The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1880-10-19

tune for the daughter he saw scarcely
twice year, and her mother died In her
babyhood, and Hetty had no other home
than "Grandfather's." They were very
good to her, that old man and his Wild
owed daughter, Aunt Maria. And
cousin Tilly was soft and pretty, and as
silly as little white kitten. 1t might
have been very much worse, yet who
can blame Hetty for looking forward to
the time when she should have home
of her own--a home that suited herp
Papa sent her plenty of money now
She could do what she pleased with 1t,
and she bought smart caps for Aunt
Maria, and gay ribbons for lilly and
slippers for Grandpa-but the home was
not under her control. The prlm parlor
was not to be touched by her hand. The
blue shades, and red and green carpet,
the wax fruit under a glass and the por-
trait of Washington over the mantle
piece, remained as she had first seen
them, when as a child she regarded that
parlor as sort of sacred place not to
be played In. She filled her own tiny
sleeping room with what Aunt Maria
denominated jim m-cracks; but the fami-
ly disapproved of vines about the house
and there was not tree within the
small, prim garden palings, and good as
they all were, the people who lived in
the house were exactly like 1t. They
had no sense of the beautiful and no
yearning for 1t.
So Hetty dwelt inwardly alone and
built her air-castles, and lived on one
letter until she had another, and the
time of her lovers absence wore on
wearily until six months were gone, and
then came letter which made Hetty
hold her breath while she read it, and
burst into tears as soon as she had fin
ished it.
4" Dear Hetty," it said, "an unfore-
seen thing has happened. My employ
ers desire me to remain in China for
for some years. If do SO they will
make me partner, and shall be able
to live we'll and comfortably, and to
grow rich in time; but will you be will
ing to live here with mel Will you
come out to me under safe protection
and spend years of your young life in
this strange land Think 1t over, dar-
ling. The case stands just thus; If you
refuse, will return, but shall then
have no prospects no means whatever.
a penniless man who must take any po-
sition that offers will be your husband
in that case. The choice is in your
hands; or, perhaps it would be honora-
BILE in me to set you free. The thought
almost breaks my heart. Dear Hetty
what shall sayp think could make
you happy even here. If you are will
ing to come, write to me. If you desire
that should return, and seek my for.
in your native land, write that frankly
but if you feel that neither alternative
pleases you and desire your freedom-dc
not write at all let silence be my an
swer. 1 confess that have hope that
even under my altered circumstances you
will still be true"
More followed - lovers talk - with
which we have nothing to do and Het
ty cried over the letter and was sorry
but she wrote at once, and the last words
of her letter were these:
will come to China whenever you
send for me-"
The mail bag was nearly ready at the
post office, which was also the grocery
store. Grandfather Hope stopped his
wagon at the door at that moment.
Hullo !" cried he, "here's another
letter for ye. My neice has written tt
her beau in Chany, and you've got t.
send that"
The postmaster laugh ed and took tn,
missive, stamped it properly, and tool
the silver coin from Grandfather Hopes
outstretched hand.
Seems as If there was resumption
of specie payments" he said, 81 got ;
five dollar gold piece this morning"
And then the two old men fell to talk
ing politics, while Hetty's letter wa
carried toward the post office by the
clerk. Only toward it for the train wa
not yet due, and Miss Candor wanted
four pounds of coffee sugar crushed in
great hurry. The letter was put dowr
on the counter and the sugar weighed
The clerk pushed the parcel toward Mis-
Candor and the letter with it. Their
was wide crack between the top ant
the side of the counter, and into that tn
letter slipped unseen. Other things hat
slipped down the same crevice before
pennies and hairpins, skeins of silk, ant
nieces of tape-but no one knew II. A