Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser., 1890-11-07
Volume XLVu.---No. %.

Ter would obey the summons In person,
but she did not invite the bearer in.
She ran down in her simple morning.
gown, or almost as plain afternoon
dress, without waiting to remove her
sewing-apron. heard what he had to
say gravely, and replied civilly, as might
servant or governess. And, day by
day, he marked the lessening round of
cheek and chin. and the deepening of
the plait between the brows She could
not know that he went away, each time
pitying and loving her the more, and
furious at the cruelty Of the demands
upon her time and strength. She could
not have altered her behavior, unless to
grow more formal, had she OWNED all.
But for the orchard outings Hester
would have had but dull summer of it.
AS it was, it was the happiest of her life.
She actually gained flesh. and her
checks had the delicate flush of sweet
pea blossom. She mellowed and molli-
fed in the intercourse with the sound,
bright natures of her new friends. Pros
perity was teaching her unselfshness
Hetty had proof of this after the
remained long hour of isunful day
light
81 have charming book which Miss
May lent me yesterday" she said, as her
custodian inquired what she should do
for her entertainment And now, that
mamma has set the children to studying
their Sunday-scho. lessons for next
week, you ought to have breathing
spell, my poor dear. You are bleaching
too fast to please me. You can't plead
work to do for once"
Hetty yielded-the more. it would
seem, because she had not the strength
to resist love-pleadings than from any
desire for the outing" recommended
by Hester. Taking shawl and cushion
with her, she passed down the garden
alley to the gate. There was a broad
track through the orchard, worn by the
wheeled chair and Hfster's attendants.
1t led straight to the king apple tree.
From this bourne, another track, not so
distinctly marked. diverged to the white
picket fence shutting in the Gilchrist
garden. Hetty's feet had never trodden
this, she reflected with pang, after she
had settled herself against the brown
trunk. 1t was most probable that she
never would.
Her one little dream was dead, and she
was too practical q business-woman to
resuscitate it. Her consistent plan of
avoiding March Gilchrist, and abjurinr
the painful sweet of association with hM
sister was adopted before she returned
TO the house from her Intellectual quest
for Homer and the parsley. She was
hlled with wonder, in looking back to
the time twas 1t three minutes, or
thirty?) she had wasted. leaning on the
gate. enveloped in lilac perfume as in
= xieEiess mantle. and da.ing to teelaa
she could have forgotten herself so ut
terly. She said-''so shamelessly."
THE worm on the earth may look up
to the STAR" If it fancies that method Of
spending al ignoble life, but star-gaz-
ing and presumptuous longing for mill
lion centuries would bring planets and
worms no nearer together. Hetty was
very humble in imagining the figure.
Some people must live on the shady
side Of the street, where rents are low,
and green mold gathers upon stones,
and snails crawl in areas. Ii the
wretches who pune and pale in tho
misunderstanding damps would not 60
mad. they must not look too often
across the way where flowers and
people bloom. II they do, they must
support the consequences.
This misguided girl had looked. She
was now suffering. That she merited
what she had to bear did not make the
pain less.
Unwittingly she had spread her shawl
where March had laid his rug last night.
The rough bark of the tree-bole hurt
her presently. Her gown was thin, and
her flesh less firm than it had been six
weeks ago. She slid down upon the
shawl. her head on the cushion. and
reached out. in idle misery, to pick up
some withered leaves and small, nnripe
apples scattered on the grass. March
had dropped them while hearkening to
his sisters criticism of the Bohemian
household. She was as idly-and as
miserably-tearing apart the leaves
toughened by the heat Of the day, when
she heard joyous rush behind her and
felt the painting of hot breath upon her
neck, and Thor was kissing her face
and licking her hands. She sprang to
her feet and cast . wild glance along
the path and under the trees. There
was no one in sight. The grounds were
peremptorily posted, and no vagrant
foot ever crossed them. She took in
the situation at once. March had gone
to New York in the five o'clock train;
the dog, wandering aimlessly about and
missing his master, had espied her. and
accepted her as substitute. She knelt
down and clasped her arms about his
head; laid her cheek to his burly mrzzle.
20! Thor! Thor! you would help mo
If you could" just as she had fondled
him in those far-away, blissful days.
Her hand was tangled in his coat when.
looking across his huge bulk. she had
met March Gilchrist's eyes. True eyes
and bonny and truel which must never
read her soul again.
Thor! dear Thor!" She cried 1t out
in passion Of tears.
The faithful fellow moaned little in
sympathy. The more eloquent than
human longing to comfort the sorrow
ing, never seen except in dogs eyes.
filled and rounded his.
II wouldn't cry If could help 1t.
DEAR" said Hetty, her arch smile strik-
ing through the rain. ''And nobody else
should see me shed tear. You are my
only confdante; and do believe you
understands little"
He was not an Indifferent consoler, It
appeared, for in fifteen minutes both OF
them were asleep, their heads upon tho
same cushion.
The sunset sea breeze rustled the
STOPPING boughs. Arrows Of greenish-
gold, tipped with fire. were shot at ram
dom between the leaves at the sleeping
pair. Hetty was very pale, but the
grieving droop of the facial lines, the
slight fullness of the lower lip, and the
slow curve of the arm thrown above her
head made her seem like . child. She
looked what she was, fairly tired out
WEAKNESS so intense that it would have
chased slumber from the eyelids Of an