Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-02-20
Calls 40 Skeitbes.
fnI INSULTS o. AlLeVE LEffER.

sSSSs@
for him to leave -
Hehad been summer boarder 1t Grand
father Hopes farmhouse, and he had fall
en- N loye with his niece and won her
heart. She wore his ring. and in year
they were 10 be married. But, alas that
year was to be spent apart. Harry was
going to China IN the interest Of the firm
Of which be Ct present was only IN en-
ploye. On his return he would be made
q Junior partner, and would be able to
marry comfortably.
In her secret heart Hetty wished that.
poor as he was, Harry would ask her to
marry him then and there. and go on the
her thoughts to herself And now she had
driven him to the depot to see him of;
end the train had come and he stood be-
side the wagon holding her hand and
whispering these words -
'.It's 30 hard that cannot kiss you at
the last. Good-by darling! goOd-by
Hetty was trying not to cry, there at the
depot, before all those strngers. She al
most wished she had not come down to
- Harry of, though if she had not come
shs never would have forgiven herself.
'Good-by," she whispered family.
Then Harry jumped upon the train, not
an instant too soon. In q moment more
Hotty only saw q handkerchief fiuttering
from the window as the engine pulled its
way out of the depot, and flew round the
curve of the road.
"Drive home, Peter" she said to the
boy who held the reins; and happily she
had the power to keep the tears from her
lashss until the people who had stared at
the depot could stare no more.
On the platform shade hats and sun
bonnets were gathered in group discuss
ing the fact that Hetty Hope had been
down 10 see her beau OF. and that there
was no longer any doubt that they were
engaged; but Hetty did not know or care
for that. She was crying softly in the
back of the little light wagon. while Peter
drove on, whistling the Star Span
gled Banner all out of tune, and now
and then stopping to break off branch
full of wild cherries. It seemed SO hard
that Harry should be going away for a
yeAr-a whole, long year. 1t was almost
as dreadful as though he were dead. for
what might happen in year? No one
could tell /; and the tears fell again.
The only comfort Hetty could think of
was her first letter. and it would be three
days before that would come.
However, it came. Grandpa brought it
in his pocket. and gave it to her with a
slow nod and slower laugh, and aunt
Maria inquired with her usual downright
ness whether that twas from her beau ?"
and cousin lilly, by and by, in privacy in
their own room, asked If she would let
her see it, and was not offended that she
did not. These relatives of hers were not
always pleasant to poor Hetty, but her
father was a busy man. who Travelled the
world over, making fortune for the
daughter ne saw scarcely twice year, and
her mother died in her babyhood.
and Hetty had no other home
than grandfather" They were
very good to her, that old man and
his widowed daughter, aunt Maria. And
cousin lilly was soft and pretty. and silly
NJ little white kitten. 1t might have
been very much worse, yet who can blame
Hetty for looking forward to the time
when she should have home of her own
IA home that suited her? Papa sent her
plenty of money now. She could do what
she pleased with it. and she bought smart
caps for aunt Maria, and gay ribbons for
lilly. and slippers for grandpa-but the
home was not under her control. The
prim parlor was not to be- touched by her
hand. The blue shades. and red and
green carpet, the wax fruit under glass
and the portrait of Washington over the
mantle, remained as she had first seen
them, when as a child she regarded that
parlor rs a sort of sacred place not to be
played in. She filed her own tiny Sleep
ing room with what aunt Maria denomi-
mated jimcraks; but the family disap-
proved of vines about the house. and
there was not tree within the small prim
garden palings. and good rs they all were
the people who lived In the house were
exactly like it. They had no sense of the
beautiful and no yearning for it.
So Hetty dweltinwartlly alone and built
air-castles, and lived on one letter until
she had another. and the time of h, .
lovers absence wore on YEARLY until six
months had passed. and then came letter
which made Heity hold her breath while
she read It and burst into tears as soon AS
she had read it.
Dear Hetty," il said, ian unforeseen
thing has happened. My employers de-
sire me to remain in China for some years.
II do so they will make me partner
and shall be able to live well and COM
lOTt6O1y, 8uu W XTOW TlCu III titucs OUT
will you be willing to live here with me ?
viii you come out to me under safe pro-
lection and spend the years Of your young
life in this strange land? Think il over.
darling. The case stands just thus: you
refuse will return, but shall then have
no prospects whatever. A penniless man
who must take any position that offers
will be your husband in that case. The
choice is in your hands; or perhaps it
would be honorable in me to set you free.
The thought almost breaks my heart.
Dear Hetty, what shall say? think
could make you happy, even here. If
you desire that should return and seek
my fortune in our native land. write that
frankly. but if you feel that neither alter
native pleases you and desire your free
dom-do not write at all; let silence be
my answer. confess that have hope
that even under my altered circumstances
you will still be true"
More followed - lovers talk - with
which we have nothing to do, and Hetty
cried over the letter, and was sorry. but
she wrote at once, and the last words OF
her letter were these a.
Il will come to China whenever you
send for me-"
The mailbag was nearly ready at the
post ofice. which was also the grocery
store. Grandfather Hope stopped his