Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-05-09
CHAPTER II.

The woman continued: HE did pintedly feel
bad, but he kept himself to himself and went
on fooling his money away, rafting mis- timber
down Black, and getting aground, and having
to pay heap to boats to tow Of him off, and
that way; and, one day, Robinson had to 60 to
st. Louis to buy goods, and there he got good
place as a clerk and sold out though Hetty
didn't like it; but he hadn't fairly asked her to
name the day, so she couldn't say nothing but
she hated it the worst in the world and looked
like she couldn't bear to have him 20; but he
did go and she didn't get but one letter and
news come in a month he was married to
ST. Louis girl. Then Hetty she took up
with Seth and married him, and bout year
after they was married back comes young
Robinson, no moro married than the door
post, and accuses Seth of knowing the story
was not true, and having had letter
from the girl they told it bout
saying she wasn't engaged to Robinson, and of
sending him the paper with the notice of the
marriage and making him think Hetty had
gone back on him. till he met up with some
one from our way and got the whole story.
couldn't begin to tell you all the row he made
He drawed on Seth. but Seth was not afraid of
him no more than nothing, and knocked his
pistol in the river and said he never did get that
letter, and sure s you're born he told the truth
for it come out afterward that she thought
she'd sent it, but she hadn't. But you can
imagine that Hetty felt terrible. Robinson came
up to our house, was back on a visit then
and he begged me to git him speech Of Hetty
once. He wanted to explain and he cried
he felt SO bad. He was q right nice fellow only
a little hard Of hearing and mad if you spoke
too low, and he was awful fond Of clothes and
used to put pretty smelling stuff on his hand
kerchief, like girl told him there was no
use trying to stick a chickens head that was
cut OH, but he said here he'd come all the way
to see Hetty, and how they had played together.
and all that when they was children and how
was a kinder mother to 'em, and SO he sorter
got me all worked up. amt excusing myself.
but when he showed me the ring he'd brought
Hetty and made like he was going to throw il
into the river-but he didn't. he groaned like
and stuck it back in his pocket, and they do saw
his wife wears it now-it was a gold ring with a
little blue stone and two pearls in it. But as was
saying. when he went on that away, clean forgot
to quiz him bout why he hadn Z written to Hetty.
for he hadn't. and he could write the best in the
world. was so taken up with plying him and
looking at his fine clothes that lest let him
wheedle me into promising that I'd give his
letter to Hetty. And did. 1t was only three
months before Leon was born. Idon't see how
i could do it, but i did. Hetty read il all
through, and when she had finished she. that
was as strong girl you ever see for all her
httleness, she tainted dead away right therer'
Did she go?'
well, no. ma'am; she did not. She set and
set there, she told me afterward, until looked
Ike her head would fair burst with studyinp
| Then she got up and put on her bunnit and went
out down the road where he was going to be.
| and was going to be near by, for WASH (
quite seeh God-forsaken fool as seemed, and
1 lowed to have an eye on them two heart
broken things, for young things are lest match
| ely fools and no knowing. So there il Won
please. had perched myself on stump nigh
enough to see Christie Robinson marching up
and down and talking to himself. most likely
saying over the words he going to say TO
| her. give you my word ma am. waited and
he waited on Hetty for four blessed hours.
! and, being young and foolish, / can't tell You
| whether / was most relieved she didn't come
| or mad at her for not coming and giving me
my wait for nothing. But it was like this.
| as said, Hetty did start and she got q spell
into the woods when running fast, for
she said she felt SO tormented that she
| didn't know which way to turn, mad
| With Seth for how he had behaved Gas she
thought) and yet softening. remembering how
kind he was to her and worshipping the ground
she trod on, the word is and being warm
like she pulled out her handkerchief to wipe
her face and there tumbled out, to the same
time little bit Of crochetin lace she was doing
for trimming-for Leon, you know-and when
she seen it, it all came over her, different You
know, and she burst out crying and run home
rs fast she could. But the mischief was
Seth got wind of her being asked to come and
he come home and missed her. and when she
did come home he was of hunting Christie
Robinson.
''ies. they at, then and there. That was
when he throwed the pistil into the river, but
didn't tell you he throwed Christie after it. He
did: he was mad clear through But laws.
didn't hurt, he got out again! Seth, he went
home and found Hetty and went at her about
| going to see Christie and meaning to run awav
| with him. She tried to explain and he
wouldn't believe her. That did cut Hetty
awful; she always was feery, and she told him
| that III he didn't believe her word that aha
gave him solemn she never would say another
| to him. And she never has"
4 In the agitation Of her tale Mrs Armil
| moppcd her face with both her handkerchief,
She stretched one arm. There they live
! said she. pointing at the house.
But think il strange that abe was willing
to live with him at all. said the young min
lister.
well, no; he was her husband, and he
begged mighty hard and then there was the
child. 1 don't know how Hetty ciphered il
ont; she did live with him and she never did
speak to him. / reckon amt going to forget