Page:Peterson Magazine 1869B.pdf/289

 266 KATE'S WINTER IN WASHINGTON.

times? Encouraged young girls to receive her husband’s attentions, as she does you; then suddenly gone off into a pretended jealous fit, and made them absurd, or worse, in the eyes of the whole world.”

“You are talking worse than nonsense!” exclaimed Kate.

“It is not, as you will find to your cost——”

“Excuse me, Mr. Graves is coming. I promised to dance with him.”

“Then you refuse to listen? You wish me to think ycu utterly heartless and indifferent?”

“You must think what you choose—I am sick of scenes!

As Everett stood silently raging, up came Kate's partner. At the same instant Circe, who had been watching, glided near, and whispered to her,

“Is my lord playing master already? Be a good little girl and obey—we are only women, and must give up our wills.”

Kate was hurried away with a storm of angry thoughts in her mind; and Circe stood close by Everett, and was saying in her softest voice,

Can’t we be friends, Harry? Only say that you do not absolutely hate me! I’m a silly thing, but I cannot bear to think anybody is vexed with me; and I like little Kate so much— oh, so much!”

CHAPTER IV.

Mr. Wallingford possessed the doubtful advantage of being one of the rulers of this blessed country; and as his Senatorial term had only lately commenced, the pleasant days were still making sunshine about his path. That is to say, he was still approved of, his speeches admired, his course considered that of a true patriot; and he received success, as he had done most things in this life, with perfect composure.

Kate had come on to spend the winter with him, and beyond a short season during the past summer; society and its gayeties were entirely new to her; for, though almost nineteen, she had only then emerged from the retirement of  a quiet school in the country, where her uncle had seen fit to keep her much longer than the generality of the wonderful and precocious young women of this land will consent to be detained.

Harry Everett she had known all her life, and probably neither of them could have told when the affection that existed between them began; and I am inclined to think that a love like that brings with it, at least to a young girl, many doubts as to whether it be the strong passion of which she has dreamed and read. At least, it was so in Kate’s case, and she had felt it more than ever since the wiater began.

It was only that summer that anything like an engagement had existed between them; and with Kate’s disposition, the mere fact of feeling herself in the slightest degree fettered and bound, rendered her impatient, and brought up all sorts of doubts and fears to haunt her like black shadows.

Everett had been several days in Washington now, and daily these feelings had grown stronger. He had not behaved wisely, not even well; and Kate’s conduct might have been characterized, perhaps, by harsher terms.

The demon of flirtation and teasing seemed to have taken full possession of her; the innate love of approbation and attention which was in her character, rapidly developed under the influence of her new life; it really seemed as if there had been some radical change in her whole nature. Then, too, she got into her little head those ideas that young women are very apt‘to during a first season in Washington, that there is nothing worthy a man’s attention but politics; and as Harry Everett had developed no taste whatever in that direction, she began comparing him with men double his age, and deciding that he had neither the requisite talent or energy to satisfy a mind like hers.

When a woman begins to think that of her lover or her husband, a dangerous blow has been struck at any possibility of mutual peace and happiness.

But that was not all; Circe gained every day fresh influence over her—she was just the sort of person to fascinate a girl of Kate's age, and she was unsparing in her efforts. And Circe inoculated her with that most unfortunate malady that any woman, at least a young one, can be troubled with—an insane desire to mix herself up with politics, to make what French people would call a salon; to fancy herself con-  fided in by men of position; to attempt to direct  the votes of lesser lights when any measure came up in which the party she espoused was interested; to coax here, wheedle there, attempt  to have a motive for every word and glance; in  short, to get herself in such a muddle generally,  that she fancies herself sailing smoothly away  upon a bottomless sea, while she is only out a  short distance in very muddy water, and, unless she has extraordinarily good luck, is   pretty sure to run her frail little barque against  some hidden snag, and come to grief.

Don’t imagine that I am going to treat you to