Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1880-12-18

leave to stop here for day or two: so
ne told me when ! met you ust HOW.
He arrived only an hour ago, in the
stage from COX's station and that is
how | came 70 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 Haye. has
been the brightest spot OF her life,
around which all sweet, vague thoughts
Of ha;spinesk I'D 'ctiA.ss;1 4. Nh. yeai
ago he had stood at that same little
green garden gate, in the moonlight,
on their late return from the church
concert, and bidding her goodbye be-
fore 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
tre,nbled-
- You must not forget me, Hetty.
shAll thin of you always, and when I
come back-u
And just then her mother had come
on the porch, aud called her in out of
the damp air; and SO he had left her
reluctantly. But now he had come
back, and she would seeuhim to-day.
q do declare. II exclaimed
her mother, bustlii the room,
warm and flushed FROM - bic baking,
"yOu are the LATEST girl I ever saw.
Here you'v been upwards Of an hour
darning one pair of stoekings. What
have you l,een about" Dreaming away
your time as usual, no doubt, and with
all the children's Sunday clothes to
look over and lay out for tomorrow,
besides the Saturdays 'chores.''
Hetty penitently resumed her work.
But sire 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 becom-
ing toilette, a soft. dove-co,ored dress,
with knot Of a rose-color ed ribbon at
her throat, and another nesting like a
freshly-hlOomed rose in the ripples Of
her brown hair.
] How anxiously she listened for the
expected ring at the front door. How
! tu,nultuously her heart beat when at
length it came, and how heavy it sank
when old Deacon Brown stalked in,
! to discuss some church-matters with
her father! Then she began to look at
the clock !; and her heart grew fainter
and fainter as she saw it travelling
slowly round to o'clock. In River
side they kept early hours, and when,
at u quarter of nine Deacon Brown
took leave, Hetty also arose, and light
ing her bedroom candle went slowly
and sadly upstairs.
When, next morning. she came
down, her mother remarked. as she
busted herself about the breakfast tt-
BILE
"Hetty. Walter Hayes was here last
night"
"Oh, mother
There was something almost patheti,
in the look and tone but Mrs. Lock
yooq was tno busy with the steaming
cofiee-pot to perceive it..
He came in just as YOU had gone
upstairs she continued. He asked
for you but it was so late, thought il
hardly worth calling you down again
He had been seeing Miss Mitchell
home to her aunt's-that Philadelphia
girl, you know, and | didn't know un
til he mentined it, that she was
niece Of his employer, Mr.. Mitchell
He is certainly improved. TO nj,
mind. there's nothing like city life 70
giving people what they call style now
Make Eddies milk-tea. whilst | pou
out the coffee
think observed Mr.. lockwood
as he took his place at the table an,
cut into the cold corned-becf. Il thini
| heard Harry TunStall say yesterd.,
that young Hayes WAS paving atten
tioa TO Miss Mitchell. He said he has
seen them together in PiiladeIpiiia
She's a handsome girl. and her father
got money. If Walter marrl,s he
he will do well-don't bolt vorr foot
: like that cut it properly, sir, hetnr
eating"
Hetty turned suddenly 81. X II hcari
She said nothing. but she could no
swallow her break fast, and her motl
er presently remarked upon her pa,
: looks.
Don't you feel we'll, child, - n
tieed that you were tiisctty aa'i nel
vous last night. You're feverish.
. J doubt, with the spring weather.
Y 1t wasn't much like spring to-da =
). One Of the sudden changes peculiar !.
; the tickle mouth Of April had tak-
place, and cold breeze and l.a,le
t clouds replaced tue balmy airs an
. sunny skies Of yesterday. 1t began !,
( driZzIe too As the family arose frpr