The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1871-05-16
Gbe Gintes, New BLOOMFIELD, 1)a.
UNCLE TOMS PRESENT.
BY MATTE EYER BRITTs.

~ coat, by the blazing fire in the sit
tingsroom, and Hetty's mother was help
ing him, and making a great fuss over
him; so Hetty went into the kitchen, and
busted herself in dishing the hot sausages,
and haky biscuits and fragrant tea, and
putting them on the table beside the
bright green pickles, golden honey and
crimson jelly, which were already waiting
to furnish the weary traveller supper.
1t struck Uncle Tom, while they sat
at the table, that there was a grave turn
to the corners of his favorite Hettys
red mouth, and sad look in her eyes,
which were not there at his last visit, and
he missed her bright joyous ways, exceed
ingly.
And after supper he noticed that,
while they all chatted so merrily, Hetty
sat silently knitting and gazing thought
fully into the fire. Now Uncle Tom
loved Hetty so much that he could not be
very happy himself while she was sad,
so his first thought was to find out the
trouble, that he might apply the remedy.
lie said nothing that night, but the
next morning he was standing alone by
the sitting-room fire when Hetty swept
the hearth, and as she finished, he put
his hand under her dimpled chin, and
raising her sweet face said kindly:
Hetty, what is the matter with my
little sunbeam ?"
Hetty dropped her blue eyes, and an
swered:
Nothing, Uncle Tom What should
be ?"
81 don't know" he said, obviously +;
" but I'm sure she doesn't shine as bright
as she used to do"
"All imagination, my dearest Uncle" !"
said Hetty, as she disengaged her face
and went away.
But not before Uncle Tom had seen
the tears fill her eyes, and the grieved
look deepen about her rose bud mouth.
Now Uncle Tom was a sharp old fellow
and sometimes, he knew, the surest way
to discovery is to keep still. But he
kept his eyes open, aud that evening,
when old Squire Parker came to see Het-
ty, he saw that Hetty was dreadfully vex-
cd, and her mother greatly pleased, lie
thought he knew half the difficulty.
Later in the evening Wallace Curtis
came in, and then Uncle saw the light
come to Hetty's eyes, and the bloom to
her cheeks, spite Of the half frightened
glances she cast at her mother. He
glanced at his sister too, and saw that
she sat upright as post-as stern and
grim as she always looked when she was
awfully displeased; so he concluded he
knew the other half too. r.
He saw Hetty jerk her hand away
from Squire Parker, when the visitors de-
parted, and, standing purposely between
his irate sister and the younger
ones, he saw Wallace Curtis take the same
little hand and raise it to his lips in the
shadow ...
And after they were gone, he saw that
Hetty kept the other little hand clasped
over the one which had received the ca
ress, as ifshe would keep the sweet i'm
press there as long as she could.
Uncle Tom had half an idea that after
she had shortly dismissed Hetty to bed,
his sister Maria meant to consult him re-
garding the affairs. But sister Maria
knew soft-hearted Uncle Tom too well
for that. Besides, she was provoked at
him for not telling her more about his
own affairs. Many times she had tried
to find out whether or not his business in
the city was prosperous, but beyond say
ing " he made enough to eat and wear
he would tell her nothing. So, as he
would not confide his affairs to her, she
would not confde hers to him, and he
saw that any agency he had must be
through Hetty herself
Next day he watched for another
chance to speak to Hetty, and as he stood
beside her at the parlor window, Squire
Parker passed by. Seeing Hetty, he
made Sinking bow which she only
answered by cold nod, and then Uncle
Tom asked: i.I.
"Well, Hetty, girl, which is it to be p
With look which showed she under,
stood him, Hetty passionately answered
/" 1t shall neUer be old Parker !"
What is the oblectlon TO young Cur
tis 2" asked Uncle Tom.
+" He's poor" replied Hetty.
"And Squire Parker is rich, is he?"
" Yes and fifty years DID, and as ugly
as sin, as you have seen yourself"
"And mother approves Squire Parker p
pursued Uncle Tom.
/" Yes, Oh, uncle, what shall l do
They have determined that shall marry
him at Christmas, and that is only week
off, what shall we do, Uncle Tom 7"
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