Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1888-12-27

to reduce the hearth to specklcss order
and could calculate almost the number OIL
steps she must take between the sink and
kitchen pantry. Tonight she glanced at
the clock as she seated herself in the wait
ing chair and noticed that she had been five
minutes longer than usual.
Pm getting old she thought, grimly.
'sWell. why shouldn't be getting old It's
ten years since" At this moment there
was long drawn howl from the wood
shed.
Drat the dogln she exclaimed "He's
pesky nuisance. Protection indeed. Ill
send him away tomorrow A more pro-
longed howl brought Miss Hetty TO her
feet She seized the broom and opened tho
wood-shed door There were several
sounding thumps, yelp or two, and then
Miss Hetty flushed with victory, replaced
the broom and took up her work.
q Yes, I'm getting old, taking up her
thought with hcr knitting where she had
left or. .fca years more and in spite OF
my money. wholl there be to take care Of
me when Tn. sick Or" There was rap
at the door. Ii was such a wee, timid little
rap that it is q wonder Miss Hetty heard 1t
at all FIVE minutes before she could not.
! She got up and opened the door with jerk.
Land sake, child; what ever are yon
doing there And no stockings, IS live!o
The little lip quivered, and the choked voice
sobbed: = You's my Aunt Etty. Papa said
so
Miss Hetty drew her into the room and
shut the door with SILVER, What's your
name." She asked the trembling little fig
ure before her
ats Midget
What's your papa's namo.n
ell dou't know Miss Hctty was in
I 9ae,,a;,. i. Rrh4f ia vo4r thprf4 name.
child" she asked at last. Midget bright
ened. Papa called her Clara, she said.
There could be no doubt about it, then.
Miss Hetty sat down in her chair, such
fierce conflict Of emotions raging within her
that she could not speak -coald scarcely
think What was to be done with her,
= Does you love my papa9H Midget had
drawn near and now laid Il little hand inn
pulsively on bliss Hettys knee She struck
it off with a sharp breath that was almost
cry The child's lip trembled, bat the tears
that filed her eyes did not fail She drew
back a step and folded her hands in a
patient unchildlike way that told Of ageing
sorrows borne even by her young shoulders.
II was late that night when Miss Hetty
lald her weary head ON her pillow. The lit
tie one murmured in her sleep and crept
into Miss iietty's arms, hut she laid her
sternly back and tossed and turned until
daylight.
Then she fell into a Geep sleep, from
which she was awakened by a little, cooling
| laugh from the kitchen, accompanied by
various snorting5 that ended in big
sneeze. She crept 90 tho door. Midget had
dressed herself, and, hearing Roilo's
scraica 81 tsse toOr, had opened it softly,
and, 70 her delight, let IN Il big. black New
fouu3and deg, who rubbed his cold nose
4 r. a l,f,..
| silly arordd her with joy, though as silent
1 " as < he understood the warning finger
held up to him.
4 Now he lay in the middle of the floor
while she sat- beside him, warming one lit
tic cold hand in his shaggy hair and tickling
/ bis nose with wisp of the broom held in
the other. They had both forgotten Miss
Hetty
Midget saw her FIRST "Oh. auntiep'
She cried. See l found him my
doegicl'
Miss Hetty stepped TO the corner and
/ took the broom. Rolo crouched for the
! blow he knew would come. But Midget
I threw her arms around his neck and turned
4 her blazing eyes upon MISS Hetty
You sh3'nti Yon sha she cried.
1 Bad bad auntie!"
/ Her yellow carls were tumbled about her
/ bead, her checks were flushed and her blue
/ eyes were black with excitement. She was
a very Medea in her anger, and truly Miss
Hetty seemed turned to stone How many
times had James looked like that when she
! had laughed at his childish anger; how
| we'll she remembered the last time she had
seen that look on his face, when she had
babe him. her only brother, leave her pres
ence forever, since he could love nameless
shopgirl better than his sister, who could
boast OF blood descended from the veins Of
some Of Engand's heroes.
She dropped tho broem as suddenly as she
had raised il
VERY WELL she said; ''you may keep the
dog
Midget burst into tears and caught Miss
Hetty's hand.
.0h, auntieln she sobbed, midget bad
! girl-Midget promised papa to be goodp'
Il am not angry, child. Go and play with
the dog Miss Hetty said, quietly.
The snow lay thick on, the ground and
the air was still heavy With it as shs loo ked
out Of the window after breakfast. Shes
could not hunt up the child's parents today,
she thought, but tomorrow she would sure-j
| ~ 60.
"Where do your papa and mamma hyel'
she asked, suddenly.