The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1877-09-20
HET"lY'S DARK DAY.

Hetty Lockwo III sat at the open VIM
dow-a big basket of uGdnrnel stockings
by her side, a new copy of "The Sunny
South" Oh the table close by, while
within reach a bright butterfly hove1ed
about a newly-openedh honeysuckle grow
ing against the window. The spring
breeze breathed balm lily into the apart
ment, filling her senses with a delicious
fully out beyond the shaded village
street to the green fields and budding
willows bordering the sparkling little
river. On a morning such as this, who
could endure to stay within doors /?
Who could endure to quietly sit down
and darn stockings ?-boy's stockings,
too, with great holes in the heels of
them, which, merely to look at, caused
her despairing sigh. Then the new
magazine; how she longedsto unfold the
crisp sheet, and luxuriate its contents,
like the butterfly in the &weets of the
honeysuckle. But Hetty's life more re-
sembled that of the bee than the butter
fly. Though only eighteen, she was the
oldest of seven children. mostly boys;
and goodly portion of the household
work fell upon her shoulders. =.
A glad, girlish voice aroused Hetty.
Looking from the window she saw
Susie Lake, one of her few intimate
friends, leaning on the little front garden
gate.
ooh, Hetty, do come and walk with
me down to Aunt Ellen's. The morning
is just lovely; and have something so
particular to tell you"
"Im afraid can't, Susie. 1t is Sat
urday, you know; and am sewing and
watching baby asleep, while motheri is in
the kitchen"
"Then I'll have to tell you now, I
suppose"
She came close under the window, and
said, in lower voice, and a mischievous
smile:
"Who do you think saw just now?"
"Why, it was Just Mr.. Walter Hayes.
Now, amt you surprised?"
A vivid blush dyed Hetty's fair face.
She made no reply, and Susie con-
tinued.
ellis 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 /; so
he told me when I met him Just now
He arrived only an hour ago, in the stage
from Cox's station; and that is how /
came to see him before you did, Hetty," "
she added, laughingly.
She passed Oh, leaving Hetty with
flushed cheeks, frightened eyes, and a
heart thrilling with glad excitement. No
woder. For more than year past the
thought of Walter Hayes had 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 garden gate, in
the moonlight, on their late return from
the church concert, and hidden her
goodbye before going away to the great
city to seek his fortune. She remembered
how the warm, lingering 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 I
shall think of you always, and when
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 reluct-
antly. But now he had come back, and
she would see him to-day.
81 do declare, Hetty," exclaimed her
mother, bustling into the room, warm
and flushed from her pie-baking, "you
are the LATEST girl ever saw. Here
you've been upwards of an hour darning
one pair of stockings What have you