The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1875-02-05
THE CRACK IN THE DOOR

AAS pLetS1Ssb mouse, pf9eGl6Sb gardHI
the best servants. and the largest bar
account in x. belonged to Mrs. Mehit,
be Armstrong, widow. Some peopj
also declared that she was the prettie,
woman in K, but these were not Ii
other women. They said that she he
red hair, and was too fat, and what Ii
gentlemen saw to admire in her The
could not guess, etc, etc. but, say
as often as they might, every man u th
place was Hetty Armstrong; devote
servant, friend, and, dozen of Their
her lovers, also. "A bright, dashine
warm hearted woman she was. as merr
as though she had never known a care
Not that she had forgotten the love q
her youth-the gallant, black-eyed car
tain, whose ship had gone down in mid
ocean i've years before, and whose pic
tured face lay near her heart eight an,
day, sleeping and waking but she wa
too full Of life and hope to live entirel,
irl the past, and loved neither hours 3
melancholy, not what women call q
good cry. 70 forget all sorrow. ii iii,
could, and to be as happy ~ she might
were tho two grand rules of her life
and, therefore, people who did MOI
know Hetty Armstrong thought hel
heartless, and made great mistake.
They called her fIirt. and that was
not true, either. She only firted with
those who began the game first. and
that woman he'd right to do. AtX..
ifa gentleman called twice upon i ladv
his attentions were said b be ssyery ,,ar,
ticular i; 81 ii he saw her home from
meeting, z rumor declared that chew
were engaged II and ii he spent ID
evening with her, they were ssto be
married next week for certainty but
Hetty Armstrong was somehow not in.
eladed in the general rule. She had
determined 10 do as she chose. She
went everywhere With every unmarried
gentleman Of her set. She was friendly
when she chose to bo, and fIirted when
she liked. After setting gossip afoat j
dozen times, she gained her point. and
people left her alone. Ii was Hetty
Armstrong; way, and no indication of
matrimonial intentions. For years gen
tlenaen haunted her parlors, escorted
her hither and thither, sung With her.
danced with her. conhded With her. and
adored her, and village gossip had not
not married her, until suddenly a tran
ger made bis debut at K, and set the
tongues going beyond even Hetty ARM
strong's power 81 silencing.
He was tall, be vas handsome, he was
comparatively young. He had Just shat
touch of exquisite about him which ii
so charming when z mans nan for
n shat " faultless il toilet, fanltless ID
manner, education, accomplished alto
gesher, he openly flung himself at Hetty
armstrong; feet and declared himself
her adnirer. Of course We do not mean
to Fay that he ruined the knees Of his
taultlesa habiliments By going down
Hpon them, oE IA any other way conduct
ed himself asdid the knights of old when
hears-snisten. bnt, after the manner 81
tae nineteenth century be- declared his
Intentions quite As openly.
He sang TO and at the lady. HeI
hauused her parlors like well dressed
ghost 70 wrote poetry for the /. Tiurni.
nary. addressed ID Fl. a. and signed
O- q ae breathsd deep siehs and
gaVe sofe glanceay and said thfngs thut
might hsssa double meanings Ana
tllis not far week ora month. bnt for
q yaar, 81 the end of whioh time Hatty
Armstrong began to understand that
abe vas expected hy everybody 10 az
cept Charles Rokewo0a when he offered
hsE Bis heart and hand. Meanwhile,
the aoft eyes ind svseE voice, tle deli |
cate attentions, ana The winning songs |
Df her admirer wero not without their
effect upon Hetsy ArmstrOng's heart.
Et began 10 he conscious BIZ certain
lrenora end aatseriDgs Id his presence.
Her checks dnshed as they bad ID girl /
hood Her dreams were not the sober,
practical dreams which mature at Eve
Ind twenty should alone indulge III
ind as the daSs rolled on she fels more
aonsoioua that the Yes which vas
expected pf hax wouId be easily utEersd.
She tried q 30 prudsnt and judge
he man carefully. THE reauIk vas that
Ihe dacIaged hin Ia be ~ angel. AsI!
ast Hstty armstrong fairly let W N
he riddles of sell viii, u which lle had
lung NJ long pnd allowed herself Ii
Irift desvn The tide of circumstances
ghich were II lead her into tho aEEuB oi
okawoods She felt that Life
poul l,s harry With ueh bosom to
ep0se rpon. began I'd wonder
pl1eAnsx naoe aaary Ter
sidou Ia ae MARI n paas color When
sllaite 8as ao becoming to har complex
sn
So masters stood when ChtiskEnas
ra near, and With Il HettY Arza-
sFgsse regular Christmas eve paa ]