The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-04-02
A DARK DAY.

"
a new copy OF the Ladjes Wag0zile on the
table close 10y, while within reach II bright
butterfly lowered about newly-OpcuCd honey
suckle growing against the window. The
spring breeze breathed balmlly INTO the apart.
ment, filling her senses with delicious
dreaminess, and her eyes wandered wlstiu!ly
Tout beyond the shaded village street 10 the
green fields and budding willows bordering
the sparkling river On morning such as
this who could endure to stay indoors Who
could endure to SIT quietly down and darn
stockngsg
A girish voice aroused IIctty. Looking
from the window, she saw Susie Lake leaning
on the lItlle front garden gate.
"Oh, lictty, do come and walk with me down
to Aunt Elens. The morning is lovely, and
| have something to tell you"
| I'm afraid | can't, Susie. II is Saturday,
you know, and | am sewing and watching
baby asleep, while mother Is IN the kitchen"
"Then will have to tell you now, | sup
pose"
She came close under the window, and said
with mischievOus smile:
| Whom do you think saw just now, llet
tyy"
81 don't know who The new minister"
| mo, indeed somebody very different from
that fat, redfaced old codgcr" returned Susie,
ilreverenuy
| "Oh Susie, but who was ltS'
Now, it was Mr. Waltar Hayes. Now
amt you surprisedy'
A vivid blush dyed ITetty's fair face She
made no reply, and Susie continued
| His employer, Mr. Mitchell, sent HIM on
business from Philadelphia to C, and as
this wasn't much out OF the way of ms home,
| they gave him leave to stop here tor n day or
two, so he told me when met him Just now
Coxs Station, and that IS how | came to see
him before you did, lIetty," she added, laugh.
lngly.
She passed on, leaving Hetty with flushed
cheeks and frightened eye. No wonder. For
more than year past the thought of Walter
Hayes had been the brightest spot of her life.
One year ago he had stood at that same little
green garden gate in the moonlight. bidding
her goodbye before gong away To the great
city to seek his fortune She remembered the
warm, lingering clasp of his hand, and how
he had SAID to her, IN Il voice that was low and
tremhing:
"You must not forget me, Hetty. | shall
always think of you, llctty, 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 LETT her very reluctantly. But
now he had come back, and she would see him
today.
II do declare, Hetty" exclaimed her mother,
bustlng into the room, flushed from her PIE
baking, "you are the LATEST girl | ever saw.
Here you've been upwards Of an hour darnlng
one pair of stockings! What have you been
abouty Dreaming away your time IA usual,
no doubt and with all the chIldren's Sunday
clothes to look over and lay out for TO- morrow,
besides the Saturdays chores"
iielty penltcntly resumed her work; but she
was very glad when, towards sunset, 1t was all
done, and she had leisure to run up to her own
little room, and never 10 her life had she taken
such pains with her appearance AZ now.
How anXl0usly she listened for the expected
ring at the front door. How tumulluously
her heart beat when at length 1t cane, and
how heavy ii sank when old Deacoa 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
rs she saw it travelling slowly around to eight
o'clock. In Riverside they keep early hours,
and when, at quarter To nine, Deacon Brown
took leave, lictty also rose, and lighting her
bedroom candle, went slowly and sadly up,
stairs.
When next morning she came down, her
mother remarked. as she busted herself about
the breakfast table:
"llety, Walter Hayes was here last night"
"Oh, mOthcrw
There was something almost pathetic ID the
look ana tone, but Mrs Lockwood was too busy
with the stcamlng cohee.pot to perceive it.
He came IN just rs you had gone up stairs"
she continued. He asked for you, but il was
so late | hardly thought il worth while to call
you back again. He had been seeing Miss
Mitchell home TO her aunts--that Philadel-
phia girl, you know, and didn't know, until
han ,.nti nod hat aIln nj. ,Nf 40
employer, Mr.. Mitchell. He is certainly i'm
provcu. TO my mind there is nothing like
city life for giving people what they call style
now. Make Eddie's milk toast whilst pour
out the coffee"
IL think" observed Mr.. Lock wood, as he
took his place at the table and cut into the
cold corned beet al think heard Harry Tun.
stall say yesterday that young Hayes was pay
ing attention to Miss Mitchell She's hand.
some girl, and her fathers go, money. If
Walter marries her he will do Well-don't bolt
your food like that; cut 1t properly, sir, before
eating"
Hetty turned suddenly sick ut heart. She
SAID nothing, but she could not swallow her
break fast, aud her mother presently remarked
upon her pale looks.
Don't you feel well, child? I noticed that
you were fidgcty last night. You're feverish
| doubt, with the spring weather.
Heuy was glad that her mo,bor permitted
her IL go TO her room and lie down. There
was never a fire in her room, but she drew the
bed clothes over her head and wished that she
could thus shut herself out from the whole
world She felt torlorn and miserable. All
her sweet, foolish dreams of love seemed tc
have been rudely stricken at blow. Walter
had ceased to care for her. He had been won
from her by that handsome, stylish girl from
Philadelphia; and letty hid her face in hei
pillow and almost wished that she could die
Il Her mother sent for her to come down Il
dinner There was, she said, no use in stay
!. ing upstairs IN the cold, and the child woult
he better by the fire, with some nice, warn
soup. In there all the afternoon Hetiy SAT
while her father and the boys went to church
and her mother read Bakers Rise and Pro