1856,] Kate Osborne. 229 



in the middle of the room, gazing upon the neat decorations and tasteful 

 furniture around him. 



A minute after, the same clear and well-toned voice was again heard 

 singing that self-same song. Mr. Quirk seemed to have * a musical car,' 

 for he listened most e^igeily ; the voice was approaching ; soon agile foot- 

 steps were heard ; in another moment Kate, in her calico, as neat as a 

 pin, and glowing with beauty, all-unconscious of the presence of an 

 intruder, came tripping into the parlor, and singing as she came. But, 

 on crossing the threshhold and catching a glimpse of the stranger, her 

 song was instantly hushed, and she was about to withdraw, when the 

 stranger, respectfully removing his hat, she looked again ; then, with 

 uplifted hands, and dilating eye. she exclaimed, " Harry Clinton ! "and 

 ran straight into Mr. Quirk's arms ! Oh, fie ! what a girl ! 



In a few minutes after, Kate's voice was heard again ; not, now, in 

 song, but in the ringing tones of merriest laughter. She was standing a 

 little way ofi", and contemplating the tout cnsemhle of " Mr. Quirk," whom 

 she persisted in calling Harry Clinton ! At length, composing herself to 

 some degree of gravity, she exclaimed, " Why, Harry, what docs this 

 masquerade mean ? AVhen last I saw you, it was all broadcloth and 

 kerseymere, now it is all cotton-di'illing and nankeen ! " and the happy 

 girl clapped her hands and laughed anew at the funny contrast pre. 

 sented before her mind. " Xay, nay, my dear Kate, you must not mock 

 my humble costume," said Clinton, in a tone of deep and touching ten- 

 derness, as he took her hand in his — "you must not mock my humble 

 costume ; for in it I come to woo and win a wife. It is not assumed as 

 a mask to cover a pretended aim, but worn as a garb fitted for my settled 

 purpose — ^0 become a farmer. Being apprised of your father's preju- 

 dice and prohibition, as to myself, I have resolved to win his esteem by 

 the capacity and worthiness of my manhood alone. To this end, I have 

 hired myself to him as a laborer, and as such shall abide with him for 

 the season, hoping that I may yet obtain the prize I seek, with his wil- 

 ling sanction ; for, be it known, my dear Kate, that, such is my reverence 

 for the sanctity of the parental claim, however deeply I may love, Henry 

 Clinton will never wed until the paternal blessing can sanctify the 

 union that takes a daughter from her father's embrace, and gives her to 

 the bosom of a husband." 



As he began to speak, Clinton's tone and manner at once dispelled all 

 sense of the ludicrous from Kate's mind; she saw only the lorJly brow, 

 the eagle eye- she heard only the eloquent lips of the man she loved; 

 and, as he proceeded, her admiration rose almost to reverence, and feel- 

 ing herself the object of this deep and manly devotion, her heart was too 



