The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1861-05-16

eight. I'll go and see who it is" said
Hetty, demufely taking the candle from
the large table
''No. You wind up my ball and sweep
the hearth, while l go to the door," said
the old lady, whose feet were struggling
in the meshes Of the unravelled yarn
''Drat that cat ~
All this time Josiah was standing on
one foot on the cold porch, with his hands
in his oyercoat pockets, wondering if
Hetty had fallen asleep, and every now
and then giving the door a smart rap by
way of variety.
Inher hurry, Mrs Thomas forgot to take
the candle, and as she stepped out into
the little entry, the sittiug-room door
slammed after her. She had her hand on
the handle Of the hail door at the moment,
and opening it suddenly, found herself in
the embrace Of a stout PAIR Of arms, q
/ whiskered face in close proximity to her
own, and before she could think abou. the
strangcness of her situation she received
prolonged kiss-a hearty good smack
/ full upon her virtuous, sweet looking
matron lips.
80, murder! 'Taint Obediah neither ~
She had by this time divested herself
Of the impression that it was her usually
sober spouse, who must have come home
III an unusually exalted condition thus to
indulge in such unwonted expressions of
affection.
''Get out Get out, say Who are
you, anyhow? Murder thieves, Hetty,
come here Here's a man kissing me
like madman ~
II boJ Il
covered his mistake, and il did not need
the pummeling and scratching of the old
lady's vigorous fists to cause him to relin-
quish 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.
II never was so frightened in all my
life! Who could it be? Hetty, have
you any idea 2"
But the dutiful daughter was, to all ap-
pearauce, innocent as a sucking DOVE
She soothed the old lady by representing
that it might have been one of the neigh
bors, who had mistaken the house and the
housewife. She searched the entry for
the missing spectacles, dropped in the
scufie, re-arranged the rumpled border,
wound up the rumped yarn, stirred up
the fire-an in the most amiable manner
possible-and at length had the satisfac-
tion Of seeing'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 herself for another nap, she
pursued her train of thought and her knit
ting at the same time, and with wonderful
rapidity st length, stopping and look
ing keenly at Hetty, she said
''l suppose it's queer notion Of mine,
Hetty, but I've notion that man was
'Siah Hawley."
My. but if Hetty's face dldn'nt fire up
then. You might have lit candle by it.
These incipient symptoms did not es-
cape the wary inquisitor.
+" "Pears 50 to me" she continued
''Because those big whisllers were so much
like his'n, and the awkward way ne grip
ped me with his great paws"
Hetty was wonderful busy. She bent
over her work, and drew her needle so
quickly that the thread snapped, and then
she was so much engaged in threading it
again that she didn't have time to answer.
''I don't suppose that kiss was meant
for me, after all. Wonder who it was in
tended for?-and wonder if YOU don't
know something about it, Hetty ?'
'EMe, mother p
eyes, you, He3tyl You were mighty
anxious to get pap and l off to Aunt
Ruth's this evening, and / noticed that
you were slioked up extraordinary, for all
you weren't going. Petty, [ am getting
old know it; but I haven't lost my
eyesight yet. I've heard something about
this between you and 'Siah Hawley-
What are you playing possum for I? Out
with it, I say"
Our little schemer, thus adjured, made
a clean breast Of the matter, much re-
lieyed that mother hadn't nuthin' agin
hinl, and would give father talk and
bring him round.
"But, Hetty, / want you to tell 'Siah
I'd rather he wouldn't make such mis-
take again. / don't like the feel Of his
big whisker about my face, and I don't
approve OF promiscuous kissing"
And aeyty said she would.
'Siah never heard the last of that blum
der. Old Squire Thomas used to de.ignt
In rehearsing the story whenever al the
parties interested happened to be present. |
Of course, TO .josiaa's great discontinue.
"Neyer mind, Siah," Mrs. Thomas