Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1881-05-05
Select Story.
A DARK DAY.

IlcLby lIOChWOOu Sdt dI Gl0 VpeH Will
dow-a big basket of undarned stock
ings by her side, new copy Of the
Ladies' Magazine on the table close by,
while within reach a bright butterfly
lowered about a newly opened honey
suckle growing against the window
The spring breeze breathed balmily in
to the apartment, filling her senses
with delicious dreaminess, and he1
eyes wandered wistfully out beyond
the shaded village street to the green
fields and budding willows bordering
the sparkling river. On a morning
such as this who could endure to stay
in doors ? Who could endure to sit
quietly down and darn stockings
A girlish voice aroused Hetty. Look.
ing from the window she saw Susie
Lake leaning on the little front garden
gate.
'Oh, Hetty, do come and walk with
me down to Aunt Ellen's. The morn
ing is lovely, and have something tc
tell you.
Il am afraid | can't, Susie. 1t is
Saturday, you know, and I am sewing
and watching baby asleep, while moth
er 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, Hetty 2
4 don't know who The new min
lister 2
No, indeed; somebody very differ
ent from that fat, red faced old codger,
returned Susie, irreverently.
'Oh, Susie, but who was-it P
Now, it was Mr.. Walter Hayes.
Now, amt you surprised p .-, ;
A vivid blush dyed Hetty's faii
face. She made no reply, and Susie
continued
His employer, Mr.. Mitchell, sent
him on business from Philadelphia tc
C., and as this wasn't much out OF
the way of his home, they gave him
leave to stop here for day or two, SC
he told me when I met him just now.
He arrived only an hour ago, in the
stage from Cox's station, and that is
how | came to see him before you did
Hetty, she added laughingly.
She passed on, leaving Hetty with
flushed cheeks and frightened eye. No
wonder. For more than a 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 moon light,
bidding her goodbye before going
away to the great city TO seek his for
tune. She remembered the warm,
lingering clasp Of his hand, and how
he had said to her, in voice that was
full of love and trembling
you must not forget me, Hetty. |
shall always think Of you, Hetty, 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 left her
reluctantly. But now he had come
back and she would see him to-day.
i do declare, Hetty,' exclaimed her
mother bustling into the room, flushed
from her pie baking, you are the lazi-
est girl | ever saw. Here you've been
upward of an hour darning one pair of
stockings What have you been about?
Dreaming away your time as usual, no
doubt, and with all the children Sun.
day clothes to look over and lay out
for tomorrow, besides the Saturdays
chores
Hetty penitently resumed her work F;
but she was very glad when, toward
sunset, 1t was all done, and she had
leisure to run up to her own little
room, and never in her life had she ta.
ken such pains with her appearance as
now.
How anxiously she listened for the
expected ring at the front door. How
unanimously her heart beat when at
length it came, and how heavy it sank
when old Deacon 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 as she saw it travelling slowly
around eight o'clock. In Riverside
they kept early hours, and when, at a
quarter of nine, Deacon Brown took
leave, Hetty also rose, and lighting her
bedroom candle, went slowly and sad
ly up stairs.
When, next morning, she came
down her mother remarked, as she
busted herself about the breakfast
table
'Hetty, Walter Hayes was here last
night.
ooh, mother = ,
There was something almost pathet-
ic in the look and tone, but Mrs. Lock