Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-12-12

He came in just as you had gone up
stairs she continued. He asked for
you, but it was too late, I thought it
hardly worth calling you down again.
He had been seeing Miss Mitchell home
to her aunt's-that Philadelphia girl,
you know, and didn't know until he
it, that she was a niece Of
his employer, Mr.. Mitchell. He is GER
tainly improved
II Think? observed Mr.. Lockwood /;
as he took his place at the table and cut
into the cold eorned-beef: II think L
heard Harry Tunstall say yesterday
that young Hayes was paying attention
to Miss Mitchell. He said he had seen
them together in Philadelphia a! she's a
handsome girl, and her fathers got
If Walter marries her he will
do well-don't bolt your food like that
cut it properly. sis, before eating"
Hetty had turned suddenly sick at
heart. She said nothing, but she could
not swallow her breakfast, and her
mother presently remarked upon her
pale looks.
Don't you feel we'll, child noticed
that you were fidgety and nervous, last
night. You're feverish, no doubt, with
the spring weather.
Hetty was glad that her mother per-
mitted her to goto her room and lie down.
There was never fire in her room but
she drew the bed-clothes over her head,
and wished that she could thus herself
shut out from the whole world. She
felt forlorn and miserable. All her
sweet, foolish dreams Of love seemed to
have been rudely stricken at a blow
Walter had ceased to care for her. He
had not been proof against a years abb
sence. He had been won from her by
that handsome, stylish girl from Phila-
delphia and Hetty hid her face in the
pillow. and almost wished she could
die.
1t was the darkest day she had ever
known. She tired to read he Bible.
but could not fix her thoughts on it,
and closed it in despair. She listened
to the dismal beat of the slow-fallng
rain, and at times watched the swaying
of the half budding tree branches in the
chill wind. The cherry tree before her
window had been yesterday whitening
into blossom. Surely the cold would
kill the tender buds, and there would be
no fruit. How like her own hopes OF
happiness
Her mother sent for her to come down
to dinner. There was, she, said, no
use in staying up there in the cold, and
the child would be better by the fire,
with some nice warm soup. In there
all the afternoon Hetty sat, while her
father and the boys went to church-for
it had ceased raining now-and her
mother read Baxter's Rise and pro-
,ress,' and sang hymns to baby.
"Het,' Said Bill, upon his return
rom church, L saw your old beau, Mr..
Walter Hayes. at church with Miss Nit
,hell, and he shook hands with me and
asked how the family was. She's
:eal swell, a regular roarer, l tell you,
and if you don't shine up some, she'll
cut you out.
civilian, don't let me hear any more
such slang talk from you, beg" SAID
MS mother reprovlngly.
"And, Hetty, said her little sister
Annie, as she carefully drew of and
folded her gloves, 4 heard Kate Hayes
tell Mrs. Green that Walter and Miss
were gong back tomorrow to
and Mrs. Green said she
that was one reason of his
coming to Riverdale that he might tray
81 home with her.
Hetty lost all hope at this. She long
ed for sympathy-to lay her head on
her mothers knee and tell her all. But
Mrs. Lockwood, though she really low
ed her children, was not of those gen.
tie and sympathetic mothers to whom
their children thus turn and poor Hetty
went again to her lonely room, and
wrapping herself IN shawl, seated her.
self at the window and looked listlessly
out.
A few people were passing. She
hardly noticed them until she suddenly
met pair of brown eyes, and hat was
lifted she drew back with burning
cheeks and beating heart, as Walter
Hayes passed. How handsome he
looked and as her mother had observ-
ed, how improved in appearance-with
50 much manliness and dignity. And
could he think of her, sitting
there pale and forlorn looking, with her
hair all disordered about her face f? He
might come this evening, perhaps, and
yet she hardly wished it now. 1t would
only be painful to see him, and find him
changed. Still, she dressed herself and
wentd own, stairs, though her head was
and she really felt ill. And
all the evening she waited and watched
as she had done before and Walter nev-
or came, and she knew now that he
lid not care to see her. And so ended
The long dreary day.
Next morning Hetty arose feverish
and ill. But she busted herself about
The household work and when her
mother. observing only that she was
1ull and languid. remarked that she
needed walk, and desired her to carry
4 jar ofbutter to old Mrs. Simpson, she
made no objection. The day was
pleasant though cool, and wrapping her
,olF;,, 81, 81