Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-02-24
The Crack in the Door.

The prettiest house, prettiest garden, the
best servants, and the largest banl-account
in X. belonged to Mrs. Mehitable Armstrong
widow. Some people also declared that she
was the prettiest woman in X, but these
were not the other women. They said that
she Lad red hair, and was too fat and what
the gentlemen saw to admire in her they
could not guess; but, say it as often as they
might, every man in the place was lletty
Armstrong; devoted servant friend, and, Il
dozen of them, her lovers also \ bright
dashing, wam-hearted woman she was, as
merry as though she had never known a
care. Not that she had forgotten the love
of her youth-the gallant, black-eyed cap
tain, whose ship had gone down in mid-ocean
five years before, and whose pictured face
lay near her heart night and day, sleeping
and waking but she was too full of life and
hope to live entirely in the past, and loved
neither hours Of melancholy, nor what wo-
men call "a good cry To forget all sorrow
if she could and to be as happyas she might,
were the two grand rules OF her life, and
therefore, people who did not know lletty
Armstrong thought her heatless, and made
a great mistake
They called her tlirt, and that was not
true, either She only nirted with those
had right to do. She had determined TO
do as she chose. She went everywhere with
every unmarried gentleman of her set. She
was friendly when she chose to be, and
flirted when she liked. After setting gossip
aiioat dozen times, she gained her point,
and people left her alone. 1t was lIetty
Armstrong; way, and no indication Of mat
rmonial intentions. For years gentlemen
haunted her parlors, escorted her hither and
thither, sung with her, and adored her, and
village gossip had not married her until
suddenly stranger made his deLm at Y,
and set the tongues going beyond even IIetty
Armstrong; power of silencing.
lie was tall, he was handsome he was com
paratiyely young lie had just that touch
of exquisite about him which is so charming
-faultless in toilet, faultess in manner, ed
ucation, accomplished altogether-and he
declared himself her admirer.
Meanwhile, the soft eyes and sweet voice,
the delicate attentions, and the winning
songs of her admirer were not without their
effect upon lletty Armstrong; heart 1t be-
gan to be conscious of certain tremors and
ilutterings in his presence. Her cheeks
flushed as they had in her girlhood. Her
dreams were not the sober, practical dreams
which nature at five-and-twenty should alone
indulge in; and as the days rolled on she
felt more conscious that the ayes which
was expected of her, would be easily uttered.
She tried to be prudent and Judge the man
carefully. The result 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 chung so long, and allowed
herself to drift down the tide of circum-
stances which were TO lead her into the arms
of Charles Rokewood She felt that life
would be happy with such bosom to repose
upon, and began TO wonder whether it really
was necessary for widow 10 be married in
pearl color when white was so becoming to
her complexion.
SO matters stood when Christmas drew
near, and with ii Hetty Armstrong; regular
Christmas eve party. All X, or nearly all,
would be there even the Rev, Luther Para
gon, who amiably forgot to say that he dis
approved of dancing and charades when Mrs
Armstrong declared that she adored them"
IL was always the merriest party of the sea-
son at X, and this time Mrs. Armstrong de
cided she would Guido herself There was
a dash more of coquetry in her dress a dash
of extravaganza in the supper a glitter of
rare china, and perfume of rare flowers in
the parlors-just as they say wine warns up
thc WHO anu fancy uoeS lofc AZ times, All
things would be brighter, fresher, more
sparkling, just now thought, orrather vaguely
felt, the woman who had just began to know
her heart right, and thought she knew
lnother's.
She stood, in her rich dress of lace and
silk, flowers in her hair and on her bosom,
before her guests arrived, before her 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
IN their look than usual, and a sort |
IF happy terror hung upon her as she
guessed why he had come so early.
" knew ! should find you alone" he
said, "and have something to say to you
There she stopped him. /" Don't say IT
low," she pleaded, 81 have an evening be-
iore me which calls for all my calmness. If
I is anything agitating, II must ask you
o wait, After these guests of mine are
yone--or tomorrow, ! win hear you; not
low."