Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1881-04-08
a UAnN DAY.

Aetty Lockwood sat at the open
Window big basket of undarned stock
ings by her side, new copy of La
dies Magazine on the table close by,
while within reach a bright butterfly
hovered about a newly opened honey
suckle growing against the window. The
spring breeze breathed balmily into the
apartment, filling her senses with a de
liciOus dreaminess, and her eyes wan
dered wistfully out beyond the shaded
village street to the green fields and
budding willows bordering the sparkling
river. On 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 front garden gate.
ooh, Hetty, do come and walk with
me down to Aunt Ellens. The morn
ing is lovely, and l have something to
! tell YOU"
81 am afraid l can't, Susie. 1t is
Saturday, you know, and l am sewing
and watching baby asleep, while mother
is III the kitchen"
"Then | will have to tell you now, L
suppose"
She came close under the window, and
said, with a mischievous smile:
"Whom do you think l saw just now,
Hetty?'
81 don't know who. The new minis
ter?'
"No, indeed; somebody very diff
ferent from that fat, red-faced old cod
ger" returned Susie, irreverently.
ooh, Susie, but who was itY
"Now, it was Mr., Walter Hayes.
Now, amt you surprised?"
A vivid blush dyed Hettys fair face.
She made no reply, and Susie con
/ tinued:
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 day or two, so he told me
when | 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 add
ed laughingly.
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 going 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 voice that was low 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 he had lsss l,s ...s. .r.s
| ana She would him to-day.
81 do declare, Hetty," exclaimed heI
mother, busting 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 Oi
stockings What have you been about
Dreaming away your time as usual, ne
doubt and with all the children's Sun
day clothes to look over and lay ou
for tomorrow, besides the Saturday
chores"
Hetty penitently resumed her work
but she was very glad when, toward
sunset, it was all done, and she haC
leisure orun up to her own little room
and never in her life had she taken sucl
pains with her appearance as now.
How anxiously she listened for tn
expected ring at the front door. HOY
unanimously her heart beat when a
length it came, and how heavy it san,
when old Deacon Brown stalked in t
discuss some church matters with he
father. Then she began to look at tn
clock, and her heart grew fainter an
fainter as she saw it travelling slowl
around to eight o'clock. In Riversid
they kept early hours, and when, at
quarter of nine, Deacon Brown too
leave, Hetty also rose, and lighting he
bedroom candle, went slowly and sadl
up stairs.
When, next morning, she came dow
her mother remarked, as she busted he
self about the breakfast table
! "Hetty, Walter Hayes was here La
night"
s'Oh, motherr
Ihere was something almost patheU
IN the look and tone, but Mrs. Loci
wood was too busy with the steamin
coffee pot to perceive it.
He came in just as YOU had gone Il
stairs" she continued. HE asked fc
you, but it was so late / thought
hardly worth while to call you bac
ugain. He had been seeing Miss Mi
chell home to her aunt's-that Philade
phia girl, you know, and l didn't know
until he mentioned it, that she was
niece of his employer, Mr.. Mitchell. Il
. is certainly improved. To my min
there is nothing like city life for givin
people what they call style now. Mak
Eddie's milk toast whilst I nour ont II