Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-10-02


nuts, If he has eaten all you made yes
terday, and now demands morep'
| This was too much. Hetty felt the
blood leaping through her veins.
"Mr. Kennedy" she said, icily, sit
Is possible to carry joke too far. l
am so busy this afternoon that l 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 wild.
ly struggling with the door-latch,
which, with the usual perversity of in
animate things, chose this inauspicious
moment for sticking fast.
won't you tell me what l have
done J. pleaded the delinquent, seizing
his opportunity.
81 don't care TO discuss the point"
replied Hetty, still fumbling with the
obdurate door-latch.
"How unfair you are !" he broke out,
impaticntly. you accuse me of some
mysterious otiense, and then utterly
refuse TO allow me to defend myself"
81 don't accuse you of ANYTHING"
said Hetty, shaking the door furiously.
81 know that you consider joking at
every time and on every subject per-
fectly allowable, but when had told
you fairly what uncle can be when he
is vexed, did think 1t very cruel and
inconslderate that YOU should set him
ON me just for silly trick"
81 give you my word, lIetty, that
had no idea of your uncle's really
grudeing me those cakes, if that is
what you mean, or even knowing any,
thing about it," Hetty elevated her
eyebrows. "Of course | know he is
stingy, and all that, but | had no idea
you were in earnest when you said he
would visit it on your head. Nv tax
ing them at all was only bit of fun.
anyway"
And very stupid bit of fun" III
terpolated Hetty. But just here the
door yielded to a particularly vicious
twitch, and lIetty rushed up stairs.
The tca-things were hurredly wash
ell up and put away that evening, and
Mrs. Baxter set forth sedately through
the village street, for il was confer
ence-meeting night. Who does not
know that meeting we'll, with its
swinging Eerosene lamp, whose liuht
seems always in your eyes, whichever
way they turn, until YOU close them
for relief; the solemn countenance of
the good deacon who "leads !" the
doubtful and waling hymns the awful
pauses; the sense OF personal graft.
tude TO some long-winded, prosy broth
er, who rises and fills up the time"
after deathly hush of unusual dura-
tion and the blessed period which !
closes the service and removes the re-
straint that for two hours has bound /
the senses of all present: The closing
prayer is offered, and the words spok- |
en- which dismiss the worshipers, who |
stream out into the narrow aisles, the |.
older ones gravely exchanging bits of |
local gossip, the younger, TO whom this
is the moment of eliminating interest,
wishing, fearing, and hoping. The |
girls cast blushing glances toward the |
phalanx of tall youths on either side !
OF the door, and the youths, having |
already made a selection, only await
opportunity. Happy those whom no
disappointment awaits for, alas there
must be some previous engagements"
Then comes the delicious saunter home |
ward in the soft summer evening, tho
elders having considerably gone on
before the lingering at the gate while /
the trees softly whisper overhead. and
the goodnight reluctantly murmured
beneath the stars. Alas that youth
comes but once, and will not return
after disappointments have taught US
to value Alright its sweet dream-ife.
Hetty walked demurely out of meet
ing that night by her aunt's side, con-
scious, though they had not exchanged
glance, that Frank Kennedy was
awaiting her. A little lonely sense of
separation from him came over her,
but it did not soften her resentment.
1t had become regular thing for
Frank to walk home with her after
meeting, she was vexed with herself
when she thought how regular it was.
AS this thought passed through her
mind, she became aware, though her
eyes were cast down, that Frank was
approaching her on one side while
Will Lowry was offering her his arm
on the other. Fixing cold look upon
the former-a look which cut him to
the heart-she turned with one of her
brightest smiles to the latter, and,
with "Thank you, Mr.. Lowry" she
walked away with him, leaving Frank
gazing after her with q look Of pain
and perplexity mingled. As for Het.
ty. though she talked and laughed in
her gayest tones, and leaned on Willis
arm and glanced up in his face in her
usual coquettish manner, her heart was
heavy within her, nor did she feel hap.
pier, though she became much gayer,
when. few minutes later, Frank pass