The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1861-01-08

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the door-so loud, sudden and self-as
sured that Hetty up with a little shrek
and set her foot on puss' tail, who il
turn gave voice to her amazement and
displeasure.
The combined noise aroused Mrs
Thomas, and starting into an erect posi-
ton, she rubbed her eyes, settled hel
cap-border, and exclaimed
4" Bless my soul, Hetty, what was
that? Somebody at the door +? Who
can be coming here at this time oI
night %
It's not late, mother--only a little
past eight. I'll go and see who it is"
says Hetty, demurely, taking the candle
from the table.
{" No. You wind up my ball and
sweep up the heart, while l go to the
door," says the old lady, whose feet
were struggling in the perplexing mesh
er of the unraveled yarn. Drat that
cat |"
And all this time Josiah was standing
on one foot out on the cold porch, with
his hands in his overcoat pockets, won
dering if Hetty had fallen asleep, and
every now and then giving the door a
smart rap by way Of variety.
In her hurry, Mrs. Thomas forgot 70
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 sudden
ly found herself in the embrace ola stout
pair of arms a whiskered face in close
proximity TO her own and, before she
could think about the strangeness OF her
situation, she received a prolonged kiss
a hearty smack-full upon her virtuous
matron lips.
"Oh. murder 'Taint Obadiah, nei-
ther y
She had by this time divested herself
OF the impression that it was her unusu-
ally sober spouse, who must have come
home in an unusually exalted condition
thus to indulge in such unwonted ex-
pressions of affection
Get OUT Get out. say! Who are
you, anyhow? Murder thieves Het-
ty y! come here Here's man kissing
me like mad u
But the intruder had by this time dis
covered his mistake--it did not need the
indignant pummeling and scratching Of
the old lady's vigorous fists to cause him
to relinquish his hold and ay as if pur-
sued by some indignant ghost.
Hety, nearly choking with smothered
laughter, in spite of her trepidaton,
now came to the rescue.
Il never was SO frightened in all my
life The mean scamp! Who could it
be? Hetty, have you any idea ?"
But that dutiful daughter was TO all
appearance, innocent as sucking dove.
She soothed the old lady by represent
ing that it might have been one of the
neighbors, who, having drank too much,
had mistaken tho house and the house
wife. She searched the entry for the
missing spectaeles, dropped in the scuflie:
re-arrapged the cap-border wound up
the tangled yarn stirred the fire--all
IN the most amiable manner possible
aud at length had the satisfaction of see
ing her mother subside into her chair
with her accustomed tranquility.
Mrs. Thomas was fully awake now
She had new idea in her head, and in.
stead Of settling herself for another nap,
she pursued the train of thought and her
knitting, both at the Same time with
wonderful rapidly, At length, stopping
aud looking keenly at Hetty-
" ! suppose its 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 inquisitor.
Pears SO to me. Cause those biz
whiskers were SO much like his'n, and
the awkward way he griped me- with his
great paws !"
Helty was wonderfully busy. She
bent over her work aud drew the needle
through SO quickly that the thread snap
ped. and then she was so engaged in
threading her needle again she didn t
have time 10 answer.
." don't believe that kiss was meant
for me after all. Wonder ,eho il was in.
tended for; and wonder il yoa don't
know something about il, Helly ?"
" Me, mother" ?"
I" Yes. you. HeRyt You was mighty
anxious to get me and pap off 10 aunt
Il