Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1877-11-06
thus shut herself out from the whole

AAVAs A4O A6u AOu OCOA PAOOA N6esAASs -
years absence. He had been won from
her by that handsome, stylish girl from
Philadelphia; and Hetty hid her face in
the pillow, and almost wished she could |
die. avt l.4 ..+-
It was the darkest day she had ever
known. She tried to read her Bible, but !
could not fix her thoughts on it, and
closed IL in despair. She listened to the
dismal beat Of the slow-falling rain, and
at times watched the swaying of the half
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 m 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 Progress" and
sang hymns to the baby.
'Het," said Bill, upon his return from
church, II saw your old beau, Mr.. Walt
er Hayes, at church with Miss Mitchell,
and he shook hands with me and asked
how the family was. She's real swell,
a regular roarer, 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, 1 beg" said
his mother reprovingly.
"And, Hetty, said her little sister An
ME, as she carefully drew off and folded
her gloves, II heard Kate Hayes tell
Mrs. Green that Walter and Miss Mitch
ell were going back tomorrow to Phil
adelphia, and Mrs. Green said she sup
posed that was one reason of his coming
to Riverside that he might travel 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 loved
her children, was not one 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 a shawl, seated her.
self at the window and looked listlessly
out. -
A few people were passing. She hard
ly noticed them until she suddenly met
| la pair of brown eyes, and a hat was
lifted; and she drew back with burning
cheeks and a beating heart, as Walter
Hayes passed. How handsome he look
ed and as her mother had observed,
how improved in appearance-with so
much manliness and dignity. And she
what could he think of her, sitting
there pale and forlorn looking, with her
hair ali disoraaee==ed about her face? He
might come this evening, perhaps, and
yet she hardly wished it now. It would
only be painful to see him, and find him
changed. Still, she dressed herself and
went down stairs, though her head was
throbbing. and she really felt ill. And
all the evening she waited and watched
as she had done before; and Walter
never came. and she knew now that he
did 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
dull and languid, remarked that she
needed walk, and desired her to carry
jar of butter to old Mrs. Simpson, she
made no objection. The day was pleas.
ant, though cool, and wrapping herself
in a warm shawl of her mothers and
tying pink-lined hood about her face
Hetty set off alone on her walk.
1t was rather long distance that she
, had to go-out of the village and across
field, and then by a lonely pathway
, lying along the foot ola hill. Mrs. Simp.
son kept her sometime talking, and il
: was lale when the girl set out on her re-
2 turn. Slowly retracing the little path.
way under the dropping beeches, Hetty
paused at the stile which led into the
Go1I
J sun shed golden light over the beech
! boughs, and breath of spring time
woodland fragrance floated on the air.
Somehow Hetty felt soothed, as she was
! resting on the stile, and looking dreami
ly at the white clouds overhead
An approaching footstep startled her
e Turning she saw mans figure coming
, along the pathway, and another glance
l showed her that it was Walter Hayes
7 Her heart gave great throb and then
seemed to stand still.
He came straight toward her-his
hand extended, his lips smiling, his eyes
e looking straight into her own.
"Hetty!"
She looked at him half in hope, hall
in doubt, and the color came and went
on her face.
"Hetty-I have wanted so much to
see you"
She could not mistake the sincerity Of
his tone or the look of the brown eyes
and she answered simply and naively
II thought you had forgotten me-"
Forgotten you ?'
She could not have told how it hap.
pened ; but somehow she found herself
seated on the step of the stile with Wal
ter beside her his arm around her, and
her cheek close, ali! very close to his
whilst all the world around seemed
!, transformed into strange beauty and
glory. Such miracles does moment
sometimes work in our lives.
AS they walked slowly homeward to.
, gether, he told her how one thing and
!, another had prevented his seeing her
. among the rest, Bill, having confiden-
TALLY informed him at church, in an.
swer to his inquiries, that she was toe
sick to come down stairs that day-a
statement which he unfortunately cred.
!, tied, and when this morning he had
called, and learned from her mother
where she had gone, he had lost no time
in following.
"But, Walter" said Hetty, hesitating.
ly, "do you know 1 heard something
, about you and-Miss Mitchell?"
He laughed.
'Miss Mitchell is to be married short
", Hetty, to our Junior partner. She
has been very kind to me, and so has
! her uncle, my employer. Indeed, Hetty
wanted to tell you of my good fortune
and good prospects; and to ask you
darling. if, when"-
And then the words which had beer
for a whole year delayed were spoken
and Hetty wondered as she came in
sight of her home, whether this coulC
be the same world that it had been or
that dark, dark day, yesterday.
i Mr.. Sturgeon says that the reason
why he can't come to America is thai
the Scriptures do not allow man tt
!, take vacation Of over forty days, and il
he exceeds that time trouble of some
kind is sure to follow. He said thai
when Moses came back from bis forty
day's retirement in the mount he found