Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-07-14
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 1t hap
peuej: :.
am thirty-fivc and not absolutely
ugly; at least when look in the glass
l see reflected there a good. fresh COM:
plexion, sparkling hazel eyes and an
abundance of brown hair. / might
have married two or three times, only
l 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 DIR. Richford So
there!
But when Clarence Raymond. bar
rister, came down to spend the vaca-
ton with his aunt, Mrs. Richford-you
see, the doctor married, after all, q
wife much more suitable in point of
mature years than l could have been,
and didn't care. not II must confess
to little womanly futter 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. Richford-we
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, think Clarence rather fancies
you"
do you2" said 1. feeling the tell-tale
bushes 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.
II am certain of it," said Mrs Rich
ford; land how nice it will be to have
you for a cousin"
That evening Clarence asked me If
would marry him, and, of course,
said yes"
1t was very nice to be engaged. H.
gave me a lovely cameo ring, choice
and more antique than any diamond
could have been-it had been hi
mothers ring, he said-and he re
| peated the most delicious poetry ant
vowed that it expressed the very senti
ment of his heart And we had wan
behring's in the cool, fern-scented WOO
and moonlight talks on the verands
and began to wonder whether
should be married in white satin or
dove-colored dress.
One evening, just after Clarence ha
returned to his unavoidable engage
ments in town, Uncle Nathan came t
visit me.
Uncle Nathan was one Of thos
people of whom we are apt to ask,
common with mosquitoes and fliel
| GGIVh1 <hA-
was a venerable old gentleman wit
long silver hair that fell over the CO
lar of his bottle-green coat and clot
CATERS that irresistibly reminded or
of a black pussy cat, and he took snu
and talked through his nose.
Harriet" said Uncle Nathan, :.
this trueP''
''Is what true, Uncle Nathan2"
"All this fol-de-rol about your bein
engaged to a man ten years young
I than yourself. Harriet, Harriet!
l thought you had better sense!"
t "It's only five years, Uncle Nathan
? said I, pouting. And suppose ca
q get engaged without sending TO n
:, relations for a permitp'
Harriet, this is not a subject to
1 hippant about" said Uncle Malta
I "You may depend upon. it that tn
young man is a mere fortune-hunte
. You have property, Harriet, and he h
found it out"
''Uncle," l cried, starting up. ~ w
not listen tamely to such aspersions
a the character of one who"
8 my dear, my dear, don't get g
Q cited" said the intolerable old gent
/. man, tapping upon the lid of his silv
r snuff box. "You are not a child, HIS
- riet, not yet a sentimental schoolgi
= Let's talk the matter calmly over"
:, al decline to discuss 1t, SIR" was 4
dignifed reply. my mind is ma
up, and no amount OF meddling int,
ference will ever induce me to alter il
O. So my Uncle Nathan went ava
silver snuff box. pussy CATERS and a
-, and sat down to make out q men
randum Of the things ! should requi
for my wedding outfit
70 For l had resolved not to buy Z
things at the little shops in Butterc
70 Hollow, but to make a special journ
y, to London on that tAsiness. All, t
~ delight of reveling over counters f
of choice flmy laces, pillows of brio
~ silk, oceans of tulle. It brought t
color to my cheek only to think of
l" And, besides, was it not necessary tt
Clarence's wife should have all IL
70 custom required2 / didn't care /
y myself so much, but / was determin
u not to disgrace Clarence.
So, one radiant September di
40 when the sky was as blue as the blu
pr You cannot invest 25 or 90 cents
better than to take home with you bo
l re ns -, Ill r.