Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1872-12-06
5fiscellanu.
From Kittery to Kansas.
BY MRS. M. A. DENIsoN.

"Your Susy's pretty little thing,
Mrs. Marsh
Yes, Susy is growing right pretty,
everybody admits. / rather think she
knows it herself, by the way she stands
at the glass sometimes. | wish very of
ten she wasn't petted and made SO much
of"
It'll ruin her, Mrs. Marsh
"Oh, dear! hope not" rejoined the
the mother earnestly.
| tell you there's danger. Keep
your eyes on her, Mrs. Marsh; look out
who she goes with. These pretty girls
break mothers hearts sometimes"
Don't be SO dreadfully earnest, my
friend; though, indeed, shall be very
careful. Why, what have | said ?"
The little neighbor, so fresh and pref
ty herself yet, caught up her apron, and
was sobbing as if her heart would break.
She had run into the back door of the
public house-for Mrs. Marsh kept ho-
tel-just to have minutes chat. What
could have happened to call forth such
tears and sighs?
Don't mind me, Mrs. Marsh" she
said after a few moments, drying her
eyes, Let me help you she'll the peas
That ever / should have given way like
that"
But Mrs. Marsh did mind. She be-
gan TO think her little neighbor must have
a cause tor such an outburst. Suppose
Mills didn't treat her we'll. He was a
rough looking man, though he seemed
kind enough in his way.
81 know what you're thinking of,
Mrs. Marsh" said Mrs Mills, with a lit
tie shake of the shoulders You've
said often enough, what a pity we had nc
children. Well, you know I've shirked
it, when you've spoken SO but | might
as we'll be out with it now. I've got one
daughter" The tears began to flow
again.
Mrs. Marsh looked her surprise.
Well, | declare. I'm sure" was all
she could say
81 don't know what Mills would do to
me, if he knew TG spoken; for he won't
let me mention her name-and his heart
was bound upin that girl: he's never been
the same man since"
"Dear me" said Mrs Marsh; and
there were volumes of pathos in her
voice.
But sometimes I feel as if must tell
somebody. l don't know if we did right
Il don't know. But then she would &c
in opposition to the wishes of her best
friends"
There was pause.
THAT is why we left Kittery" she
added "John said, Lets go to Kan
sas let's get off where nobody knows
us, and out of the sight and memory oi
things" We got out of the sight, per-
haps; but as to the memory, that's as
keen as ever"
"Dear, dear! I'm so sorry for you r
said sympathetic Mrs. Marsh. She ask.
ed no questions; perhaps if she had
Mary Mills might have kept the secret
locked in her heart
"Yes, from Kittery to Kansas is q
long way" mused Mrs. Mills; "and ]
don't know as l care for Kittery much,
now, though all my relations are there
; don't, somehow, want to see anybody
that knew Hetty. The poor child was
SO downright beautiful, and folks were
all the time telling her of it. wish peo-
pie had common sense" added Mary
Mil energetically. That's the way
children get spoiled. Poor little Hetty
I'll never forget almost the last time ]
saw her. She came home in the rain
and her yellow hair was dripping wet
That night father gave her an awful
seolding; he'd found out somehow that
she had been to the pest-office to see-tc
see somebody who'd been trying to wait
on her. Says she, father, you needn'i
scold, for l am going to marry him.
Then neither you nor that scamp shall
come in my house. says father n a pas
sion. Do you mean it? She stood uT
r and looked at him, strange like. ! dC
mean it, so help me, he added, tax