjoyed the young girls en-
Oarrassment.
Il was in hurry am
late"
Never mind. 1 forgive you.
One always forgives pretty girl ev-
erything But tell me, little one,
when are you going to meet me as
you promised ?"
why | don't know that I
ever"
"Now you are just trying to tease
me-"
"Oh, how can you say such a
thing?"
Somebody called from the floor
above.
"Must 60" said the young man.
"But listen, Catherinel When you
go to the midnight mass tonight, |
leave home little earlier than usual. |
| will be waiting outside the har-