Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1861-03-29

dainty IN her PLAIN dress, as II hours had
been spent in donping lace aud jewels. Her
rich hair, of the darkest tnge fell in shin
ing folds close to her warm red cheek, and
was caught up in cunning net behind
Eight o'clock aud part Mrs. Thomas
was doing in ner chair-her shadow on the
opposite wall bobbing about in grotesque
mimiery as she nodded to and fro--now
crushing the volnminous 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 rolled out upon the hearth,
and puss was busy converting il into Cor
dian knots. And just then came double
rap at the door--so loud up with a little
shrek, and set her foot on the cats tail who
in turn gave voice to her amazement and
displeasure.
The combined noise aroused Mrs. Thomas
and starting into an erect position, she rub
bed her eyes, settled her cap-border, and
exclaimed
"Bless my sonl, Hetty, what was that !?
Somebody at the door? Who can be com
ing at this time Of night y
st is not late, mother--only a little past
eight. I'll go and see who it is" said Iletty,
demurely, taking the candle from the table.
mo. You wind up my ball and sweep
up the hearth, while | 90 the the door, said
the old lady, whose feet were struggling in
the meshes ofihe unrayelled yarn. "Drat
that catl"
And all this time Josiah was standing on
one foot on the cold porch, with his hands
in his overcoat pockets, wondering if Hetty
had fallen asleep, and every now and then
giving the door smart. rap by way Of
variation.
In her hurry, Mrs. Thomas forgot to take
the candle, and as she stepped out into the
little front entry, the sitting-room door slam
med after her. She had her hand on the
handle of the hall door at the moment, and
opening it, she found herself in the embrace
of stout pair OF arms. whiskered face in
close proximity to her own, and before she
could think about the strangtness of her
situation, she received prolonged kiss-a
hearty smack-full upon her virtuous mat
ron lips.
20, murder 'Taint Obadiah. neither"
She had by this time divesied herself ot
the impression that il was her usually sober
spouse who must have come home in an I'M
usually excited condition thus TO indulge in
such unwonted expressions OF affection.
Get out get out, say! Who are you,
anyhow? Murder, lhevesi Hetty. come
here Here's a man kissing me like mad "
But tie inlruder had bv this time dis
covered his mistake--it did not need the in
dignant pummeling and scratching of the
| old ladg's vigorous fis,s to cause him to re-
linquisIi his hold and fly as if pursued by
some Indignant ghost.
Hetty, nearly choking with smothered
laughter, in spite Of her trepidation, now
came to the rescue.
81 never was so frightened in all my life
The mean scamp Who could ii be I
betty, have you any ideaS
But that dutiful daughter was, to all ap-
pearanees innocent as sucking dove. She
soothed the old lady by representing that it
might have been one of the neighhors, who
having drank too much, had mistaken the
house and the housewife. She searched
| the entry for the missing spectacles, dropped
in the scCffie; re-arranged the rumpled cap
horder wound up the tangled yarn; stirred
the 6re--all in the most amiable manner
possibIe--and at length had the satisfaction
OF seeirfg her mother subside into her chair
with her accustomed tranquility.
Mrs Thomas was fully awake now. She
had new idea in her head, and Instead of
settling her head for another nap, she pur-
sued the train Of thought and her knitting.
both at the same time, with wonderful rapi-
dity. At length, stopping and looking
ketnlv at Heity-
Il suppose it's queer notion of mine.
Hetty, but I've notion that man was 'Siah
Hawley."
My but if Hetty's face did not fire up
then You might have lit candle by il.
These ineipient symptoms did not escape
the wary inquistor
"'Pears so to me. Cause those big
whiskers were so much like his'n, and the
awkward way he griped me with his great
paws~
Hetty was wonderfully busy. She bent
so quickly that the thread snapped, and then
she was so engaged in threading her needle
again she didn't have time 10 answer.
~ don'tthin that kiss was meant for me,
after all. Wonder who it was intended for I;
and wonder YOU don't know something
about it, Hetty?"
"NIe, mother? 7"
aYes, you, Herty! You was mighty anx-
ious to get me and Pa offa Aunt Ruh's this
evening. but noticed you were slicked up
extraordinary, for all you weren't going.
Hetty, I'm getting old; l know it; but |
haven't quite lnst my eyesight Yet. I've
heard something about this between you
and .Siah Hawley. What are you playin'
possum for? Out with it, sayr'
Our little schemer, thus adjured. made a
clean breast of the matter; much relieved 10
find that mother ''hadn't nothin' agin him. ,
and would sgive father a talk about it, and
bring him all round.
"Bui, Hetty, | want you TO tell 'Siah I'd
rather he wouldn't make such mistake
agin. | don't like the feel of his big whisk-
ers about my face, don't approve Of pro-
miscuous kissing"
'Siah never heard the last of that blund-
er. Old Squire Thomas used TO delight in
rehearsins the story whenever all the
parties interested happened to be present.
He would shake his fat sides at Josiah's dis
eomfture, and his wife's tart replies, and
Hettv would Join him, and both would laugh
until the fears ran down their cheeks.
.Neyer mind, Slab" Mrs. Thomas would
say. cousolingly, "Let him laugh. He'd
have been only too glad to have been in
l. -