Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1876-12-27
MISS HETTY PARKER,
MILLINEH.

In the small room on Tenth street,
whose window contained her modest
sign, Miss Hetty Parker, milliner,
was engaged at work on Friday even
ing. She was sewing on a baby's gar
ment, for Miss Parker's millinery BUSH
ness in the strict sense of the word
was, unfortunately, not extensive, and
she was glad to exc out a better liveli-
hood on work a little out of the regu-
lar line. The world 70 her as she
stitched probably didn't seem just as
it did to the mother for whom those
pretty things were being made, for
Miss Parker was quite alone in the
world, with no hulking man to pet
and nag and scold and love and de-
pend on, and to be ali alone is griev-
minded. She was not strong
minded, this patient milliner, and she
felt her isolation keenly. She was
not very pretty, nor overwise. per-
haps, but her face had something
womanly about it, and, if she had
grown into some slightly old-madish
mannerisms and ways Of thinking, the
fact was due rather to the force of cir
cumstances than to any natural bent.
She was musing about 1t all.
How time does pass. Only ten
years ago. and tomorrow such a differ
ent New Years Day! Minnesota such
a long way off-and to think of the
deaths an my drifting away down
here. What happy days. But such
changes, such changes! Dear me"'
The milliner rubbed her eyes with
an inexpensive but very neatly-hemmed
pocket-handkerchief, and resumed
work pensiyely upon the baby's things,
exceedingly nice for those baby's gar
ments. all frilled and pleated and gar
nished. as young mothers like them,
and the milliner unconsciously became
interested in her work little. She
held up one finished article and in
spected it.
Il do hope it will suit. It's per-
feet beauty. How nice the baby will
look in it,"
Her thoughts went wandering back
into the past;
81 wonder where John is now?
Poor fellow! How cruel and foolish
was and how sorry afterward. l Won
ger if he has forgotten me or what he
would say if he could know that / am
all alone in the world? What foolish
neSs He must be married somewhere
and never thinking of the past. Oh
dear! It's hard lot for a lone woman,
but maybe it's all for the best. I'll do
my work as it comes and be as brave
as | can, but it's SO gloomy"
The little milliner finished her work
and carried it home at nightfall and
came home again. She said her prayers
and cried a little before she went to
bed, and then slept as tired woman
sleeps. Dec. 81, 1875.
Scarcely up to the conventional
ideal is warm New Gears Day, but
it has its advantages. People will go
to church, for instance, on such day
more readily than when there are
icicles at the caves, and the wind is
cold and ruthless. SO. when New
Years morning came like a morning
in April, and the pleasant clangor of
the church bells went abroad over the
idle city. people were attracted as
they had not anticipated, and came
out upon the streets in hundreds. Into
one church in particular a steady
throng kept pouring, "a church whose
bell had an especially inviting tone,
and whose general smooth exterior
and expansive doorway seemed to in
dictate Christianity, not too austere,
an orthodoxy, not too straight-laced
for the masses. There were all sorts
of people in the gathering congrega-
ton. Came the business man who,
with half regret that money-making
must be suspended for the day, wanted
to doze away an hour of the enforced
rest. Came the well-dressed woman
who could not endure that one oppor-
tunity for display should be omitted.
Came the beauX and bellies who saw
each other. and saw little else. Cams
the music lovers, who delighted in the
organist and choir, and cared not for
the preacher. Came the many before
mentioned whom the church bells had
charmed away from their homes, they
could not tell the how or why. Came
the devout few who in their hearts
were thankful for the past and prayer
full for the future. Came a rugged
man with a twisted leg, who limped
and whose ways were rather awkward,
but whose face was not without its in
terest. Came a neat little woman of
about thirty, clad plainly but attract
lively, quietly deeorous in all her ways,
following the hymns and not unmind-
full of the sermon.