The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1861-05-16
EBENsBURG, PA, THURSDAY, MAY Is. 1851.


Eyes" and agreed to '.bring father and
mother round on the subject" Josiah
had not been to the house since-likely
feeling very much Ike dog venturing
upon the premises Of a person whose
sheepfold had just been plundered. AS
yet neither had the courage to speak to
the "reigning powers" on the subject, and
Hetty, feeling as if she wished to put the
ordeal off as long as possible, at any rate
to have one more confidential talk with
him on the subject, said
"AIother is going over to aunt Ruth's
to spend the evening, and wants me to go,
but l guess 1 won't. I've been working
on fathers shirts al day, besides doing
the dairy work, and I'm as tired as can
be; so guess she will have to 80 without
me. Don't come till eight o'clock. [
shall be through putting things to rights
then, and viii lei you in"
OF course Josiah was not too obtuse to
understand that, and SO far forgot his
bashfumess as to petition for a goodbye
kiss, which was peremptorily refused, Of
course.
"No, I shan't. Do take yourself Off
Think didn't see you fdgattirg around
Sarah Jones at Deacon Banger's, yester-
day evening? 1 have not forgotten that,
sirv'
''Now, Hetty -"
But the appeal was broken off by a
haunting little laugh; and as he sprang
forward TO take a pleasant revenge on his
tormentress, she slipped away and ran up
the path to the house, where he saw her
wave her hand as she disappeared within
the kitchen porch and then he turned
from the gate and hurried homeward.
The tea things had been carried out,
the table set back against the wall, the
crumbs brushed from the clean homemade
carpet, and Hetty's work-stand drawn mp
in front Of the blazing fire. & beautifully
piled plate OF great red apples, and d plate
Of. cracked wainats were on it, in close
proximity TO Hetty's work basket.
On enc side Of the fire sat Mrs. Thom-
as, fat and fair, and at peace with all the
world, rocking and knitting, and refresh
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, Ia caressing manner with
her foot, sleek, lazy slooking cat that
purred and winked on the rug before her.
Hetty sat on the other side, sewing and
busy thinking how she could tell her
mother she expected visitor.
She would have given the world TO be
able to say, in an of-hand manner, that
she expected 1Ir. Hawley to drop in about
eight But she recollected, with twinge
of conscience, how she had tried to get |
the old lady to accompany her husband to
aunt Ruth's, in spite of her warnings Of q |
spell of neuralgia, and how she had plead
ed headache as an excuse for not going |
herself And she knew her mother was
quite sharp, enough to draw her own in
ference from these facts, and from her be- |
ing dressed with unusual care to spend an
evening at home.
"I shall not dare to tell now. She'll |
be sure TO think [ wished to get her out |
Of the way SO 1 might have Josiah all to
myself, and I should never hear the last |
Of it." and like wise little puss she
was silent
I'll venture my word on It, you would |
not have wondered at our young farmers /
If you could have seen Hetty
as she sat by the fireside in that
cold November night.
Under pretence Of being ready to 90 to |
her uncle's, Ga thing she had no idea Of
doiDg,) she had, iusa before tea, INDUCED |
in an indiscriminate fixing up" \ neat
fitting calico, with the store look still upon
it, fresh linen collar and tasteful black
silk apron-thesc were the chief items of
Hetty's toilet, but she looked as sweetend
dainty In her plaid dress as if 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
cheeks, and was caught up in cunning
knot behind.
Eight o'clock was past. Mrs. Thomas
was doing in her chair-her shadow on
the opposite wall bobbing round in gro
tesque mimicry as she nodded to and fro
. now crushing the voluminous white
satin bows on her spruce cap against the |
back Of the chair-now almost falling for |
ward and her fat hands lay listlessly in
her lap, and her ball of yarn had rolled |
out upon the hearth, and puss was busy
it into Gordian knots.
And just then came q double rap at the
door-so loud, sudden and self assured, |
that Hetty started up with a little shrek, |
and set her foot on puss's tail, who in turn
gave her voice to the amazement and dis
pleasure.
The combined noise aroused Mrs Thom-
as, and starting into an erect position, she
rubbed her eyes, settled her cap border,
-, 4 ox,.iai,oad