Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1890-11-22

children ana CDlIQren
children, who, in the pursuit of fortune,
had strayed away from the homes where
theyfirst saw the light, but who were now
returning to revive around the old fami-
liar hearth the associations and recollec-
tons of their early days.
Great were the preparations among the
housewives of Castleton Hollow. That
must indeed be poor household which,
on this occasion, could not boast its tur-
key and plum pudding, those well-estab-
lished dishes, not to mention its long
row of pies-apple, mince and pumpkin
-wherewith the Thanksgiving board is
wont to be garnshed
But it is not of the houeholds generally
that propose to speak. Let the reader
accompany me in Imagination to a rather
prim looking brick mansion, situated on
the principal street, but at some distance
back, being separated from it by front
yard. Between this yard and the fence,
ran a prim-looking hedge of very formal
cut, being cropped in the most careful
manner, lest one twig should by chance
have the presumption to grow higher
than its kindred. 1t was two story
house, containing on each story one room
on either side of the front door, max
ing of course, four in ALL
If we 60 in, we shall find the outward
primness well supported oy the appear
ance of things within. In the front par
lor-we may peep through the door, but
it would be high treason, in the present
moistened state of our boots, to step
within its sacred precincts-there are six
high backed chairs standing in state.
two at each window. One can easily see
from the general arrangement of the fur
niture, that from romping children, un-
ceremonious kittens, and unhallowed in
truders generally, this room is most sa-
credly guarded.
Without speaking particularly of the
other rooms, which, though not fur
nished in so stately a manner, bear a
family resemblance to "the best room, u
we will usher the reader into the oppo-
site room, where we will find the owner
and occupant of this prim looking resi-
dence.
Miss Hetty Henderson is maiden OF
some thirty-five summers, attired in a
sober looking dress of irreproachablc
neatness but most formal cut She is
the only occupant of the house, of which
likewise, she is proprietor. Her father,
who was the village physician, died some
ten years since, leaving to Hetty, or per-
haps l should give her full name, Hen
rietta, his only child, the house in which
he lived, and some four thousand dollar:
in bank stock, on the income of which
she lived comfortably.
Somehow Miss Hetty had never mar.
ried, though such is the mercenary nature
of man, the rumor of her inheritance
brought to her feet several suitors. But
Miss Hetty had resolved never to marry
at least, this was her invariable answer
to matrimonial offers, and so after tins
it came to be understood that she was
fixed for life as an old maid.
Meanwhile, the invariable effect Of 8
single and solitary life combined, at.
tended Hetty. She grew precise, prim,
and methodlcal to painful degree. Il
would have been quite relish if one
could have detected stray thread ever
upon her well swept carpet, but such wa,
never the case.
On this particular day-this Thanks
giving day of which we are speaking
Miss Hetty had completed her culinary
preparations, that is, she had stuffed hel
torkey and put it in the oven, and
xneaded her pudding, for, though but
one w3ald be present at the dinner, anG
that herself, her conscience would MOI
have scquitted if she had not made al
the preparations to which she had beer
accustomed on such occasions.