Weekly Trinity journal., 1873-11-15
LAME HETTY.

1
l don't suppose my manners are particu-
larly fascinating either, for the girls most
all call me old "Crusty," and " Bear"
Not that mean to be cross, but some
people haven't the agreeable ways that
others have.
l sat behind the tall desk in Tape &
Buttenhole's nineteen years. I've seen o
good many curious phases Of life within
that time, but the most curious of all
happeued to myself personally, and that
is precisely what I'm going to tell you
about.
81 wouldn't have had it happen for
five dollars" said Dennison.
Dennison had charge of the out door
department, and he came in that wet,
drizzly, February evening, to stand by
the CRATE fire in my room. We had moi
lighted the gas yet the press and hurry
of work were over for the day, and it was
quiet and pleasant in the red shine of the
Goals. was sitting on the stool, biting
the feather edge of my feather quill pen
and thinking-thinking of scarce knew
what.
What's happened nowP" asked.
cts Lame Hetty," said Dennison.-
1.-TWO Tolls of missing work and Hetty
declares she brought 'em here"
l laid down the goosequill. Lame Het-
ty had been in my thoughts, somehow,
all that rainy night, just as the people
and things will take possession of your
brain at times and you can't help your
self. A soft-eyed, low voiced girl, who
walked with q crutch and always wore
delicate grays and dove colors. 1 knew
her from the throng because of the tap,
tap, of her crutches, and used always to
speak to her when saw her standing in
the long line of girls who waited, on Sat
urday night, to deliver their work and re-
ceive their pay.
"That's bad" said I.
"Ten dollars worth of shirts" said
Dennison-orde shirts and that makes
the matter worse. l am sorry for the
girl. she has II pretty face of her own, and
| always liked her +; but of course it's nee
essary to stand by rules. Loses her de-
posit and no more work."
" But suppose she pays for the missing
work ?"
'' 1t amt likely she'll do that" said
Dennison. "This sort of girl has seldom
ten dollars ahead"
=" / don't believe it's her fault" Denni.
son." insisted l.
"She is responsible, isn't she ?"
"Yes, but"
Just then Mr.. Buttonhole came in with
great order from a New Orleans house.
l looked at it.
We shall have a tight pull of it, sir,
to Gil this" said /, obviously.
" But it must be filed" said he. " Put
on all your hands, turn on q full head of
steam it won't do to lot Peck & Patti
son go to any other place. And he bus
tied away.
Very unfortunate" said Dennison.
Lame Hetty was one of our best hands. !"
Hetty Dorrance came the next morn
ing as usual to receive work, and she had
ten dollar bill in her hand.
Some kind friend has sent this to pay
for the lost rolls of work, SIR" she said to
me.
You're in luck, Hetty, 'said I, frown-
ing over long column Of figures, and
trying not to blush under the earnest look
of her soft brown eyes.
"And I'm much, oh, so much Obliged
to him, whoever he is," she added in q
low voice, but can't use it unless-un-
less you think am innocent"
"Of course l do" said /, looking up
at the quiver of her voice. ~ don't be-
lieve you would take pin, Hetty I've
known you for years, and believe you
are good girl, It's an awkward mis-
take, somewhere, but there's many a mis-
take my girl, that God clears up in His
own good time. Now take your place in
the line there's no time to be lost this
morning"
So the matter was settled, but somehow
a cloud settled on Lame Hetty. Those
who had been fast friends before, avoid
ed her now, the coarser minded whisper
ed and giggled Eat the sound of her
crutch on the floor.
"Oh, Mr.. Harvey" said poor Hetty,
one day, when Jennie Warren, the pref
tiest and proudest of our girls refused to
acknowledge her modest bow, "it's very
hard to bear"
"Wait, Hetty, only watt" said cheer
fully.
" But it's breaking my heart" she
said. "They all think am a thief"
% don't, Hetty."
III know that, sir. l should drown
myself if at least one person in the world
did not believe me Innocent"
The winter wore itself away. The bu-
sy season was followed by one of COM
parative dullness, and among the hands
that were struck off the list was Hetty
Dorrance.
"Once thief, always thief" said old
Jones, the cutter. "I'd just as soon that
girl wouldn't work for us"
~ would stake my honor she is not a
thief, Mr.. JONES'" said l hotly.
Well," retorted the old man, eau
tiously, it's necessary to curtail the list
little and it may as well bo Hetty as
any one."
But Hetty Dorrance never came to
learn her doom. Day after day went by,
and the familiar tap Of her crutch sound
ed not on the floor.