The Republican. [volume] (Maryville, Tenn.) 187?-187?, 1875-02-13

lt DeBhu 10 De CONSCIOUS OF certain
iremors and futterings in his presence.
Her cheeks flushed as they had in girl.
hood. Her dreams were not the sober,
practical dreams which nature at five.
and.tweuty should alone indulge in
and as the days rolled on she felt more
conscious that the eyes" which vas
expected of her would be easily uttered.
She tried to be prudent and judge
the mar carefully. The result was that
she decisrsc nIm to be :" an angel" AT
last Hetty Armstrong fairly let go Of
the rudder OF self-will, to which he had
clung soIong, aud allowed herself to
drift down the tide Of circumstances
which we're to lead her into the arms OF
Charles Rokewood. She felt that life
would be happy with such bosom 70
repose upon, and began to wonder
whether it really was necessary for a
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 regular Christmas eve party.
All X, or nearly all, would be there /;
even the Rev. Luther Paragon, who
amiably forgot to say that he disap-
proved of dancing and charades when
Mrs. Armstrong declared that "she
adored them" II was always the mer-
riest party of the season at X, and
this time Mrs. Armstrong decided that
she would outdo herself. There was
dash more OF coquetry in her dress a
dash of extravaganza in the supper o
glitter of rare China, and perfume of
rare flowers in the parlors-iust as they
say wine warns up the wits and fancy
does love at times. All things would be
brighter, fresher, more sparkling, just
now, thought, Or rather vaguely felt,
the woman who had just began to know
her heart, and thought she knew an
others.
She stood, in her rich dress of lace
and silk, flowers in her hair and on her
bosom, before her guests arrived,
before her sgrate 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,
and sort of happy terror hung upon
her as she guessed why he had come SO
early.
"I knew 1 should find you ALSO" he
said, "and 1 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. If it is anything sgi-
tating, 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. "Your
will shall be my law" he said, and
took her hand and kissed it. She lot
him do it, blushing all the while, not
caring now to look at him.
All the evening, after the other
guests we're there, her thoughts wan
dered back TO that moment. She knew
what she would say, and she could an.
swer only in one way--only one-she
liked him SO well.
"And l have felt go sure could
never like any one again." thought
Hetty Armstrong. "There is fate
in it."
But she danced and sung and talked
as usual, and no one guessed that
was what she was dreaming-not even
Mr.. Rokowood, who, with chosen
friend, had slipped awny from the par
lors, and was smoking and talking in
the dressing-room. he was little out
of sorts. Hetty, conscious of her du-
ties as hostess, insisted on being pub
lie property, and could not be lured
into tete. a-tete, and the women who
were ready to be talked to he did not
care about. Engaged men are gener-
ally known by their boorish conduct to
ladies generally. Rokewood, although
not engaged, believed himself far
enough on the road to forget suavity,
and fell back upon cigars and his mas
culine friends whenever his lady.love
could not be whispered to or gazed at.
Consequently damsals who thought
lockwood charming we're wondering
what had become of him, when Biddy,
the waitress, mysteriously beckoned
her mistress into the hall, and, in an
awful whisper, said "more spoons we're
needed for the crame."
"Of course there must be, T." said Nns.
Armstrong. "Where was my poor
head to so forget it? I'll get poor
Aunt Martha's set from my up stairs
china closet. Please Bait on the stairs
,rnti1 nnY,a tn vnfi a.