The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1890-10-09

HETTY TELLS HESTER OF HER HAPPINESS.
BILE to that condensed into the three little
minutes she had lived twelve hours ago.
When Hetty came up to bed her face
was beautiful with strange white peace,
at sight Of which Hes ter held her breath.
Coming swiftly, but without hustle,
across the room. she knceled by the bed
and gathered the frail form in the dear
strong arms that had Graded it thou
sand times. Her eyes sparklcd. her lips
were parted by quick breaths, but she
tried to speak quietly.
Precious child! you should be asleep.
But | am glad you are not, for |
have message for you. We-you and
I--are to take no anxious thought for
Tomorrow, or for any more Of the to-
morrows we are to spend together.
March told me to say that and to give
you this.' laying kiss upon her lips.
For he loves me, Hester. darling, and
you are to live with us! just as we
planned ever and ever so long ago! But
what day dream was ever so sweet and
beautiful as this?'
For one of the three awful minutes
Hester thought and hoped she was
dying. The frightened blood cbbed
back with turbulence that threw her in
to a spasm of trembling and weeping.
She recollected pushing netty away.
then clntching her frantically to pull
her down for storm of passionate
kisses given between fearless sobs.
Then she gave way to Wheeling shrieks
of laughter which Hetty tried to check.
She would not let her move or speak
after that.
''How thoughtlcss in me not to know
that you were too much mnerved to
bear another shock-even of happiness"
said the loving nurse. NO! don't try
to offer SO much as a word OF congratu-
lation. 1t will keep! All We have to
do tonight Is 20 obey the order of our
superior officer, and not think-only
trust
In tho morning there was no oppor-
tunity for speech making. A night Of
suffering had beaten Hester dumb.
Nobody could be surprised at that"
cooed Hetty, as she rubbed and bathcd
the throbbing spine. IF ! could but
my redundant Vitality
Hester dctested herself virtually in
acknowledging the fervent sincerity of
the wish. lIetty would willingly divide
her life with her, as she had said yes
tcrday that she meant to divide her fort
une. +:
'IIalffor you while l live! All for
you when / am gone!"
The sad sweetness OF the smile DC
companylng the words was as little like
the wonderful white shining of last
night as the lot cast for IIetty was like
that Of the deforned dwarf whose height
of grotesque folly was attained when
she loved-first in dreams and in drift
ing'-then. all unconsciously, in actual
scenes and waking moments--one whose
whale heart belonged to the woman
who had made her over" to whom she
owed life, brain and soul.
She was to live with them! Hetty
must make her partaker Of her every
good. BY force of long habit Hester fell to
planning the house the three would in
habit. She saw herself-always help
less, never less burden than nowy-a
piece OF rubbish in the pretty rooms, a
clog upon domestic machincry-a bar
rier to social pleasure-the inadmissible
third in the married tetc tete.
She writhed impotently. More USE
less than q toy; more troublesome than
. baby-ugller than the meanest insect