The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1881-07-23
A DARK DAY

A DARK DAY
Hetty Lockwood sat at the open win.
dow big basket Of undarned stockings
at her side, while within reach, bright
butterfly hovered about newly opened
honeysuckle growing against the win.
dow. The spring breeze breathed balm.
lily into the apartment, filling her senses
with adelicious dreaminess and her eyes
wandered wistfully out beyond the shad-
ed village street, to the green fields and
budding willows bordering the sparkling
river. On morning such rs this who
could endure to stay in doors? Who
could endure to sit quietly Gown and
mend stockings?
Agirlish voice aroused Hctty. Look
ing from the window she saw Susie Lake
leaning on the little front garden gate.
"Oh, Hetty, do come and walk with
me to Aunt Ellen's. The morning is
lovely and have something to tell you. "
al am afraid can't Susie. It's Sat-
urday, you know, and am sewing and
watching baby asleep, while mother is
in the kitchen"
"Then will have to tell you now,
suppose"
She came close under the window and
said with mischievous smile:
"Whom do you think saw just now,
Hcttyl"
81 dom, know who. The new min
lister p
"No, indeed somebody very differ
ent from that fat, red-faced old codgcr," 4"
returned Susie, irreverently.
"Oh, Susie but who was il ~
''It was Mr.. Walter Hayes. Now,
amt you surprisedl"
A vivid blush dyed Hetty'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 his home they gave him leave to
stop here for 4 day or two, so he told
me when met him just now. He ar
rived only an hour ago, in the stage
from Cox's station, and that is how
came to see him before you did, Het,y,"
she added taughingly.
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 yeai ago
he had stood at that same little green
garden gate in the moonlight, bidding
her good-by before going away to the
great city to seek his fortune. She re-
membered the warm, lingering clasp Of
his hand, and how he had said to her,
in voice that was low and trembling ::
"You must not forget me, Hetty. -
l shall always think Of you, Hc,ty, and
when come back"
And just then her mother had come
out on the porch and called her in out
OF the damp air, and so, had left her
reluctantly. But now he had come
back and she would see him to-day.
al do declare, Hetty," exclaimed
mother, bustling into the room, flushed
from her pie-baking, "you are the LATEST
girl ever saw. Here you've been up
wards Of an hour darning one pair OF
stockings What have you been about ?
Dreaming away your time rs usual, no
doubt, and with all the children's Sun
day clothes to look over and lay out for
tomorrow, beside the Saturdays
chore."
Hetty penitently resumed her work ;
but she was very glad when toward sun
set, 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.
How anxiously she listened for the
expected ring at the front door How
tumultuously her heart beat when at
length it came, and how heavy it sank
when old Deacon Brown stalked in to
discuss church matters with her father |
Then she began to look at the clock
and her heart grew fainter and fainter
as she saw IL travelling slowly round TO
eight O'Clock. In Riverside they kept
early hours, and when at n quarter to
nine, Deacon Brown took leave Hetty
also rose, and lighting her bedroom
candle, went slowly and sadly upstairs.
When, next morning she came down,
her mother remarked, as she busted her
self with the breakfast table
"Hetty, Walter Hayes was here last
night"
"Oh, mother ="
There was something almost pathetic
in the look and tone, but Mrs. Lock
wood was too busy with the steaming
coffee-pot to perceive it.
"He came just as you had gone up
stairs" she continued. "He asked for
you, but il was so late l thought ]. hard.
" worth while to call you back again.
He had been seeing Miss Mitchell home
to her aunt's-that Philadelphia girl,
you know, and didn't know until he
mentioned it, that she was niece Of his
employer, Mr.. Mitchell. He is GER
tainly improved. To my mind there is
nothing in the world like city life for
giving people what they call style now.
Make Eddie's milk toast While ! pour
out the coffee"
al think" observed Mr.. Lockwood
as he took his place at the table and cut
into the cold co-ned beef: 81 think
heard Harry Tunstall say yesterday that
young Hayes was paying attention te
Miss Mitchell. She's handsome girl
and her fathers got money. IL Walter