Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1889-07-12

NOW, she SAID, her eyes dry, and
bright as stars, ''you must stop crying,
Aunt Gin. I can't keep up if you don't
stop"
''But how could any man be false to a
dear, trusting baby like youl" sobbed
Aunt Gin.
"Allen has not been false, " said Hetty,
impressively. II think he must be dead,
and some day shall hear all about it. l
should die Il | could not believe in him.
Now tell Aunt Min, if You like, but never,
never speak to me about in again"
Nearly all of Hetty's embroidering was
done by the side of her grandfather, and
as he grew daily more childish, he prat-
tied to her constantly of his old home,
where he walked on carpeted floors.
''The lord knows, child, he would
say, that I don't grudge Him the work
I've done fur the cause, nor the hardship
me an your gran'ma went through with
when we was houseless an homeless,
chased hither an yon by roughs an raid
ers; but | jes wisht could be quit CT
hearin' folks stOmpin' on bare boards, en-
set my old feet onto "a carpet wOnst
more"
Hetty sympathized with him, and saved
to the utmost, small sums from her Scant
earnings toward the purchase of a carpet;
but every time the savings reached
slightly encouraging figure, some stringent
need arose in the family, and she could
not Withhold her store.
Then winter came, and the old man,
rapidly growing feeble, was quite shut in,
and deprived of even the soft carpet Of
grass which his shuff1ing feet preferred to
the Objectionable planks. In every other
way he was marvel OF patience, but his
lamentations over the want of carpet
nearly drove the women mad with pity.
Il was a-dreamin' of my own funeral,
child" he said to Hetty, as he reused
himself from long nap. Il don't feel
to hev much dread of it in general, but I
seemed to hear the tGompin' of the mems
feet on the boards as they kerried me out,
an it hurt my very heart, Hetty, rely it
did"
Hetty was desperate. "He shall have
a carpet" she said, imperatively; and
writing an account OF the old mans fancy,
that was touching, from its simple truth,
she begged for an advance sufficient to
buy cheap carpet, pledging herself to
pay for it in work.
Then the women, not telling what had
been attempted, for fear of disaDpoint-
ment, watched for a letter long before
there was possibility of getting an an
swer At last the teamster. whose week
ly trip to the PARKWAY railroad station
and postOffice was the wide neighbour
hoods only communication with the out
side world, brought Hetty thick pack
age, from which fell out number of
letters, all directed to herself in Vermont.
The explanation was in letter enclosed
with them, from the man she had refused
to believe false to her, and the unopened
letters were his vindication.
On reaching home, after the autumn
vacation when he met her, he had been
despatched, at an hours notice, to Japan
by the firm who employed him. It was
a mission Of great responsibility, an op-
portunity not to be refused, but the time
allowed was all required to master the
details, and there was not a moment for
writing to Hetty. The first letter he
had the opportunity of sending was SO
many months in reaching Vermont that
Mrs Bliss, who considered herself a
model of worldly wisdom, decided that
Hetty had better not hear from one who,
she felt certain, meant no good. She
took the responsibility of SURPRISING it,
as well as the many which followed, till
at last they ceased to come.
On Aliens return from Japan he wrote
! obi to1I To obtain
PLANTATION of his unanswered letters, and
Mrs. Bliss, being somewhat pricked by
her conscience, returned all the letters to
the business address printed on the last,
but refused to furnish him with Hetty s
address.
II should have found you some way,
dear" he wrote, ''but accident helped
me. My cousin is one of the bOokkeep-
ers at the 'Women's Exchange and to-
night found her crying over q letter
that had been given her to answer. It
was yours, Hetty, and I am not ashamed
to tell you, that | cried too-with joy
that found you, and sorrow that you
were in trouble. You can be sure that
I started for a carpet store at once, but
they were all shut up, so I few home to
write this to you.
"The poor old duffer excuse me,
| mean clergyman shall have his carpet as
fast as steam can carry it to him, if one
with yard-wide roses on a bright green
ground, is still an article of commerce in
these aesthetic days. And, my darling,
hope to get to you as soon as the carpet,
for will trust no more 20 letters. An
other night shall find me speeding to-