Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1877-11-06
Hetty,s Dark Day..

The contributions box"
Hetty's Dark Day. i !
Hetty Lockwood sat at the open win |
dow-a big basket ofundarned Stockings |
by her side, new copy of "The Sunny |
South" on the table close by, while
within reach a bright butterfly lowered
about a newly-opened honeysuckle |
growing against the window. The
spring breeze breathed balmily into the
apartment, filling her senses with q
delicious dreaminess; and her eyes
wandered wistfully out beyond the shad-
ed village street, to the green fields and
budding willows bordering the spark
ling little river. On morning such as
this, who could endure to stay within
doors? Who could endure to quietly sit
down and darn stockings ?-boy' g stock
ings, too, with great holes in the heels
of them, which, merely to look at. caus-
ed hera despairing sigh. Then the new
magazine how she longed to unfold the
crisp sheet, and luxuriate in its contents,
like the butterfly in the sweets Of the
honeysuckle. But Hetty's life more re-
sembled that of the bee than hebutter-
fly. Though only eighteen, she was the
Oldest of seven Children mostly boys;
and goodly portion of the household
work fell upon her shoulders. slsaF
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.
"Oh, Hetty, do come and walk with
ing is Just lovely and have something
on no rti oy11or 70 toll xyOyI -
II am afraid can't. Susie. 1t is Sat-
urday, you know: and am sewing and
watching baby asleep, while mother is
in the Kitchen Nf 50 As II 4
"Then I'll have to tell you now, sup
pose" ....,. -,.,.,.......'.
She came close under the window, and
said, in lower voice, and with mis-
chievous smile: .eIs g,1a. % ..s
"Whom do you think I saw, just
now?"
IT don't know. But who was it?"
"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 eontinu-
ed. @ttoei - : '..-. +A-i s-- Aa.
ellis employer. Mr.. Mitchell, sent
him on business from Philadelphia to
c., and as this wasn't much out of
way of his home, they gave him leave
10 stop here for day or two; SO he told
me when I met him just now. He ar
rived 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.S x -'b
She passed on, leaving Hetty with
flushed cheeks, frightened. eyes, and a
heart thrilling with glad excitement
No wonder. 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 hap
piness had clustered. One year ago he
had stood at that same little garden gate,
in the moonlight, on the late return
from the church concert, and hidden heI
good bye before going away to the great
city to seek his fortune. She remem-
sbered how the warm, lingering clasp OF
his hand had thrilled her, and how he
had said at last, in a voice that almost
trembled: f99
"You must not forget me, Hetty. I
shall think of you always, and when I
come back"- : -4pft5e
And just then her mother had come
on the porch, and called her in out of the
clamp air; and so he had left her reluc-
family. But now he had come back
and she would see him to-day. dh-'i
II dc. declare, Hetty," exclaimed her
mother, bustling into the room, warm
and flushed from pie baking. "you are
the LATEST girl ever saw. Here you've
been upwards of an hour darning one
pair of stockings! What haveyou been
about p Dreaming away your time as
usual, no doubt and with all the chill
dren's Sunday clothes to look over and
lay out for tomorrow, beside the Sunday
Chores"
Hetty penitently resumed her work
But she was very glad when, toward
stlnset, it. was all done, Gand 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 consid-
cred her most becoming toilet a soft.
dove-colored dress, with a knot of a rose
colored ribbon at her throat, and anoth-
or nesting like freshly-bloomed rose
in the nipples of her brown hair. =
How anxiously she listened for the
expected ring at the front door. How
tumultuously her heart beat when at
length it came, and how heavily it sank
when old Deacon Brown stalked in, to
discuss some church matters with heI
father! Then she began to look at the
clock and her heart grew fainter and
fainter, as she saw it travelling slowly
round to eight o'clock. In Riverda1e
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 mOther1 remarked, as she busted
herself about the breakfast table: a'o2,-
night" sF.sf7,-
"Oh, motherr,
There was something almost pathetic
in the look and tone; but Mrs. Lock-
wood was too busy with the steaming
coftee-pot to preceive it.
He came in just as you had gone up
stairs,' she continued. HE asked for
you, but it was so late, I thought it hard
ly worth calling you down again. He
had been seeing Miss Mitchell home to
her aunt's-that Philadelphia girl, you
krow, and I didn't know until he men
tionedit. that she was niece Of his en-
ployer, Mr.. Mitchell. He is certainly
improved" - - ~.
II think,' observed Mr.. Lockwood,
as he took his place at the table and cut
into the could corned-beef: II think I
heard Harry Tunstall say yesterday that
young Hayes was paying attention to
Miss Mitchell. He said he had. seen
them together in Philadelph She's q
handsome girl, and her fathers got
money. If Walter marries her he will
do well-don't bolt your food like that
cut it properly, sis, before eating.n
Hetty had turned suddenly sick at
h' art. She said nothing, but she could
notswallow her breakfast, and her moth
er presently remarked upon her pale
lCoks. NJ - Tl.
Don't you feel well, child ? Noticed
that you were fidgety and nervous, last
nj sht. YOU'RE feverish, no doubt with
thu spring Weather.U