The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1861-03-29

MORNING, MARCH 20, 1861.

have wondered at our young farmers en-.
thrallment IL you could have seen Hetty
Thomas us she sat by tho frc-side that cold
November night.
Under pretext Of being ready to go her
uncle's, "a thing she had no idea of doing, }
she had, just before tea. indulged in an in.
discriminate fixing up A neatly fitting
dark calico, with the store look just on it. a
fresh linen collar, and tasteful black silk
apron-these were the chief items of Hetty &
toilet; but she looked sweet and dainty in
her plain dress as IL an hour had been spent
in donning lace and jewels. Her rich hair,
Of the darkest tinge. fell in shining folds
close to her warm red check, and was caught
up in cunning knot behind.
Eight o'clock and past Mrs. Thomas
was doing in her chair-her shadow on the
opposite wall bobbing about in grotesque
niimicry as sho nodded to and fro-now
crushing the yoluminous white satin bows
on her spruce cap against the back Of the
chair-now almost falling forward, and her
fat hands lay listlesly in her lap, and her
ball OF yarn lay rolled out upon the hearth,
and puss was husy converting 1t into Cor
dian knots.
And just then there came double rap at
the door-so loud, 80 suddens and seli-as-
sured, that Hetty attcd up with q little
shrek, and set her fodf on pfss's tail, who
in turn gave voice to her nmazement and
displeasuro. =!
The combined noise al fphsed Mrs. Thomas,
starting into an erect petition, she rubbed
h,aiSCs' her syss settled her Sh border and eH'
Bless my soul, Hetty, What was that2
Somebody at the dcor 2 W6P can be com.
ing here at this time of nights
It's not late mother-only b little past
eight. ~ go and see who It is,' said Ilctty
demurely, taking the candle from the table.
No. You wind up my ball and sweep
up the hearth. while go to the door, said
the old lady, whose feet were struggling in
the mcshes of tho unravellcd yarn. Drat
that cat 2
And oil this time Josiah was standing on
one foot on the cold porch, with his hands
in his oycrcoat pockets, wondering If Hetty
had fallen asleep, and every now and then
giving the door smart rap by way OF va
riety,
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 ut the moment,
and opening II suddenly, found herself in the
embrace of a stout pair of arms, whiskcred
face in close proximity with her own, and
before she could think about the strangeness
of her situation, she received prolonged
kiss-a hearty smack-full upon her yir-
tuous matron lips.
'Oh, murder 'Taint Obcdiah neither y
She had by this time diyested herself OF
the impression that 1t was her usually sober
spouse, who must have come home in an un-
usually exalted condition thus to indulge in
such unwontcd manifestations of affection.
Get out Get out lsay Who are you
anyhow Murder Thieves lIetty come
here Here's a man kissing me like mad
But the intruder had by this time discoy-
cred his mistake-it did not need the indig-
nant pnmmelling and scratching of the old
lady's vigorous fists to cause him to orelinquish
his hold and fly us If pursued by some indig-
nant ghost.
Iictty, nearly choking with smothered
laughter, in spite Of her trcpidation, now
came to the rescue.
/ never was so frightened in all my life !
The mean scamp. Who could it be? llct-
ty, have you any idea 2
But the dutilul daughter was to all ap-
pcarance as innocent as u sucking dove. She
soothed the old lady by representing that it
might have been one of the neighbors, who,
having drank too much, had mistaken the
house and the housewisc. She searched the
entry for the missing spcctacles, dropped in
scuille; re-arranscd the rulnplcd cap BORDER;
wound up the tangled yarn; stirred thF fire
all in the Post amiable manner poSsl slble-
and at lengthihad the satisfaction to $50 her
mother subsdS into her chair with ltr ac-
cdstomed n(hility.
Mrs. ThomasWas fully awake now. She
Ind new idea h her head, and inbtead of
settlcing herself lpr another nap, ihe pur-
sued the train Of thought and her Knitting,
both at the same { me with wonderful rapid
ity. At length Stopping and looking keen
i TsuppSsq its aauecr notion, of mine,
Hawley.'
My hut il Hctty's face did bot fire up
then. You might haze lit qbndlc by it.
These incipient symptoms did nit escape the
10" Pears aNc"'i 80 to me. cause those big whis-
kers were so much like Ris'n, gnd the awk.
ward way he gripcd me with Us great paws.
Hetty was wonderful b&sy.; She bent ov-
er her work, and drew her fccdle through
30 quickly that the thread Anfpped, and then
she was so much engaged threading her
needle again, she didn't ha} y time to answer
Il don't think that kiss was meant Tor
me, after all. Wonder who il was intended
for? and wonder if you don't know some
thing about it, Hettyp
Me, mother p
Yes, you, IIetty ! You wa, mighty anx-
ious to get me and pap 9f to Aunt Ruth's
this evening, and noticed yod were slickcd
up extraordinary, for 4l you weren't Soin:
Hetty, I'm getting old, l know it; but
haven't quite lost my eysigbt yet. I've
heard something about this between you and
'Siah Hawlcy. What are you playing pos
sum for? Out witlyit, / say.t
Our little schemfr, being fhus adjurcdi,
made q clean brcasgof the m{tter; much
relieved to find tina mother hldnt nuthin
agin him. and wosld give hther talk
about it, and bring him rodnd.S
But, Hetty, want you TO tell Josiah
that I'd rather Id wouldn't make such
mistake asin. I dn't like the teel oil his
big whi:kcrs about my face; dofft approve
OF promiscous kissing J..
Siah never hes I'D the last Of thai ablnnder.
Old Squire Thomhs used TO deliglf in re-
hearsing the story whenever all theNparties
interested happdhcd to be present. Hs\would
shake his fat si{cs at Josiah's discomAture,
and his wife's 4 lrt replies. and lletty Npuid
JOIN them, and both would laugh until the
tears ran down their cheeks. Y.
Meyer mind .Siah, Mrs. Thomas woI!d
say, consolingY. Let him laugh, Hd