Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1873-10-15
HETTY HENDERSON'S ERA.
BY ROSELLA RICE.

Two.neighbors, Mrs. Ray and Mrs. Car
ter, were taking tea with Hetty that after
noon. Now Hetty, though in the main q
kind, prudent, good woman, treasure of
wife and mother, had one bad fault, she
was a sloven.
Why sometimes her hair would not be
combed for two days at time, and as to
wearing collar, while about her work
she never thought of such a thing, Some
times only her toes would be thrust into
herrun-down, Tapping slippers, and if she
tore her dress she always pinned up the
rent and let it go.
Now every tidy woman knows this is a
bad state of things-that if there's hole
il her dress no bigger than gimlet hole,
and she passes a barrel, or a box, a loose
end of hoop, or gagged nail sticking
out, VIII be sure to catch in that hole and
tear it worse. That thing is conceded to be
a certainty-nO sane woman doubts that
Hetty's tea-table looked tempting. She
occupied the post of honor at one end.
Her face was flushed from the cooking
stove, and the rosy glow would have been
exceedingly becoming if her hair had been
smooth, and her dress freshly clean, but
the. dress did not fit well in the waist, and
she had no collar on, and her hair hung
in little tagged, sneaking slips about her
ears and on her neck. Poor Hetty! her
punishment was near.
Tea was over, but they still sat at the Ia
DIE cOnversing.
"Yes-yes, / think it was the winter
that young Wiltsee, from st. Adams,
taught our school, said Mrs Ray.
How pleasant the memories of that
winter" said Mrs. Carter; "hardly day
passes in which I do not think of the
good times we enjoyed together
How much older are you, Hetty, than
Mrs. Ray?n said Mr.. Henderson, looking
first at one and then the other.
Older! why, husband! I'm five years
younger, and three years younger than
susie Carter, said the poor wife, blush
ing.
why, Hetty Henderson I should have
thought from your appearance that you
were almost old enough to be their mother
step-mother, at least said her astonished
husband, smiling and looking at the
smooth, placid aces and neat appearance
OF the visitors, and then at the rumpled
creased head and face of poor Hetty.
No wonder; she sat there stopped over
her ill-htting waiast hanging loosely about
her, making her back seem as broad as
Ter husbands ar- 7rea ~. ~.
The untimely words only made her face
flush still redder yet.
She felt as if she had been stabbed by
the hand Of friend. ~.
Your wife works too hard, and Is toe
loving and careful mother" said Mrs
Ray apologetically, although Hetty fancied
that she smirked a little, and relished the
compliment so freely and honestly given.
Now l never fuss much over my chill
dren. try to save myself" and she laugh
ed, and her eyes sparkled, and she really
did look winsome and pretty, that woman
of thirty-three years.
On their way home the two visitor,
talked Of the painful affair.
1T was just good enough for her., "saiC
IloN ffFaa
go looking like scare-crow. If went tina,
way I'd hear from Ray, and in no very
measured terms, either. He has no pa
thence with a slovenly woman he think
all women are pretty if they have a mine
to be SOL
Almost old enough to he our mother
well, she's tip-top cook, any hOw,n sale
MIS- caster ~ like her good meals, anC
know she's Clearly about her work. Sh,
don't seem to care much for herself, ONLY
LOT the comfort and happiness of Hender
son ana the young 'uns. Now IL | Wer,
IN her place, that ielow'd hear from M
Tonight, pralsing other women and com
pairing and measuring her beside them il
way that Is no compliment to her."
ION, she, ii never think any more abou
IL; and if she does, it will do her good
itll be good lesson for her. was the an
swer, and the two women parted at tn
big gate in the edge Of the wood-lot, eac
one feeling pleasurable touch of prid
from the effect of honest Tom Henderson,
bit Of flattery.
And how did it affect his wife?
In the twilight, as she stood in the milk
house, hurriedly doing up her work
lifting here and there, there was "a bright
ness in her dark-blue eyes, a compresso
Of the lips, and red spot on each cheel
and she was nOdding her head and talkin
TO herself very earnestly. ,,..
'Tlme was" she whispered, ''whe
Henderson couldn't "a said that o ms
The dear knows, did use 10 almost gro
tired Of his words of praise. ! was h
choice Of all the girls he ever saw. Nv
many time heard i'm say that Cad We
don. now Mrs. Ray, had . real putty fac