National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1873-09-05

gossiping with the women" he continu-
ed, rightly surmising that the subject
was distasteful to his wife and niece,
and therefore doggedly pursuing it.
Has he been in here this afternoon,
Henrietta -
"No, SIR" replied Hetty, boldly,
though recollection Of Franks part
ing attitude came over her guilty as she
spoke.
Well, just SEQ that he don't then
and you tend to your work, was the
surly reioinder; and the old maa sub
sided into discussion of his dish of
greens.
For few moments silence reigned
about the table. Aunt Baxter, with
the policy induced by long experience,
remaining mute, and Hetty because her
angry tears choked her utterance.
Presently a subdued conversation com.
menced and was6pr some time carried
ON in an undcrtone between aunt and
niece. Suddenly came the awful ques-
ton, which had all the time been hang
ing like a doom over poor Hetty's head.
Where's the doughnuts ?"
"They were just done andquite hot, "
replied Hetty, flushing crimson. "The
gingerbread is fresh, and l thought you
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:
at seems pity to let the ginger
bread dry; but presume Aunt Saman-
thy will be glad Of it.
"Aunt Samanthy won't get il, then,
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 ms 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
midable one she had 3caped.
d" / think I'll run up to grandma s, "
said Aunt Baxter, the next day, as they
| left the dinner-table, if you can clear
away the things alone"
"Oh l can do that easily enough, {"
replied Hetty, with alacrity, for the
| poor child had been planning all the
morning how she could get an oppor-
tunity to replace that dreadful missing
dish.
Very well, said her aunt " and if
you want something to do, you might
sort the rest of those fannels.
81 want to gather my dress skirt,
said Hetty, family, blushing as she did
SO for the deception.
"Well, / 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 a large yellow dish, which dish was
spitefully placed ont of reach from the
open window. The young lldy did not
sing over her work to-day, but frowned
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
" "Heayen defend rs What capa-
city Uncle Baxter must have for dough'
nuts, if he has eaten all you made
yesterday, and now demands more y
This was too much. Hetty felt the
blood leaping through her veins.
Mr.. Kennedy - she said, icily, " it
is possible to carry joke too far. 1
anu so busy this afternoon that l can
not stop to hear You talk nonsense 80
with which cutting quotation she turn
ed with much dignity to leave the room,
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 | have
done ?" pleaded the delinquet, seizing
his opportunity.
81 don't care to discuss the point"
replied Hetty, still fumbling with the
obdurate doorlatch.
" How unfair you avel' he broke ont,
impatiently. "You accuse me of some
mysterious offense, and then utterly re-
fuse 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, b. when | had told |
you fairly what uncl AN be when he is
vexed, did think it very cruel and in
considerate that you should set him on
me just for a silly trick"
81 give you my word, Hetty, that /
had no idea of your uncle's really |
grudging me those cakes, if that is what |
about it." Hetty elevated her eye
brows. "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 My taking them
at all was only a bit of fun, anyway"
"And very stupid bit of fun" inter
polated Hetty. But just here the door
yielded to a particularly vigorous twitch,
and Hetty rushed upstairs.
The tea-things were hurriedly washed
mp and put away that evening, and Mrs.
Baxter set forth sedately through the
village street, for it was conference
meeting night. Who does not know
that meeting well, with its swinging
kerosene lamp, whose light seems al
ways in youi eyes, whichever way thew
urn, until you close them for relief
the solemn countenance of the good
deacon who "leads ;" the doubtful and