The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1870-09-06
Gbe Gttnes, Mem BLOOMFIELD, 1Da.

er and dearer Yes-she could not be
mistaken now-it was actually snore
Hetty rose softly to her feet with re-
newed hope. Surely, now was the ac-
cepted time.
Noislessly as floating shadow she
crossed the hall, opened the kitchen door,
and stole across the creaking floor.
The shiftiug lustre of the freight re-
vealed to her Deacon Merritt nodding be-
fore the fire with closed eyes, and hands
hanging at his sides
"He is certainly asleep" thought
Hetty.
With heart that beat quick and fast,
like the stroke Of miniature hammer,
she drew the key from her dress pocket
and proceeded lin spite of the nervous
trembling of her fingers, to fit it into
the lock. So absorbed was she in her
task that she never noted the sudden
cessation of the heavy breathing-never
saw the deacon startssuddenly into wake
fulness, and look around towards her.
All, Hetty, love is blind, they say, and it
is equally true that love is sometimes
deaf!
The deacon rose quietly up with a
shrewd twinkle in his eyes, and Hetty
gave little frightened shrek as a hand
fell softly on her arm, possessing itself
quietly of the key.
"Let me help you," said Deacon Mer-
rit.
" Father. II found the key" falter-
ed Hetty, "and-"
Found the key, eh III returned the
deacon. "Well, that's lucky-and now
you can find out what's the matter with
the old clock p
Hetty's heart throbbing so wildly a
moment before, seemed to stand absolute
" still as Deacon Merritt turned the key
and opened the tall door of the clock
case.
"Hallo!,' calculated Deacon MERIT, as
Mr.. John Aylmer tumbled laughingly
into the room. $50 you was the matter
with the old clock, eh p
"Yesl sir" said Mr.. Aylmer, compos-
edly. II hope I havn't seriously inter-
fered with the works Of the clock -
"You've seriously interfered with me,
though !'' said the deacon, waxing indig-
nant. What do you mean, sir, by hid
ing in my house like thief?'
Indeed, indeed, father" cried Hetty,
bursting into tears, " it wasn't his fault.
He didn't want to hide, but | put him in
there"
"You did, eh? And may ask what
for ?"
Father" faltered Hetty, rather irrev-
emily. "I love him-and-he loves me ?'
"Is that any reason he should hide in
clock-case, miss p
"No-but father o, father, can
never marry Caleb Truman He is old,
and cross, and withered, and"
Hetty's eyes finished the sentence for
her. The deacon looked down, not un-
kindly, on her bowed head, and the ten
der arms that supported it. Apparently
the course of true love, roughly though
it ran, was overwhelming all his worldly
wise arrangements in its tide.
"And SO you young folks really think
you love each other?" said the deacon,
mediatively.
81 love her with all my heart and soul,
sir" said John Aylmer, earnestly. "Im
not rich, l know, but l can work Tor
her."
"And can work myself, too, father"
said Hetty, with eyes that shone like soft
ened stars.
"And you said yourself, sir,' went on
Aylmer, " that the stopping of the clock
meant either death or marriage. VI
course we don't want any deaths, so don't
you think the most sensible thing to do is
to help on a marriage as soon as posi-
BILE ?"
The deacon laughed in spite of him
self.
1T is late" said the deacon. "Come
round tomorrow morning, and We'll talk
aboutit. suppose young folks will be
young folks, and there's no use in trying
to stop 'em."
And as the deacon hung the pendulum
and set the iron tongue of the old clock
talking again, John Aylmer paused on
the doorstep to whisper to Hetty:
. My darling, it's worth passing a life
time behind the clock-case to feel as hap