Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1881-04-28

| DOH yOu lccl well, c0llu nOIic6O
that you were fidgety last night. You're
feverish. l doubt not, with the spring
weather"
Hetty was glad that her mother per-
mitted her to go to her room and lie
Edown. 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 forlorn and miserable. All her
sweet foolish dreams of love seemed to
have been rudely stricken at blow.
Walter had ceased to care for her. He
had been won from her by that hand
some, stylish girl from Philadelphia:
and Hetty hid her face in her pillow and
almost wished that she could die.
| Her mother sent for her to come down
to dinner. There was, she said, no use
in staying up stairs in the cold, and the
child would be better by the fire, with
some nice warm soup. In there all the
afternoon Hetty sat, while her father
and the boys went to church, and her
mother read "Baxter's Rise and Pro-
gress" and sang dismal hymns TO the
baby.
"Het," said Bill, upon his retHrn from
church, 81 saw your old bow, Mr.. Walt.
Hayes. at church with Miss Mitchell,
and he shook hands with me, and asked
me how the family was. She's a real
swell, tell you, and if. you don't shine
up some she'll cut you out"
"William, don't let me here any more
of such slang talk from you," said his
mother, reprOvihgly.
"And Hetty," said her little sister, as
she carefully drew off and folded her
gloves, 81 heard Kate Hayes telling
Mrs. Green that Walter and Miss Mitch
ell were going back tomorrow to Phila-
delphia, and Mrs. Green said she suppos-
ed that was one reason of his coming to
Riverside, that he might travel home
with her."
Hetty lost all heart and hope at this
She longed for sympathy-to lay her
head on her mothers knee and tell her
all. But Mrs. Lockwood, though she
really loved her children, was not one of
those gentle and sympathetic mothers
to whom their children thus turn; and
| Hetty went again to her lonely room,
and wrapping herself in shawl, seated
herself at the window and looked list
lessly out.
A few people were passing. She hard
ly noticed them, until she suddenly met
pair of brown eyes; and she drew back
with burning cheeks and beating heart
as Walter Hayes passed. How hand
some he wasl and as her mother had OBJ
served, how improved in appearance.
And she-what could he think of her,
sitting there pale and forlOrn looking.
with her hair all disordered about her
facep Hemight come this evening, per-
haps, and yet she hardly wished it now.
1t would only be painful to see him.
Still, she dressed herself and went down
stairs, though her head was throbbing
and she felt really ill. And all the eve
ming she waited and watched, and Wal
ter never came, and she knew he did
not care to see her. And so ended the
long, dreary day.
Next morning Hetty arose feverish
and i'll. But she busted herself about
the household work; and when her
mother, observing only that she was dull
and languid, remarked that she needed
walk, and desired her to carry jar of
butter to old Mrs. Simpson, she made no
objection. The day was pleasant, and
tying pink lined hood about her face,
Hetty set off alone on her walk.
1t was rather long distance that she
had to go-out of the village and across
field, and then by lonely pathway ly
ing along the foot of a hill. Mrs. Simp-
son kept her some time talking, and it
was late when the girl set out on her
return.
Slowly retracing the little pathway,
Hetty paused at the stile which led into
the open field. 1t was pleasant there.
The sun shed a golden light over the
beech boughs, and breath of spring
time fragrance floated on the air. Some
how Hetty felt soOthed as she stood
resting on the stile and looked dreamily
at the white clouds overhead.
An approaching foOtstep startled her.
Turning, she saw mans figure coming
along the pathway. Her heart gave a
great throb, and then seemed to stand
STILL
He came straight toward her, his hand
extended, his lip smiling, his eyes look
ing straight into her own.
"HettyP'
She looked up at him, half in hope,
half in doubt, and the color came and
went on her face.
"Hetty. have wanted so much to see
you"
She could not mistake the sincerity
of his tone or the look of the brown
eyes, and she answered simply and
naively:
81 thought you had forgotten me"
Forgotten yonT
She could not have told how it hap
pened; but somehow she found herself
seated on the step of the stile with |
Walter beside her, and her cheek close
-ah! very close-to his, whilst all the |
world around seemed transformed into |
a strange beauty and glory. Such mira
cles does moment sometimes work in |
our lives.
As they walked slowly homeward to-
gether he'told her that one thing and an
other had prevented his seeing her,
among the rest, Bill having told him
at the church that she was
too sick to come down stairs-a state
ment which he had unfortunately cred
tied, and when this morning he had call
ed and learned from her mother where
she had gone, he lost no time i'll follow
ing her.
"But, Walter" said Hetty, hesitating-
ly, do you know l heard something
about you and-Miss Mitchell"
He laughed.
Miss Mitchell is to be married short
ly. Hetty, to our junior partner. She has
been very kind to me, and so has her
uncle, my employer. Indeed, Hetty,
wanted to tell you of my good fortune
and prospects. and to ask you, darling,
if, when"
And the words which had been for
whole year delayed were spoken, and
Hetty wondered, as she came in sight of
her home, whether this could be the
same world that it had been on that
dark, dark day, yesterday.
Hon. ROWLAND E. TROwBRIDGE, late
of Indian Affairs, died at
his home in Birmingham, eighteen miles