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

Hctty turned suddenly sick at heart
She said nothing but she could not swal-
low her breakfast and her mother pres
emily remarked upon her pale looks.
"Don't you feel well, child ? noticed
that you were fidgcty last night. You're
feverish, l doubt not, with the spring
weather."
Hetty was glad that her mother per.
mitted her to 60 to her room and lie
down. There was never n fire in her
room, but she drew the bed clothes over
her head and wished 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 a 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 "Baxtcr's Rise and
Progress" and sang dismal hymns to- the
baby.
"Het," said Bill, on his return from
church, al saw your old beau, Mr.. Walt
Hayes, nj 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 il you don't shine
up some she'll cut you out. !"
William, don't you let me hear any
more of such slang talk from YOU" said
his mother rcprovingly.
"And, Hc,ty," said her little sister,
as she carefully drew off and folded her
gloves, al heard Kate Hayes telling
Mrs. Green that Walter and Miss Mitch
ell were going back tomorrow to Phila-
delphia, and Mrs. Green said she sup
posed that was one reason Of his coming
to Riverside, that he might travel home
with her."
Hctty lost all heart and all courage
at this. She longcd 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
Of those gentle and sympathetic mothers
to whom their children thus turn and
Hetty went again to her room and wrap
ping herself in a shawl, seated herself
At window and looked listlessly out.
a few people were passing. She
hardly noticed them until she suddenly
met a pair Of brown eyes and she drew
back with burning checks and beating
heart as Walter Hayes passed. How
handsome he looked and as her mother
had observed, how improved in appear
ance ! And she--what must he think Of
her, sitting there pale and forlorn look.
ing with her hair all disordercd about
her facc3 He might come this evening,
perhaps, and yet she hardly wished i,
now. IL would only be painful to see
him. Still. she dressed herself and
went down stairs, though her head was
throbbing and she felt really i'll. And
all the evening she waited and watched
and Walter never came, and she knew
he did not care to see her. And so
ended the long, drcary day.
Next morning Hctty arose fevcrish
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 4 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 out alone on her walk.
IL was rather long distance that she
had to go-out Of the village and across
field, and then by lonely pathway
lying by the foot Of hill. Mrs. Simp-
son kept her some time talking, and il
was late when the girl set out on her
return.
Slowly retracing the little pathway,
Hetty paused at the little siile which
led into the open field. II was pleasant
there. The sun shed golden light over
the beech boughs, and 4 breath Of spring
time fragrance floated on the air.
Somehow Hetty felt soothed as she stood
resting on the stile and looking dream
ily 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.
"Hetty!"
She looked up at him, half in hope,
half in doubt, and the color came and
went on her face.
"Hetty, l have wanted so much to
see you I"
She could not mistake the sincerity
of his tone or the look Of the brown
eyes, and she answered, simply and
naively;
al thought you had forgotten me-"
Forgotten you !"
She could not have told how il hap
pened, but somehow she found herself
seated on the step Of the stile with Wal
ter beside her, and her cheek close-ah,
very close-to his, while all the world
around seemed transformed into strange
beauty and glory. Such miracles does
n moment sometimes work in our lives.
AS they walked slowly homeward to-
gether he told her that one thing and
another had prevented his seeing her ;
among the rest, Bill having told him
confidently at the church that she was
too sick to come down stairs that day
"a statement which he had unfortunate