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

bNl Hllt Guulu no
swallow her breakfast, and her motbe
presently remarked upon her pale look
Don't you feel well, child? / no
tlced that you were fldgety last nigh
You're feverish, doubt, with the sprinc
weather"
Hetty was glad that her mother PEI
mitted her to go to her room and Ii
down. There was never a fire in he,
room, but she drew the bedclothes owe
her head and wished that she could thu.
shut herself out from the whole world
She felt forlorn and miserable. All hel
sweet foolish dreams of love seemed tn
have been rudely stricken at blow.
Walter had ceased to care for her III
had been won from her by that hand
some, stylish girl from Philadelpbiai.
and Hetty hid her face in her pillow a1s
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. witt
/ some nice, warm soup. In there all -
afternoon Hetty sat, while her father ar3
the boys went to church and her motif
er read "Baxter's Rise and Progressa
and sang dismal hymns, yG,as, e 81 the baby.
crurch, II saw your old beau, Nign from,
/ Hayes at church with Miss MITCHELL es.s,> \
he shook hands with me and asked ny
I how the family was. She's q real sweliN
l tell You, and if you don't shine up SOM
she'll cut you out"
civilian, don't let me hear any mon
of such slang talk from you, said his
mother, reproyingly.
"And Hetty," SAID her little sister, as
she carefully drew OIL and folded he's
gloves. "I heard Kate Hayes telling
Mrs. Green that Walter and Miss Nit.
chell were going back tomorrow to
Philadelphia, and Mrs. Green said she
supposed 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
these gentle and sympathetic mothers
to whom their children thus turn and
Hetty went again to her lonely room,
and wrapping herself in a shawl, seated
herself at the window and looked list
lessly out.
A few people were passing. She hard
ly noticed them, until She suddenly y met
a pair of brown eyes and she drew back
with burning cheeks and beating heart
as Walter Hayes passed. How hand
some he looked and as her mother had
observed, how improved in appearances
And she-what could he think of her,
sitting there pale and forlorn-looking,
with her hair all disofdered abUut her
face ? He might come this evening,
perhaps, and yet she hardly wished it
now. It 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
that he did not care to see her. And so
ended the long, dreary day.
Nextmorning 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 a
walk, and desired her to carry jar of
butter to old Mrs. Simpson, she made
no objection. The day was pleasant,
and tying a 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
a field, and then by a lonely pathway ly-
ing along the foot of hill. Mrs. Simp-
son kept her some time talking, and it
was late when the girl set out on herre-
turn.
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 foated oR the air Some
how Hetty felt soothed as she stood
resting on the stile and looked dreamlly
at the white clouds overhead,
An approaching faotstep startled .'l,ls Rsa J
,.,,9ed ss,sias 10 stand
still.
He came straight towards her, his
hand extended, his lip smiling, his eyes
looking straight into her own.
"Hetty !"
She looked up at him, half in hope
half in doubt, and the color came an(
went on her face.
"Hetty, | have wanted so much to SCI
you"
She could not mistake the sincerity 0
; his tone or the look of the brown eyes
) and she answered, simply and naively
81 thought you had forgotten me"
, Forgotten you?"
She could not have told how it hap
pened but somehow she found hersel
2 seated on the step of the stile with Wal
' ter beside her, and her cheek close-ah
t very close-to his, whilst all the work
( around seemed transformed into strang
D beauty and glory Such miracle doe
r a moment sometimes work in our lives
e As they walked slowly homeward to
1 gether he told her that one thing am
y another had prevented his seeing he
e among the rest, Bill having told hin
a confidently at the church that she wa
k too sick to come down stairs that day
r a statement which he had unfortunatel,
y credited, and when this morning he ha'
called and learned from her mothe
n where she had gone, he lost no time Il
: following.
'.But, Walter" said Hetty, hesitatine
It ly, "do you know / heard sometmn
about you and-Miss Mitchell.
He laughed.
c "NIiss Mitchell is to be married shor
: ly, Hetty, to our junior partner. 81
g has been very kind to me, and so ha
her uncle, my employer. Indeed, Hett,
P | wanted to tell you of my good fortun
! and prospects, and to ask you, darling
t if, when"
And the words which had been for
: whole year delayed were spoken, an
I Hetty wondered. as she came in sight {
; her home, whether this could be Ii
a same world that it had been on thi
e dark, dark day, yesterday.
e We have recently been reading
e good deal about ssice oorres." SuTel