Middletown transcript., 1893-08-26

/ ~~srAS 1850 eOAAN W . 6OOa NOOhH W
why is no. the good lady herself q
breakfast?"
''She finds herself very unwell thi
morning. She Is getting on in years
you know; she will be leaving me next
suppose.
"Why not take my advice, then2"
Mr.. Stillwaggen did not answer fo
few minutes; then he said in a Con
fused way:
There used TO be girl down home
in the old times; Was very fond c
her, fonder than l have ever beeh o
anyone since; but my hands were tied
and said goud-by to her twenty-five
years ago this very month. That
why never wanted to hear about TIN
old place-but now-I wonder if yol
can tell me of her2"
"You don't mean Hetty Snow?"
Eyes, do. A rosy checked, brown
eyed, plump girl. wits q cheek like t
peach"
"That's not the Hetty Stow / saw
two months ago."
"Of course noiI of course .not-shs
would be ch.nged too. What is slle
like now, DickP''
"a slender, palefaced woman, with
brown eyes, and brown hair streaktd
with gray. She is poor Carl, and sews
very bard for scant living, which is
rough on her because like The rest oi
us, she is not 80 young as she once
Was.''
Mr.. Stillwaegen's eyes filled with
tears
"Shs never married, then. 4 wonder
if it Was becagss''-he paused, bis
thoughts went back to y SNOWY eve
ming in December. The 6rst storm Of
lbs season, it was, and Mrs. Snow's s
crimson lamp sent glow down the
path to the gate as he walked TO the
door on his way to bury love and youth
1t was a ''parting such as tears the
life from ont young hearts" and when
he staggered again into the night air,
the snow swirled about him and ths
biting blast stung him all nnheed-
ing.
Other scenes antecedent to this last
chapter surged into his memory in
which Hetty and he were the promi-
nent actors. At last he said:
"Richard, / shall 60 to her now. If
/ may make life easier for little Hetty,
/ can see my way to something like
hap piness in my old age. Ii hope
my visit may be attended with suc-
cess"
81 hope so too. Let me advise you
not to overwhelm her by telling of
your wealth. Miss Hetty is a modest
creature-put yourself in her place."
II understand and Thank you. l
shall leave on the noon train."
swell. drink topour success in this
excellent effort.''
Miss Hstty rose and looked forth
from her chamber window; it was not
very early. for she had nothing par
ticular to do, and getting up early in
December means the consumption of
fuel and lamp-oil. Miss Hetty saved
more thar fuel by her late rising, for it
enabled her to get more rest han she
would otherwise have allowed herself,
As she looked out, saw her from her
chamber window, the sun sh ole on the
first fall of snow which lay thick upon
the ground and coyered ~ With fairy
the old orchard trets. Miss
Hetty sighed as she turned from the
window. Yes, Mr.. Dixon was right
Hetty was very unlike the darling
maiden of Mr.. Stillwagg-n's pen Try.
Her patient face was very sweet 10
look upon, and though the brown eyes
were not SO bright as they once had
been. they were still beautiful IN COLOR
and expression.
She went slowly do n stairs and lit
her FIRE aud did her household tasks.
Then she sat ia her little window sew
ing. as she had done for maHy years
now, a solitary woman, but happy
one.
The love that had been denied full
fllmept had flowed back in its CHAM
nels, enriching and blessing the source
from which it sprang, and tha lives OF
many had been cheered and burdens Of
many had been eassd by the tender
human sympathy with which ler spirit
ovei flowed.
As she sat sewing now, with eyes
bent to ber task, she did not see the
stranger who had arrived in the village
by the train the night before, and
whose progress mp the village street
was followed by curious eyes. But she
heard bis tap on the door and went to
open it.
Good morning." said this p"rtly
we'll dressed stranger.
.'Good morning, sir,'' she said in
quiringly.ss
He looked at her strangely fog =
second.
+ .Hetty, dopf on know me me 'Paas
..Uss go The y 80 the
Z We scknowledss The corn. Chi