Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1890-02-14
HHIFY'S BEST DAY.
BY HELEN KNAPP GARRETT.


ed without the usual feeling OF
dread, and meant to be good all
day. so her mother would not have
to Scold her, and then maybe she
would love her just a little-just a
little bit. But DOW it wasn't any
use-she couldn't he Spry with her
heart pulling down like a great
lump. SO in mechanical way she
finished dressing and appeared in
the kitchen.
"COme, the cows are waiting for
you as uSual,' snarled her mother,
who was brushing the floor prepar-
atory TO getting breakfast. "YOu're
always behind"
The sun was reddeniDg the sky
behind the barn and the air Was
crisp and cold, but there was no
lightness in Hetty's step nor sparkle
in her eye. What was the use ?
The world was a dreary place.
Brown was a very dull name. Why
couldn't it have been Browning
She bad seen the picture of a sweet.
looking face with curls who bore
that name. And Mehetable was
bard.loOking. She used to have a
dear little brother who loved her
and called her Hetty-sO cunning
She was thirteen years old now.
Her father died when she was two.
Her mother was a good woman, a
woman of "faculty,' a great help
IN the church, president OF a branch
of the Women S Foreign Missionary
Society, and an influential member
Of the ". G. Z. L. Mrs. Brown
Dyed Hetty, and denied herself
little luXuries in order to give her
clothing and schooling as good as
other gillS had. Even now when
she made the gravy she tried to
suit Hetty's taste rather than her
own. But Hetty was a disappoint-
uent 10 ner; she did not take to
housekeeping in the thrifty tradi.
tioual manner which Mrs. Brown
had leaned IL her girlhOOd and
IraC,iced all her life. She couldn't
tell ketchup from chill sauce, and
Old not care a straw for fancy work,
nor crimpS nor "fxin's" about her
dress. She knew good deal
about the bees, and the insects
that injured the fruit, and the
crops, and could tell If anything
allied the poultry, but she couldn't
ice a cake prettily, and she spent
her spare minutes pettlng a little
dog and canarg instea d Of study
ing to keep at the head of her class
Even now, as she MIXED, the yel
low dog Snuff came smelling
around and pOked his cold nose
uDder her wrist in a friendly way
and the COWS turned toward Hetty
and looked kindly at her. AS sht
carried the foaming pail to tht
house tie milk-white pullets fol
lowed her halfway, and sh,
thought how pretty they were anC
how they were growing. She en-
tered the house from the out.doo
air, feeling flesh ana coutented
Snuff followed her, expecting hi
breakfast of MIX. Lifting the PAL
hastily while watching bis wistfu
eyes, Hetty spilled few drops 0
| milk.
"Slopped over, didn't you, stu
lpid y sncered her mother
"Ghsps the way you'll go throug
the worlds -slIp-SlOp, always sloE
ping CT breaking or burning some
thing. Well, come, breakfast
Tai,iug-wdlting for you, Jlst as
alwa, is"
Yes, it WIS "just as always"
md the bright morning was Il ade
gain, and Hetty sat down to
good breakfast with appetite sue
lculy gone. She broke bit {
lbread, when the cold, critical Yoic
trOke in again, with authority i
The tone:
"NOw, take hold and eat.
there's anything | hate It's to sc
somebody mince and miuce at til
table. Take a good slice Of por
and eat it right down. You mus
thirK It's nice to get a meal for
ninuy who turns up her nose at th
victuals. Now some girls woul
SIT down to breakfast and be kin
o clipper and sociable, and som
company for their mother. bat yo
nevtr will. Wen just have pick
up dinner, aud I'll do that cOloriu
| Pve been wanting to do"
| Het y couldn't be "chippeI" wit
that heavy weight tugging at ie
heart.strIngs and pulling the tear
Into ler e, es. She wouldn't s
much mind being stupid nor beiD
Iscoldpd if she cOnld he 0Ood. Sh