New Orleans daily crescent., 1860-11-26

had rolled cut upon the hearth, and puss was busy
converting it into gordian knots.
And lest then came double rap at the door
so loue, sudden and self.assured that Hetty start
ed up with little shrek, and set her foot on
Passss tail, who in turn gave voice to her amaze.
meat and displeasures
The combined noise aroused Mrs. Thomas, and,
starting into an erect position, she rubbed her
eyes settled her cap-border, and exclaimed
Bless my SOUL Hetty, what was that? Some
body at the doori Who can be coming here at
this time of the nght2n
It's not late, mother,--only little past eight.
I'll 20 and who ii isl says Hetty, demurely,
taking the candle from the table.
No. Here, you wind up my ball and sweep
the earth, while | go to the door, says the old
lady whose feet were struggling in the perptexing
meshes of the unraveled yarn. % Drat the cati''
And all this tEe Josiah was standing on one
foot out the cold porch, with his hands in his
overcoat pockets, wondering if Hetty had fallen
asleep, snd every now and then giving the door a
smart Tsp 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 q stout pair of arms;
w'kiskered face in close proximity to her own !;
and before she could think about the strsngeness
Gf her situation she received a prolonged kiss
q hearty smack-full upon her virtuous matron
lips.
30 murder! 'Taint obsdiah, neithers''
She had by this time dTested herself of the i'm
preston that it was her usually sober spouse who
| mustRave come home in an unusually exalted con-
ditaon, thus to indulge in such unwonted express
sions of affection.
sect out! Get out, say! Who are you, any
how? Murderi thieves. Hettyg come here
Here's man kissing me like mady"
But the intruder had by this time discovered his
mistake; it did not need the indignant pumme,ing
and scratching OF the old lady's vigorous fists to
cause him to reingGfsh his hold, and fly if pur-
sued by some indignant ghost.
Hetty, nearly checking with smothered laughter,
in spite of her tresdation, came to the rescue.
1 . never was SO frightened in all my lifea The
| mean scamp! Who could it be? Hetty, have you
| any idea2p
But that dutifal daughter was, to all appearance,
| innocent as sucking dove. She soothed the old
| lady by representing that it might have been one
of the neighboTs, who, having drank too much,
| had mistaken the house and the housewife. She
| searched the entry for the missing spectaces,
| dropped in the scuffle; rearranged the rumpled
| cap border; wound up the tangled yarn; stirred
the fire-all in the most amiable manner possible
and at length had the satisfaction of seeing her
mother subsi4e into her chair and her accustomed
| tranquility.
new idea ia her head, and instead of settling her
| self for another nap, she pursued the train of
| thought and her knitting, both at the same time,
| with wonderful rapidity. AT length, stopping aud
| looking keenly at Hetty,
| '' suppose it's queer idea Of mine, Hetty but
| I've notion that man was 'Siah Hawley." N.Y.
| but if Hetty's face did not fire up then. You
| might have lit a candle by it. These incipient
symptoms did not escape the wary inquisitor.
| .siPears so to nae. cause those big whiskess
were SO much like his'n, and the awkward way he
| grinped me with his great paws.''
Hetty was wonderfully busy. She bent over her
| work and drew the needle through so quickly that
| the thread snapped, and then she was so much
engaged in threading her needle again, she did mt
| have time to answer.
q don't believe that kiss was meant for me after
all. Wonder echo it was intended for and wonder
| if yoet don't know something about it, Hetty m
"NIel mother?n szs.-
Eyes, yoe, Hetty. You was mighty anxioas to
get me and pap Oft to see aunt Ruth this evening
but noticed you were slieked mp extraordinary,
for all you wer'n going.
Now, Hetty, I'm gettin old. know it; but /
haven't quite lost my eye-sight yet. I've heard
something about this between you and Siah Haw-
ley What are you plaYin' possum for? Out with
it, say!r
Our little sehemer thus abiured, made a clean
breast of the matter, much relieved to find that
mother hadn't nuthin agin him." and would
give father talk about it, and bring him round"
But, Hetty, want you to tell Sah I'd rather
he'd not make such mistake agin. | don't like
the feel of his big whiskers about my face. don't
approve Of pfomiscoas kissing.n
IS iah never heard the last Of that hlunder. Old
Squire Thomas used to delight in rehearsing the
story whenever all the parties interested happened
to be present. He would shake his fat sides at
Josiah's discontinue and his wife's tart replies
and Hetty would join him. and beth would laugh
| until the tears ran down their cheeks.
Never mind, Siah,'' Mrs Thomas would saw
eonsoling. . Let him laugh. He'd have been
only too glad to have been in your place twenty
| years ago. He had hard work TO get kiss from
me then. And | hope it will be lesson to you
and Hetty, agin the iFapolicy of concealment, and
under hand deins3 of all sorts.