Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1875-02-24

that she was expected by every
body to marry Charles Rokewood
when he offered her his heart and
hand. Meanwhile, the soft eyes
and sweet voice, the delicate atten-
tion, and the winning songs of her
admirer were not without their
effects upon Hetty Armstrong;
heart. 1t began to be conscious
of certain tremors and flutterings
in his presence. Her cheeks flushed
as they had in girlhood. Her
dreams were not the sober practi-
cal dreams which nature at five
and twenty should alone indulge
in and as the days rolled on she
felt more conscious that the "Yes"
which was expected of her would
be easily uttered.
She tried to be prudent and
judge the man carefully. The re-
suit was that she declared him to be
"an angel" At last Hetty Arm
strong fairly let 60 of the rudder
of self-will, to which she had cluag
so long, and allowed herself to drift
down the tide of circumstances
which were to lead her into the
arms of Charles Rokewood. She
felt life would be happiness with
such a bosom to repose upon, and
began to wonder whether it really
was necessary for q widow to be
married in pearl color when white
was so becoming to her complex
ion.
So matters stood when Christmas
drew near, and with it Hetty Arm
strong's Christmas Eve party. All
X. or nearly all would be there,
even the Rev. Luther Paragon,
who amiably forgot to say that he
disapproved of dancing and cha
rades, when Mrs. Armstrong de-
clared that "she adored them" 1t
was always the merriest party OF
the season at x, and this time
Mrs. Armstrong decided that she
would outdo herself. There was q
dash more of coquetry in her dress ;
dash Of extravaganza in the sup
per; q glitter of rare china, and a
perfume of rare flowers in the par
lors--just as they say wine warns
up the wits, and fancy does love at
times. All things would be bright
er, fresher, more sparkling, just
now, thought, or vaguely felt, the
woman who had just begun to
know her heart right, and thought
she knew another's.
She stood, in her rich dress Of
silk and lace, flowers in her hair,
and on her bosom, before her guests
arrived, before the CRATE fire in the
parlor, when some one touched her
on the shoulder, and turning, she
saw Charles Rokewood.
Her face was little paler, her
eyes more earnest in their look
than usual, a sort of happy terror
hung upon her as she guessed why
he had come so early.
81 knew should find you alone
he said; "and I have something
to say to you; something@"
There she stopped him. Don't
say it now," she pleaded. 81 have
an evening before me which calls
for all my calmness. Ifit Is any
thing agitating, II must ask you
to wait. After these guests of mine
are gone-or to morrow, l will hear
you: not now,"
Charles Rokewood bowed. "Yoir
will shalt be my law" he said, and
took her hand and kissed it. She
let him do IL, blushing all the while,
not caring now to look at him.
All the evening, after the other
guests were there, her thoughts
wandered back to that moment.
She knew what she would say, and
she could answer only in one way
only one-she liked him so well.
"And | have fell so sure l could
never like any one again." thought
Iretty Armstrong. "There is fate
in it."
But she danced and sung and
talked as usual, and no one guess
ed that was what she was dream
ing-not even Mr.. Rokewood, who,
with chosen friend, had slipped
away from the parlors, and was
smoking and talking in the dress
I ing room. He was a little out OF
sorts. Hctty, conscious other du-
ties as a hostess. insisted on heina