The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-10-28

she stood long enough to see Mr.. Larch kiss
Mrs. Dean Dear p.assionately, holding her in bis
Dean went into the house and Mr.. Larch came
out into the road, walking so quickly that he
ran right against Hetty, who stood silent
| ly by o tall tree.
why, Miss Hetty, where are you bound2
he asked, q joyful ring in his voice which
IT am going to Andrews shop; Q, Mr.
why did you kiss Mrs. Dean2'
Rudolph Larch started, then laughed.
$50 you saw us, Hetty," he said "Well, ]
will tell you a great secret. One that no one
else knows Mrs. Dean is ny lcife."
Hetty stood as II turned to stone. Then she
burst into passionate weeping. Rudolph
could not pretend to nisunderstand her grief
had told him but half an hour before of what
she had heard Hetty say.
Come, Hetty,' that young man said, very
kindly. touched, yet annoyed by her Excess
sve grief. II will tell you oil about 1t while
was mostly my fault and Carrie came here
to teach school. / found out where she was
and followed her. All these four weeks have
been trying to make up with her, but it was
only last night after the picnic that she sent
me word to come to Mrs. Thomas tonight
for an explanation. ! think she grew afraid
that people might misconstrue my harmless
little attention to the girls around Ascot. But
have been very careful"
''Then you did not come to Ascot to fish p
cried Hetty.
Ascot was q great fishing resort 70 city
idlers.
81 came for my wife, Hetty.''
O, what miserable night poor Hetty
was too i'll to rise the next day, and her
mother gave her toast and tea, and Andrew
felt worried.
But all Ascotw alive with excitement that
day, for Mr.. Larch and the schoolmistress
had settled up their board bills and gone
away, leaving a letter for Deacon Whitney
explaining why.
was q nine days wonder. Charlotte Davis
added to the gossip by telling Of Hetty Mar
tins infatuation for the stranger and her silly
Hetty Martin was "down' with slow
fever" the neighbors said. And they were
right. 1t was five weeks before Hetty came
again into the garden, Then people exclaimed
and as thin as could be, her eyes looked large
and were sunken, and her pretty chestnut
curls had all been cut close to her head.
She was no longer the bright, merry Hetty.
People said as they had said of Charlotte
and much was the gossip at tea drinkings
and cuttings about poor, pale Hetty.
But life and spirit at last came back to Het-
ty, and she determined to show the Ascotites
that she had not suffered disappointment.
She made up, her mind to marry one OF her
old beaux and settle down quietly. A stop
would be put to the gossip then. y
She was thinking In this strain one evening
in November, sitting in front Of cheerful
wood fire in the little parlor. It was three
and time to begin her life anew. As IL in an
swer to her thoughts David Thorn came In
with Andrew. All the evening Hetty was
charming, attentive to David and even affec-
IA
ent from The David Of the spring. He made
no return to her attentions, and left without
promising to come again.
"Well, Hetty. there's another of your bea,lx
gone said Andrew, lighting candle to go
II can get him back easy enough" replied
"What2' said Andrew, In establishment
Don't you know what / mean by gomez
Why, Hetty, David is engaged to Anna
Ferris, and they are to be married in jan
Hetty made, no reply, but stood looking
out of the window.
Andrew went on In an embarrassed man
ner-
II am feeling well enough off to marry
now, Hetty, and shall be spliced come
Christmas. Ruth and / have waited long
enough
ANDREW, you are not going to be mar
ried p cried Hetty in establishment. -
four years. It's for me she's stayed single.
She's waited with willing heart. 1t has hurt
me to hear you call her an old maid, Hetty,
but we thought it best to keep our engage
ment quiet, since we could not marry"
Then Andrew went on to say that his keep
ing house for himself would make strlcter
economy necessary for Mrs. Martin and Het-
ty, and advised Hetty to apply to Deacon
Whitney, for the school, which had not been
taught since Mrs. Deans departure.
Much as she disiked the idea, Hetty ap-
piled to the Deacon and-got the school. D,
the drudgery of school teaching! How she
learned to hate It'll But for four years Hetty
taught the young ideas of Ascot how to
shoot. -Four weary years.
James Watts came back from California to
pay visit, and Hetty's heart fluttered. She
fully expected an invitation to go to that
famed ranch. But none came to her. 1t was
Lottie Stevens who babe adieu to old Ascot
and went back with James to his California
home. He never even called on Hetty. He
and Lottie had been correspondents ever
since he had left Ascot, and the correspond
ence had ended in matrimony. Even Char
lotte Davis had married. Her sutton, O rich
had gone to California with James Watts,
eager to see the wonders of the ranch and
had bought small farm and settled near
james and Lottie.
ing to the conviction that it was her twenty
eighth birthday. Eight years since Rudolph
Larch had made her heart ache with his
handsome face and elegant manners. She
was an old maid! No use to deny the truth
even to herself
School was over for the day and Hetty
picked up her book and locked the school
house door. As she did so, Deacon Whitney
drove up with his team of grays and asked
her II she wanted "a lift" home.
Hetty was only too glad of the ride, for her
head ached and her limbs were weary. But
she was greatly surprised when the Deacon
gravely asked her to be his wife.
II know I am fifty-four years old, Miss
Hetty, but I've got a nice house and a COM
Portable home. l have three children, but the
youngest is twelve years old. I'll make you
and your mother comfortable VIII you say
'YesY My house is going to ruin with only
servants to manage"
Hetty thought of the three children, the
gray hair of her sutton and his fifty -four years.
and was about to say no; then she thought of
the school-house, the cross, ignorant children
spinsterhood, and the Deacons big, comforta-
bic, brown house, and fine horses and cattle,
In 10,