The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1882-12-14
A LUCKY DISCOVERY,
Mrs. Uedpett was in low snirits

Mrs. Hedgett was in low spirits.
That, in itself was no remarkable oc-
currence. Mrs. Hedgett, poor soul, was
often in low spirits. There is noreason
why she shouldn't be. Life was very
hard and thorny to her. If there were
piece of ill-luck going, it came as
straight to her as the needle to the mag
net She had been trying all her life tc
''get on" and here, at fifty years old,
she was hopelessly behind-hand.
But that Hetty Hedgett should be
brushing the bright drops out of hel
eyes was something more worthy ot
especial note. Hetty was no Niobe, but
rather a dimpled, laughing Hebe, who
was wont to look at everything on the
sunny side, and make the best of the
most untoward circumstances.
Mrs. Hedgett was washing the break
fast dishes, with a slow, funeral sort OF
movement. Pretty Hetty was feeding
the chickens at the doorstep.
'1t's just our luck" 81 ighed Mrs
Hedgett. ''rve got so now l don't look
for nothing else. Everybody in the
town got dodgers but me-and not sou
came near me, though paid for adver
ed two bedrooms myself! And the roo1
is out of repair, and the ceiling fell last
week, and | don't see that we may as
well give up"
lit won't do to give upmother," saic
Hetty, surreptitiously wiping away the
slow teals. There are two boys to ed
ucate, you know"
'We'll have to bind 'em out to some
decent trade" groaned Mrs. Hedgett. =
Eyes, | know your father wanted 'enl
to get book learning, but how are we to
do it?''
Hetty was silent.
To-day is the picnic, amt it?'' said
Mrs. Hedgett, suddenly rousing herself.
"Aint you going, Hetty?'
"No, motherl''
II thought you set a deal o store by
that picnic, Hetty?" she said.
Hetty burst into tears.
"Mother," said she, u haven't a dress
fit to wear. And I'll not 60 among the
others looking like dowdy. No, not if
l never step out of our own garden"
And she got up and went down to feed
the poultry For, since her fathers
death, Hetty Hedgett had been farm
hand, dairy man, poulterer's boy and all
in the poor old place.
But, after all, business is business"
said this maiden TO herself. land now
that the cat has bethought herself to
seek watery grave in the well. and
none of the men in the neighborhood
can come to fish it out until the day af-
ter tomorrow, | must take the pail and
GO down to clear out the yellow spring
IN the woods, for water we must have"
Hetty Hedgett was down in the glen;
her silky brown hair was tangled with
the wind, her cheek reddened with ex-
ercise and her brown calico dress-sleeves
rolled up to the elbow, when someone
strobe, with light step, into the forest
glade. She started up
Doctor Hardier' she exclaimed.
The London professor stopped at sight
of this fair apparition, and lifted the hat
from his handsome forehead.
81 was on my way to your house,
Miss Hedgett," he said, ito ask a ia
vor.n
what favor could we possibly do
you, Doctor Harder" said she.
You can give US shelter over our
heads" said he. my wife doesn't like
the noise and confusion at the hotel
And we should be glad to pay you lib
eral terms for comfortable accommoda-
ton for us and the two children, if you
could possibly take us in"
Mother viii be so glad" she said
''Wil You come up and look st the
rooms! If only we can suit Mrs Har-
de-
81 must first ask for q drink" said
the professor. 81 have walked all the
way. Give me your little tin cup,
please"
''Oh, but this water isn't good vet"
urged Hetty, Il was just clearing oat
the spring. Sect is colored red
dish-brown. That's the reason we
always called it the Yellow Spring.
The professor tasted it, curiously; he
stopped down and examined it intently.
..And don't you know the reason of
Its color?" he asked.
Nor Hetty replied, in some surprise
ut is an iron spring" Professor Har-
Gle asserted. 1.-The stream flows through
heaViiy charged veins of iron. Has no
one ever discovered the virtues of this
No Hetty made answer, with won
dering eyes.
Then y said the professor, ..let me