Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1872-05-02
WIDOW HENDERSON'S HAPPEN.
INGS.

Knock, knock, knock, three times,
and sharp, too, upon the deal door
which opened from the shady porch.
I" l,m coming in just one minute"
and musical, and it made Aleck Gays
heart beat as no other could.
There was a little scramble within,
and the noise of a whimpering child /;
then the door opened, and Mrs. Hetty
Henderson stood holding the knob.
She was snug and tidy, round and
plump, though little under size. Her
hair was q rich auburn, of that smooth
and tractable kind which never gets out
of order. Her face was deliciously fair
and rosy, or would have been but for
trace of WEAKNESS about the temples,
and her eyes, of warm hazel, would
have brimmed over with smiles had not
the white lids drooped a little from
unconsciously good and lovely, Aleck
gave her look of alteration.
"Oh, it's you, Alecki' she said, SIM
eyes, Hetty. Twas going past on my
way to Buxton, and 1 thought I'd let
my horse bait long enough to inquire
how you all are, and what has happened
last; for you know, Hetty, something is
9lways happening to you."
Mrs. Henderson let go the door and
gave laugh that sounded like the CUR
gle of a brook or the warble of a bobo-
link, or whatever is sweetest, only there
was an under-tone of pathos in it, like
a half sob, that went straight to Alexis
heart.
"Well, it beats ALL" said she. "Pm
getting my name up; but something
has happened, sure enough, this time.
You know vas saying, just after that
insurance company failed and refused to
pay the money on poor Willie's life, the
next thing to come along would be
sickness. It was about time one of the
children got down with something, and
sure enough last Wednesday Ben was
taken with the measles. He is as cross
as two sticks, and was up all last night
giving him drink, and every hour ex-
pect Hattie and Jane will come down,
and my employer over in Buxton Is
hurrying me about those vests but I've
been wonderfully helped through it
all !" and the blithe laugh came again,
tears into Alexis eyes.
"What a woman you are for looking
on the bright side p said he. GA body
would think, to hear you talk, every
time trouble comes along, that you
had fallen heir to q first class fortune"
81 should be pretty rich if that was
so," responded Mrs. Henderson; for
something or other is always happening.
Pm one of the sort the Bible speaks of
prone to trouble as the sparks are to
fly upward. And yet ought not to
say that either, for I am wonderfully
helped along"
"There's mors practical religion in
your little finger" said Aleclk, admiring
L. =, aof of fho f0lE NJ
together. But guess I'll slip in and
take chair, Hetty. It's as cheap sit
ting as standing any time."
The visitor walked into Mrs. Hender-
sons small sitting-room.
Overhead her little girls were playing
at old folks steasparty with broken dish
es, and were having avery prim, formal,
grown-up sort of time. The door was
open into the bedroom where the sick
boy lay, and he now raised a half-dis
consulate moan for his mother to come
and cool the hot pillows and give him
drink of the slippery-elm tea which
stood on the little stand by his side.
Aleck took off his hat, and wiped his
forehead with generous red silk hand
kerchiet. He had compact, ,wellshaped
head, covered with crisp and curling
locks, a mottled, good d-humored face,
and when he smiled his mouth seemed
full of white teeth. He was a little in
clined to stoutness, and his neck-tie and
waistcoat were not quite to Hetty's
taste, and his trowsers showed rather
too large and pronounced a plaid. Al
eek was rather fond of country balls
and junketings. He liked horse that
held it's head up and stepped out, and,
on the other hand, he was not partial
to long sermons. In the country neigh
borhood where he lived Aleck was con
sidered worldly man, clinging to the
typical rags of self-righteousness. The
parson made him subject of prayer,
and preached directly at him from the
pulpit but still Aleck believed in the
good things of this life, and never made
professions of religion, much to the sor-
row of Hetty Henderson, who was a
strict church-member, and, in spite OF
a conscience morbidly tender. was filled
with true, sweet, hearty piety.
The little sitting room was quite
homely, but some of the charm of Het-
ty's personality seemed to cling about
it, making it veritable paradise in AL
eck's eyes, The windows were drapeo
With morning-gleries and scarlet run