Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-12-12
HETTY'S DARK DAY.

hettI LoChWOou SAT DIT tie opeu Will
dow-a big basket of undarned stock
ings by her side, new copy of 1.-THE
Sunny Seuth' on the table close by,
while within reach bright butterfly
lowered about a newly-opened honey
suckle growing against the window. The
spring breeze breathed balmly into the
apartment, filling her senses with a de-
licious dreamincss and her eyes wan
dered wlstful,y out beyond the shaded
village street, to the green fields and
budding willows bordering the sparkling
little river. On morning such as this,
who could endure to stay within doors
Who could endure to quietly sit down
and darn stockings ?-boys' stockings,
too, with great holes in the heels Of
them, which, merely to look at, caused
her a despairing sigh. Then the new
magazine; how she longed to unfold
the crisp sheet, and luxuriate in its con-
tents like the butterfly in the sweets Of
the honey suckle. But Hetty's life
more resembled that Of the bee than
the butterfly. Though only eighteen, sh e
was the Oldest of seven children, most
ly boys and goodly portion of the
household work fell upon her shoulders.
A glad, girlish voice aroused Hetty.
Looking from the window she saw Su-
sic Lake, one of her few intimate
friends, leaning on the little front gar
den gate.
! "On, Hetty, do come and walk with
me down to Aunt Ellcn's. The morn
ing is just lovely ;and have something
so particular TO tell YOU"
L am afraid l can't, Susie. 1t is
Saturday, you know and l am sewing
and watching baby asleep, while moth
er is i'll the Kitchen"
Then I'll have to tell you now l
suppose
She came close under the window,
and said, in lower voice, and with a
mischevous smile
Whom do you think 1 saw. just
now p
L don't know. But who was it p
Why it was just Mr.. Walter Hayes.
Now, amt you surprised p
A vivid blush dyed Hetty's fair face.
She made no reply, and Susie continu-
ed.
His employer. Mr.. Mitchell, sent
him ON business from Philadelphia to
c.. and as this wasn't much out of the
way of his home, they gave him leave
to stop here for day or two $50 he told
me when 1 met him just now. He ar
rived only an hour ago, in the stage
from Cox's station and that is how l
came to see him before you did, Hetty,'
she added laughingly.
She passed on, leaving Hetty with
flushed cheeks, frightened eyes, and
heart thrilling with glad excitement.-
No wonder. For more than year
past the thought of Walter Hayes has
been the brightest spot of her life,
around which all sweet, vague thoughts
of happiness had clustered. One year
ago he had stood at that same little gar
den gate, in the moonlight, on the
late return from the church concert, and
hidden her good bye before going away
to the great city to seek his fortune.
She remembered how the warm, linger-
ing clasp of his hand had thrilled her,
and how he had said at last, in voice
that almost trembled.
you must not forget me, Hetty. 1
shall think of you always, and when 1
come back"-
And just then her mother had come
on the porch, and called her in out of
the damp air and SO he. had left her re-
luctantly. But now he had come back,
and she would see him to-day.
L do declare, Hetty,' exclaimed her
mother, bursting into the room, warm
and flushed from pie baking, you are
the LATEST gill 1 ever saw. Here you've
been upwards of an hour darning one
pair of stockings! What have you
been about? Dreaming away your time
as usual, no doubt, and with all the chill
drens's Sunday clothes to look 6 lay
out tor'to-morrow, beside the Sunday
''chores."
Hetty penitently resumed her work.
But she was very glad when, toward
sunset, it was all done, and she had
leisure to run up to her own little room;
and never in her life had she taken
such pains with her appearance as now,
while she arrayed herself in what she
considered her most becoming toilet,
soft dove colored dress, with knot of
rose colored ribbon at her throat, an
other nesting like a -bloomed
| rose in the ripples of her brown hair.
How anxiously she listened for the
expected ring at the front door. How
unanimously her heart beat when at
length 1t came, and how heavily it sank
when old Deacon Brown stalked in, to
discuss some shurch matters with her
father Then she began to look at the
clock; and her heart grew fainter and
fainter, as she saw ittravelling slowly
round to eight O'Clock. In Riverdale
they kept early hours. and when, at a
quarter of nine, Deacon Brown took
leave Hetty also arose and lighting her
bedroom candle, went slowly and sadly
up stairs.
When, next morning, she came down
her mother remarked, as she busted
herself about the breakfast table:
sHaffv Wo1fnr Hovae uso bose 1ost