Red Wing sentinel. [volume] (Red Wing, M.T. [i.e. Minn.]) 1855-1861, 1861-01-02
gate, and took the road hbmeward.

home made carpet and Hetty's wor
stand drawn up in front Of the blazin
fire. A bountitully piled waiter Q
great red apples, and a plate Of cracke
walnuts we're on it. in close proximit
to Hetty's work basket. !
| On one side of the fire sat Mrs
Thomas, fat ana fair, at peace wit
all the word, rocking and knitting
and refreshing herself at divers andsun
dry intervals will, a bite from hal
eaten apple that lay on the corner o
the table, and touching every now an>
then in caressing manner, with he
foot sleek, lazy looking cat that pur'
red and winked on the rug before her
Hctty sat Oh the other side, sewing
and busy, i'll thinking how she shoult
tell her mother that she expected :
visitor. She would have given the
world to be able to say in an off hand
manner that she expected Mr.. Hawley
to drop in about eli ght. But she rccol
lected with twinge Of conscience
how hard she led to get the lady tc
acnompany her husband to Aunt Kntht
spite OF her forcwarniHgs Of a spell oi
neuralgia; how she had also plead
headache as an excuse for not going
herself And she knew her mother
was quite sharp enough to draw her
own inferenccs from these facts, and
from her being dressed with unusual
care to spend an evening at home.
Il shall not dare to tell her now.
She'll be sure to think wanted to get
her out OF the way so I might have
Josiah all to myself, and I should
never hear the last of it, And like a
wise little girl she was silent.
l'lI venture my word on it, you wo'd
not have wondered at our young farm
er's desperate cnthralmcnt if You
could have seen Hetty Thomas as she
sat sewing by the flreside that cold
November evening.
Under a prctence ofbeing ready to
go to her uucle's "a thing she had no
idea Of doing) she had, just before tea
indulged III All indiscriminate fixing
up 4 neatly fitted dark calico, with
the store looh still on it, a fresh linen
collar and tasteful black silk apron
these were the chief items Of Hetty's
toilet; but she looked sweet and dainty
in her plain dress as if hours had been
spent in donning lace and jewels
Her rich lair Of the darkest auburn
tingc, fell in shining folds to her warm
red check, and was caught up in a
running knot behind.
Eight o'clock and past: Mrs. Thom-
AZ was doing in her chai:--her shad-
ow on the opposite wall hobbing about
in erotesquc mimicry as she nodded to
|and fro-now almost falling forward,
and her fat hand lay listlessly in her
lap, and her ball Of yarn had rolled
out upon the hearth, and puss was
busy converting it into Gordian knots.
Aud just then came a double rap at
the door--so loud, sudden and self-as-
surca that Hctty started up with a
little shrek and set her foot on puss'
tail, who in turn gave avoicc 10 he,
amazcment and displeasnrc.
| The combined noise aroused Mrs
Thomas, and, starting into al cree,
position, she rubbed her eyes, settled
her cap-bordcr and exclaimed
"Bless my soul, He,ty, what was
that? Somebody at the door? Who
can be coming at this time Of night?
'lt's not late, mother-only a little
past eight. I'll go and see who it is,'
says Hetty, demurely, taking the can
die from the table.
no. Here you wine: up my bal
and sweep up the hearth, while l &C
to the door, says the old lady, whose
feet were struggling in the perplexine
meshes of the yarn. 'Drat that cat.
All this time Josiah was standing O,
one foot on the cold porch: with hi!
hands in bis overcoat pockets, wonder
ing if lietty had fallen asleep, ani
every now and the giving the door ,
smart rap by way Of variety.
In the hurry, Mrs. Thompson forgo
to take the candle, and'as she stepped
ont into the front entry, the setting
room door slammed after her. Sh,
; had her hand on the handle Of th,
hall door at the moment, and, openin!
it, she suddenly found herself in til,
!embrace ola stout pair of arms:
whishered face in close proximit,
TO her own and before she coulo
think about the strangeness of he
situation, she received prolonged kis
a hearty smack--full upon her virtuou
matron lips.
i 90. murder and it aint Obediah.
She had by this time dives:ed herscl
of the impression that j, was her usual,
sober spouse, who must have CON,
home in an unusually exalted condi
Etlon thus to indulge in such unwonsee
Expressions Of affection.
Get out! Get ont, / say! Who ar,
you, anyhow: Murder. thieves! Hetty
come here: Here's man kissing m
like mad!.
But the intruder had by this tim
discovered his mistake-it did no
need the indignant pummelins an
scratching Of tie old lady's vieorou
fists to cause him to relinquish hi
hold and fly as if pursued by some in
/ dignant ghost.
i He,ty, nearly choking with smo,h
iered laughter, in spite her trepidatior
now raD1c 20 the rt.scUe.