Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1860-11-24

4 1he tea thinSS Eau been carried out
the table set back against the wall, the
crumbs brushed from the clean home.
made carpet, and Hettys work-stand
drawn up in front of the blazing fire. A
bountifally piled waiter Of great red ap
Piles, and a plate of cracked walnuts were
on it, in close proximity to Hattys work.
basket.
On one side Of the fire sat Mrs. Thomas
lat and fair, and At peace with all the
world rocking and knitting, and rcfresh-
ing herself at sundry intervals with bite
from half'eaten apple that lay on the
corner Of the table, and touching every
now and then in carressing manner with
her foot sleek, lazy looking cat that
purred and w,nked on the rug before her
Hetty sat on the other side, sewing and
busy in thinking how she should tell her
mother that she expected visitor She
would have given the world to he able to
say in an off hand manner, that she ex-
pected Mr.. Haw!ey to drop in about eight
O'Clock. But she recollected with twinge
OF conscience. how hard she had tried to
get the old lady to accompany her hus =
band, to Aunt Ruth $, spite Of her fore
warnings Of spell Of neuralgia how
she had also to plead headache IA an ex-
cuse for not going herself And she knew
her mother was quite sharp enough to
draw ber own reference from these facts
and from her being dressed with unusual
care to spend an evening a: home.
81 shall not dare to te, her now. She'll
be sure to think l wanted to get her ou;
of the way so mght have Josiah all to
myself, and | should never hear the last
of IT, And like a wise little russ she
was silent.
I'll venture my word on It, you would
not have wondered at our young farmers
desperate enthrallmen: if you could have
seen He:ty Thomas as she sat sewing by
the fire-sde that cold November evening.
Under preteSt of being ready to 90 to
her Uucle's, Ga thing she had no idea Of
doing,) she had just before tea, INDUCED
in an indiscrimina.e fixing up A neatly
fitting dark calico, with the s'or. lool, still
on it: fresh linen collar and tasteful
black aDron-these were the chic: items
of hettys toilet; bu, she looked MS swee,
and dainty in her plain dress as if hours
had been spent in d"nnng lace and Jew
els. Her rich hair Of the darkest auburn
tinge fell in shining folds close to her
warm red cheek. and was caugh, up in a
cunning net behind,
Eight clock and pas. Mrs. Thomas
was doing in her chair-her shadow on
the opposite wall bobbng about in crotes
! que mlsnicry, as she nodded to and fro
now crushing the volumnious white satin
bows on her spruce cap against the back
OF her chair-now almost falling forward,
and her fat hands lay listlessly in her lap,
and her ball Of yarn had ro'Ied.out upon
the hearth and puss was busy converting
it into gordan knots.
And just then came double rap at the
door-so loud, sudden and self assured,
that Hetty started up with little shrek,
and set her foot on Puss's tail, who in turn
gave voice to hec anazement aud dis
| pleasure.
The combined noise aroused Mrs. r..
aud starting into an erect position, she
rubbed her eyes, settled her cap border,
and exclaimed
Bless my soul, Hetty, wha. was tha. :?
Somebody at the door? Who can it be
coming here at this hour Of night ?"
"l,s rot late, mother only a little pas.
eight. I'll go and see what it i,." say.
Hetty demurely, taking the candle from
the table.
"No. Here, you wind up my ball ard
sweep up the hearth, while 60 to the
door, says the old lady, whose feet were
struggling in the perplexing meshes of
the unraveled yarn. "Dras, tha, eat!"
And al! this time Josiah was standing
on one foot ou. on the cold porch, with
has hands in bis evercpat pocket, wonder.
ing 1t Hetty had fallen asleep, and every
now and then giving the door a smart rap
by way Of variety.
In her hurry, Mrs. Thomas forgot to
take the candle, and AS she stepped out
into the little front entry, the sitting room
door slammed after her. She had her
hand on the handle Of the hall door at the
moment and opening it, she suddenly
found herself in the embrace of stou,
PAIR OF arms; a whiskered face in close
proximity TO her own and before she
conld think about the strangeness Of her
situation, she received prolonged kiss
hearty smack-fell upon her virtuous
matron lips.
so, murder! Taint Obadiah, nei,herw
She had by this time divestcd herself of
the impression that it was her unusually
sober husband, who must have come home
in an unusually exalted condition, thus to
indulge in such unwonted expression of
affection. aa&aa#f
"Get out Get out, say Who are
you, anyhow? Murder .hieyer! Hetly,
come here Here's a man kissiug me
Ike mad ~ .HatE
But the intruder had by this time dis.
covered his mistaxe--it did not need the
innirnant mum rnaiin.r nnd nnrnAnL :,,.x IL