The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1873-11-22
LAME HETTY.

lishment In New York. | am 40 years old.
and | never was particularly handsome to
look at L do not suppose my manners are
especially fascinating either for the girls
mostly call me as | am given to understand
"Old Crusty and Bear Not that mean
to be cross, but some people haven't the
agreeable ways of others
/ have sat behind the tall desk in Tope &
Buttonbells nineteen years. I've seen "a
good many curious phases of life within
that time but the most curious Of all hap
pened to myself PERSONALLY -and that Is
precisely what | am going to tell you about
81 wouldn't have had it happened for
five dollars,n said Dennison.
Dennison has charge of the outdoor de-
partment and he came in OH that wet,
drizzly, February evening, to stand by the
cheerful fire in my room. We had not
lighted the gas yet; the press and hurry of
the work were over for the day, and it was
very pleasant in the red shine of the fire. |
was sitting on my tall stool, biting the
feather end of quill pen, and thinking
thinking of | scarce know what
. What has happened now ?'' said l.
It's Lame Hetty," replied Dennison
Two rolls of work missing, and Hetty de-
| clares she brought 'em here.
laid down the goose-quill. Lame Hetty
had been in my thoughts, somehow, and all
that rainy twilight, just as people and
things will take possession of your brains at
| times, and you can help yourself A soft
Legged, low voiced girl, who walked with a
crutch and always wore delicate grays and
dove colors. | knew her from the throng
because of the $ tap-tap3 of her crutch,and
| saw her standing in the long line of girls
waiting on Saturday night to deliver their
work and receive their pay
Ten dollars worth of shirts, y said Dem
nlson-'' order shirts too, and that makes
it worse. | am sorry for the girl; she
has pretty face of her own and | always
liked her; but of course it is necessary to
stand by rules. Loses her deposit and no
work.
:" But supposes she pays Tor the missing
work ?n
1T isn't likely she'll do that, " said Den
nison. This sort of girl seldom has ten
dollars saved up"
| don believe it's her fault, Dennison.n
insisted L.
She's responsible, isn't she p
" Yes, but
Just then Mr.. Buttonbell came in with a
great order in his hand from a New Orleans
house. [ looked at it.
We shall have tight pull of it, sir, to
execute this" said |.
+" But it must be executed said he.
" Put on your hands. Turn on full head
OF steam 1t won't do to let Peck q Pat
terson go to any other place"
And he hustled away
Very unfortunate" said Dennison.
Lame Hetty was one of our best hands,
Hetty Dorrance came the next morning.
as usual to receive work and she had a ten
dollar bank note in her hands"
Some kind friend has sent me this to
pay for the lost rolls of work, sir, y said She
to me-
g You re in luck, Hetty," said |, frowning
over a long list of figures, and trying not to
blush under the earnest gaze of her soft
brown eyes
"And I'm much-oh, so much obliged to
him, whoever he is, she added, in a low
tone. But | can't use it unless-unless |
you think that | am innocent
ooh, of course do, said | looking up
the culver in her voice q don't believe |
you would take "a pin, Hetty, Eve known
you four years and | believe you are good |
girl. It's an awkward mistake somewhere,
but there not MANY mistakes, my girl, but |
what Heaven clears up in its own time |
Now take your place in line; there's no time
to be lost this morning"
So the matter was settled but somehow a |
cloud rested on Lame Hetty. Those who |
had been fast friends before avoided her |
ow; the coarsest minded whispered and |
giggled when the ''tap, tap" of her crutch
sounded on the floor.
"Oh, Mr.. Harvey" said poor Hetty one
day when Jenny Warren, the proudest and
prettiest of our work girls had declined 10
respond to her modest bow, cts very, very |
hard to BEAR
well, Hetty only wait, u said cheeri-
ly.
But it is breaking my heart" said she.
g They all think l am thief
g don't, Hetty'
81 know that, sir | should drown my
self, if at least one person in the world did
not believe / was innocent"
The winter wore itself away. The busy
season was succeeded by one of comparative
dizziness; and among the hands struck off
the list vas Hetty Dorrance-
''Once THIEF, always a thief, said old
Jones, the cutter. 8 | had just as soon that
girl should not work for US. y
well, retorted the old man, cautiously,
it is necessary TO curtail the list little, and
It may as well be Hetty any one"
But Hetty Dorrance never came to learn
her doom. Day after day went by and the
familiar rap of her crutoh sounded no more
On the floor. / grew uneasy.
E