The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-11-17
Hetty's Career.

luSly> do ohS oao W oAS "iANo"
her chin on her hand, and her earn
est eyes gazing out on the wet street
where the rain fell ceaselessly.
Carve away. What's to prevent?'
said her brother Will, who was lying
on the sofa with a book in his hand,
but who was never too busy to tease
his sister, though he really thought
her very good as girls 60
"A great DEAL, answered Hetty.
There are so mafy difficulties in a
girls way to fame and to fortune
Fudge! exclaimed Will, who had
small respect for his sisters astute
observations. There are just as
many difficulties in the way of a
man. The trouble is that girls nev-
er half try
Hetty answered nothing. Grown
wise by experience, she knew that
to argue with Will would avail her
little.
What career do you wanty' asked
Will, after waiting in vain for an at
tack. Haven't you everything heart
could desire here IN your fathers
houseY
No. answered Hetty, boldly, 4
wanted to take drawing and model
ing lessons, and mother thought it
nonsense; and yet l know l have
talent
she said the other day that you
might begin drawing lessons as soon
as you graduated,' said Will. Cant
you wait six months to begin cary
ing your career?
Hetty did not laugh at his ban
tering tone. She replied very So
berly: No; l feel that l ought to
have begun long ago, If l am ever to
become famous in art or sculpture
You famousr cried Will, with a
burst of laughter. Hetty, you'll die
of your own conceit, if you don't
take care
He considered what his sister had
said so amusing that he repeated it
that evening when the family had
gathered about the tea-table.
4 don't see why you should laugh,
Will,' said Mr.. Arden, looking at his
eldest daughter lovingly, I've al
ways expected great things from
Hetty. Perhaps she will astonish
all yet; and we must arrange for
the drawing lessons at once. 1t
can do her no harm to prepare her
for the career, even il she never en-
ters upon it,
Hetty's cheeks. flushed scarlet,
and her eyes sparkled with joy.
Praise from her father was such an
unusual thing that she appreciated
it. He was very busy man and
much away from his family, and had
little time to take notice of the
tastes of his children.
How sweet to Hetty was the rec
ollection of his loving words, when,
on the following day, she stood by
his bedside and gazed tearfully
down at his cold face-cold in death.
For only a few hours after he had
risen from the tea-table, Mr.. Arden
had been stricken with apoplexy,
and had died without a chance to
even say farewell to those he loved.
i will not disappoint you father.
murmured Hetty, as she turned
away from the dead. The great
things you expected of me shall
come to pass.
But despair seized upon her when
she heard in what condition her fa-
ther had left his affairs. After the
settlement Of the estate only a few
hundred dollars and small farm
fifty miles from the city, remained
to the widow and children.
'Oh,' sighed Hetty, had mother
only let me take. drawing lessons
long ago, / would be able to earn
my own living now, and perhaps to
help her. But must bid good-by
forever now to my hope Of entering
on the career of an artist
And she mouraed most bitterly
oyer her wasted opportunities when
Will was taken from school and put
to work as clerk in a store, and SHE
with her mother and three little sis
ters, removed to the farm.
Hard work awaited them there;
work to which they were unaccus-
| toned. and al10ut which thew knew