The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1890-09-17
THE wEAvER's DAUGHTER.
BY BoSSE HErEE


Take good care Of the factory, Hat
tie, and of your mother, also" said old
Robert Doner and don't marry any
one that is not good weaver"
What are you saying, papa ~ asked
the daughter, with sudden start, at the
same time pressing and kissing the hand
upon which the GOODNESS of death vas
beginning to settle.
The dying man repeated the ipjunc
ton with greater effort, and the daughter
answered
ayes, papa, hear and win do as you
say
This was Hattie Downer's last promise
to her father hard one to make, bat it
was kept
Robert Downer had been one of the
best known and most successful of the
Nottingham lace weavers. His factory,
and the curious and costly machinery
with wh1sAs it was filed, had been his
greatest delight while the beautiful fab
rics that were made there, and bore his
name and trademark, were known and
admired in every part of the world. His
highest ambition had been to place him
self at the heal ofthAt business-an hon
or which he had obtained and enjoyed
Tn il the end of his long life. And when
the old man began to realize that death
would soon remove him from the care
aud supervision of his business he was
more than ever anxious TO so arrange
everything so that his lace facory would
go right on with its work
Robert Dewner had fouI children
three sons and his daughter Hattie, the
Youngest of the family, anc not more
than twenty years old at tie ime of her
fathers death His sons, strange TO say,
we're worthless fellows, a heavy weight
on their father and he knew very well
that if the factory passed into heir hands
it would soon go TO the dogs
Under these circumstances, he odd man
resolved to place il forever besend their
reach and with that view he had pro-
vided by his will that bis sons should
each receive an annual stipend, ss much
as he thought the business cJud spare
them bat that the factory itelf, and
everything connected Herewith should
be the inheritance Of his daughte', believ-
/ ing that, under the ownership md con-
troll Of that good and faithful girl, the
business that had been the ambition and
| purpose of his life would be taken care of
and move right along. retainingais name
and Trademark.
His wife was in feeble health AMI not
likely to live long.
Having thus arranged everything with
a view Of securing the continuance Of the
business, it had suddenly occurred to the
old weaver, Just at time whei the light
| of life was departing. and someyhat soon
er and more rapidly than he hid expect
ed, that his daughters future husband,
whoever he might te, Aord by all
means be a weaver. When sking for,
and obtaining that promise, however, he
did not know that his daughte, so con-
slant and earnest in her devotin to him
self and her mother, and TO tn lace fac
tory. also, had thas far entertsned any
clearly defined thoughts on ne subject
of marriage. But Hattie heself had
known for some time that Rdney Lys-
ter, the young barrister, love her, and
that she was returning that owe. The
affection thus received and rciprocated
had not. it is true, been enressed in
words openly spoken but love has
verv many other ways to aake itself
known.
The Young girl had not Intended to
withhold from her parents anthing that
she felt at liberty to mention regard TO
that subject but the immatre state Of
those fondly cherished sentiments had
seemed to require that theyshould be
permitted TO remain right vhere they
we're, in the secret thoughts her heart,
until they assumed more dfinite form,
and until some distinct imitation had
been given by the gentlenn himself,
either to her or to her parent, in regard
to the love which, as she 1rnIy believed,
J was being held by him il store FOR
her.
Two years had passed sine the death
of Robert Downer His viii, although
tenderlv cherished and card for, had
survived him only = few onths /; and
Hattie. with her servants, ws now alone
in the old family home, the lost Of her
time being devoted to overseeing and di-
recting the immense bushes her father
had left. The beautiful lace hat VS. sent
out from the factory made itappearance
not in little delicate pieces. aintily and
carefully wrought by the dft fingers Of
girls working for five shilIngs week
as had been done before hose looms
, were invented. but in large Pckages, con.
tanning thousands OF yards That lace
/ was. however, lDuc the 4c-fDcAAttA1- -
the young owner and maager of tbs
i. faetry because there was n immense
quantity of If, and made in ne loom hel
father had placed there, ansfo which fol
; many years he had given lis constan
care and attention
The young heiress and lae-weaver, q
the reader viii readily suppose, sOon dis
covered that she was an obict Of specia
attention and interest TO arge numbe
y of gallant young gentlenn, some 0
whom were the wearers titles thei
grandfathers had earned. Occasionally
and quite as often, in fact, 5 the youn
lzdv desired, some one ofEhose gentle
men. after considerable uinaging an
fnssse, wozll get near enugh TO int
mate desire to learn if sli nearer al
u . proach would be entirely areeable Of
d the answer returned IN every ca:
s. was
a. Are yea a Iaee-weaver