Connecticut western news., 1873-09-12

would just as lief have it tonight"
 "You know better," amiably return ed Uncle Baxter. |" Just you step quick and get some."
 Hetty mechanically rose to obey, when her aunt quietly observed:
 It seems a pity to let the ginger bread dry; but I presume Aunt Saman- thy will be glad of it"
 that's all," returned her lord and mas ter, quite unconscious that this was precisely the response she wished and expected. "Sit down, Henrietta, and another time don't cut gingerbread when there's fresh doughnuts in the house."
 So that danger was over but in pro- portion as her fear of her uncle's dis pleasure passed away her indignation against Frank Kennedy increased. She could not readily forgive him the scold- ing she had received or the more for one she had escaped.
 "I think I'll run up to grandma's," said Aunt Baxter, the next day, as they left the dinner-table, eff you can clear away the things alone:"
 "Oh! I can do that easily enough" :" replied Hetty, with alacrity, for the poor child had been planning all the how she could get an oppor- tunity to replace that dreadful missing dish.
 "Very we'll, said her aunt and if you want something to do. you might sort the rest of those hannels.'
 "I want to gather my dress skirt, !" said Hetty, faintly, blushing as she did so for the deception.
 "Well, I don't care, so you're not idle ;" and Aunt Baxter walked heavily and respectfully out of the gate, adorned with her Sunday bonnet and her best mantilla.
 No sooner did the gate click behind her than Hetty fell to work with the greatest energy. Eggs were beaten, spice measured, sugar and shortening weighed, and worked into the dough which had been surreptitiously rising behind the pantry door since morning The fat was tested, and the strips of the soft yielding mass speedily reap peared in crisp, brown twists piled up in large yellow dish, which dish was spitefully placed out of reach from the open window. The young lady did not sing over her work to-day, but drowned blackly instead, as she flew from stove to table. The frown deepened percep- tibly when, just as she was contempla- ting the last of the golden brown cakes, a well-known voice was heard from the window, exclaiming
 "Heaven defend us What a capa- city Uncle Baxter must have for dough- nuts, if he has eaten all you made yesterday, and now demands more p
 This was too much. Hetty felt the blood leaping through her veins.
 " MT. Kennedy ]" she said, jelly, it is possible to carry joke too far. am so busy this afternoon that I can not stop to hear you talk nonsense ;"' with which cutting quotation she turn ed with much dignity to leave the room, and presently found herself wildly struggling with the door-latch, which, with the usual perversity of inanimate things, chose this inauspicious moment for sticking fast.
 Won't you tell me what I have done? ?" pleaded the delinquet, seizine his opportunity.
 "I don't care to discuss the point, replied Hetty, still fumbling with the obdurate doorlatch.
 How unfair you are!" he broke out impatiently. "You accuse me of some mysterious offense, and then utterly re. fuse to allow me to defend myself"
 ''I don't accuse you of anything, said Hetty, shaking the door furiously "I know that you consider joking al every time and on every subject per fectly allowable, but when I had tolc you fairly what uncle can be when he il vexed, I did think it very cruel and in considerate that you should set him or me just for 8 silly trick
 "I give you my word, Hetty, that had no idea of your uncle's really grudging me those cakes, if that is wha you mean, or even knowing anything about it." Hetty elevated her eye brows. "Of course know he is stingy and all that, but had DO idea yol were in earnest when you said he would visit it on your head. My taking then at all was only bit of fun, anyway"
 "And very stupid bit of fun," inter polated Hetty. But just here the doc yielded to particularly vigorous twitch and Hetty rushed upstairs.
 The tea-things were hurriedly washed up and put away that evening, and Mrs Baxter set forth sedately through tn village street, for it was conference meeting night. Who does not knoy that meeting well, with it's swingin, kerosene lamp, whose light seems al ways in your eyes, whichever way the turn, until you close them for relief the solemn countenance of the goo, deacon who "leads ;" the doubtful an, wailing hymns the awful pauses tn sense of personal gratitude to som long -winded, prosy brother who rise hush of unusual duration; and tn and removes the restraint that for tw hours has bound the senses of all pres ent?
 The closing prayer is offered, and tn words spoken which dismiss the wol shipers, who stream out into the nal row aisles, the older ones gravely e1 changing bits of local gossip, tn younger, to whom this is the momer
 of eliminating interest, wishing, fea1
 ing, and hoping. The girls cast blush
 ing glances toward the phalanx of ta
 youths on either side ofAkhe door, an
 the youths, having already made 8 St
 lection, only await opportunity. Happ
 those whom no disappointment awaits
 for, alas there must be some "previou
 engagements. Then comes the del
 cious saunter homeward in the sol
 summer evening, the elders having COT
 siderately gone on before the inge,
 ing at the gate while the trees softl
 whisper overhead, and the good-nigl
 reluctantly murmured beneath the starr
 Alas that youth comes but once, an
 will not return after disappointment
 have taught us to value aright it's swet
 dream-life
 Hetty walked demurely out of mee
 ing that night by her aunt's side, col
 scious, though they had not exchange
 glance, that Frank Kennedy was awai
 ing her. A little lonely sense of separ
 tion from him came over her, but it di