Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1892-04-08
Booml booml booml
A SHATTERED IDOL.
Why Hatty Hyde Still Keeps Her
Maiden Name.


My name is Hatty Hyde People
call me an old maid-or at least not a
young one-and intend to remain so.
But came very near getting married
last spring, and this is how it hap
pened
am thirty and not absolutely
ugly; at least when look in the glass
see reflected there good, fresh COM
plexion, sparkling hazel eyes and an
abundance of brown hair. / might
have married, two or three times, only
wasn't really in love. / dare say you
don't believe this, but can show the
letters of declaration up in my writing
desk now--old Squire Pease, Rev. Mr..
Poppelthorne and DR.. Richford. SO
there
But when Clarence Raymond, bar
rister, came down to spend the vaca-
tion with his aunt, Mrs. Richford-you
see, the doctor married, after all, a
wife much more suitable in point Of
mature years than could have been,
and didn't care, not IL must confess
to little womanly flutter around the
heart, for he was tall and handsome,
and, in short, just the hero of romance
that had always dreamed about
''Hatty," said Mrs. Riehford I'VE
were quite confidential friends, you
see, and called one another Hatty and
Pamela and borrowed each others
books and all that sort of thing-"Hat-
ty, l think Clarence rather fancies
you" ,, m 9n
"Do you?" said /, feeling the tell-tale
blushes come into my face, and my
heart began to thump beneath the
pretty lace tucker of Valenciennes and
pink ribbon that had taken to wear
ing every day. s 9At
II am certain of it," said Mrs. Rich
ford; ''and how nice it will be to have
you for cousin"
That evening Clarence asked me if !
would marry him, and, of course, I
said yes"
1t was very nice to be engaged. He
gave me lovely cameo ring, choicer
and more antique than any diamond
could have been-it had been his
mothers ring, he said-and he re-
peated the most delicious poetry and
vowed that it expressed the very senti-
ment of his heart And we had wan.
derings in the cool, fern-scented wood
and moonlight talks on the veranda,
and l began to wonder whether l
should be married in white satin or a
dove-colored Dress
One evening, just after Clarence had
returned to his unavoidable engage.
ments in town, Uncle Nathan came to
visit me.
Uncle Nathan was one of those
people of whom we are apt to ask, in
common with mosquitoes and flies:
"Why were they ever created?" He
was venerable old gentleman with
long silver hair that fell over the col
lar of his bottle-green coat and cloth
CATERS that irresistibly reminded one
of black pussy cat, and he took snuff
and talked through his nose.
Harriet" said Uncle Nathan, ''is
this true?"
'rls what true, Uncle Nathan?"
"All this fol-de-rol about your being
engaged to man ten years younger
than yourself. Harriet, Harrietl
thought you had better senseW
"Its only five years, Uncle Nathan,
said 1, pouting. "And suppose l car
get engaged without sending to my
relations for permit
Harriet, this is not q subject to be
flippant about" said Uncle Nathan
"You may depend upon it that this
young man is mere fortune-huntor
You have property, Harriet, and he ha:
found it out"
"Uncle," j cried, starting up, II will
not listen tamely to such aspersions or
the character of one who"
"My dear, my DEAR don't get ex
cited" said the intolerable old gentle
man, tapping upon the lid of his silver
snuff box. "You are not a child, Har
riet not yet sentimental schoolgirl
Let's talk the matter calmly over"
AZ decline to discuss it, sir" was my
dignified reply. my mind is made
; up, and no amount of meddling inter
ference will ever induce me to alter it,
So my Uncle Nathan went away
silver snuff box, pussy CATERS and all
and sat down to make out memo
randum of the things should requir'
for my wedding outfit
For | had resolved not to buy m,
things at the little shops in Buttercul
Hollow, but to make special journe.
to London on that business. All, TIL
delight of reveling over counters full
of choice filmy laces, billows of brida
silk, oceans of tulle. 1t brought tn
color to my cheek only to think of il
And, besides, was it not necessary tha
Clarenee's wife should have all tina
custom required2 ! didn't care 70
myself so much, but was determines
not to disgrace Clarence.
So, one radiant September day
when the sky was as blue as the blues