198 Kate Osborne. [April; 



when swords shall be beaten into plow-shares, and spears into pruning- 

 hooks. Then, only, can man become truly master of himself, and become 

 truly the ' lord of creation.' " 



A startling summons from the front door bell — postmen always knock 

 or ring as though the old " Uncle Sam " was at the door — at this moment 

 interrupted their conversation. Directly a servant entered, bearing a 

 letter addressed to " Miss Kate Osborne." On receiving it, Kate ex- 

 claimed, "From home! from father !" and excusing herself, withdrew 

 for its perusal. 



Her nimble fingers quickly stripped it of its envelope, and she saw 

 her father's well known signature, while the whole ample page contained 

 only the words ''Kate — come home." She was astounded, grieved, fright- 

 ened, vexed, all in rapid succession of tumultuous emotion. " Was father 

 sick ? angry ? unfortunate ? What could have caused him thus to write ?" 

 were questions rapidly propounded to herself, and as rapidly dismissed 

 unanswered. Her thoughts seemed lost and laboring in a mist, in which 

 were seen, ambiguously blended, the forms of father, aunt and Clinton ; 

 then of Clinton, aunt and father ! But a few minutes, however, had 

 elapsed before the mist began to disperse from Kate's naturally clear 

 mind; her thoughts were " called to order," and she promptly reflected 

 that her father summoned her home, and while desire said " linger," 

 duty said " obey." Kate was a dutiful daughter ; her decision was 

 made, and thereupon her equanimity soon returned. Then, collecting 

 herself, she returned to the parlor, with the letter in her hand. Her 

 aunt had waited somewhat nervously, for her reappearance, well judg- 

 ing the probable import of the letter's contents. 



On entering, Kate quietly placed the letter in the widow's hand. A 

 glance sufficed to take in its contents ; and Mrs. Sinclair's brow reddened 

 a little at the sententious curtness of the paternal mandate. But forcing 

 herself to composure, she politely excused herself to Mr. Clinton, and 

 with an effort to appear at ease, proceeded to inform him that Kate had 

 received a summons from her father to join him in Illinois. Instead of 

 reddening, Clinton's brow grew sensibly pale at this announcement ; and 

 his thoughts, too, seemed lost and laboring in a fog, wherein Kate, and 

 her aunt, and her father, and the whole State of Illinois, were, for a 

 moment, marvellously mixed ! After a minute's struggle for the disper- 

 sion of this mental fog-bank, he ventured to ask, in tones tolerably 

 steady, "When Miss Osborne proposed to set out for the West?" 

 ** This is Friday evening ; " said Kate, considering ; then firmly added, 

 *' I shall go on the Monday morning's train." 



Mr. Clinton expressed the hope that her father was well ; and was 



