The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1893-09-13
SOMERSET. PA, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1s. 1898.

burn up all our clothes. Then there are
Kate's books and pictures-they are
worth something. l have almost two
dollars saved up for hat in the fall.
Ny last years one viii do just as well.
Pm going to take out policy to-mor-
row"
And she did, and brought it home in
all the majesty Of its imposing head and
complicated verbiage. Mrs. Bland still
looked upon it as piece ofextrayagance
but Kate was quite impressed
@It seemed to sort of make the rooms
appear bigger and more comfortable,
Hetty," she said, holding the policy of
at arms length so as to take it all in at .
glance.
She asked leave to add it to her collec-
ton Of treasures-old books, mostly pa
per-cOyered novels that the purchasers
had read and tossed aside and which
Hetty had rescued and borne home to
Kate; advertising cards, calendars and
such other gratuitous picture-natters as
had come in the way Of the active sister,
who was always thinking of means to
tighten the hours for the helpless one
and Hetty was glad TO see pleasure 50
easily conferred, till she recollected that
a eonfagration might destroy this proof
that money could be made out of the
flames. She took the precious document
down to the store with her and persuad-
ed one of the book-keepers to tuck it
away in a corner ofhis safe.
The days went by.
Its too soon yet Hetty would say to
herself each night, as she lay wakefdl
after going to bed, thinking of that nine
teen dollars, of the pallor in Kates
cheexs. of the insurance policy made out
to Mrs. Elizabeth Brand, Of the lamp on
the end of the bureau Of the window cur
tain that was only three feet away.
When she got as far as this she always
shuddered and felt that she would never
do that which she had planned to DO
when she took out tnat fire insurance
policy. But the next day, when she
looked upon Kate's pallid cheeks and
noted her dropping spirits. she had the
battle TO fight all over again.
She had even gone so far as to plan
out exactly how the thing should seem
to have happened. She would manage
to break the lamp chimney then she
would be sure the window was open ,she
would choose a night when the wind was
from the west the end of the bu-
reau was very close to the window and
the curtain was very light. Twice now
the wind had been from the west, and
each time Hetty's courage had failed her.
And yet she felt that she was now
hardened, or the idea Of such wickedness
would never have occurred to her. SAe
did not attempt to justify the thing to
herself by arguing that Kate, not herself,
was to reap the benefit of it. She knew
it was sin. That she should realize
this and yet be willing to incur it was
part Of the service her great affection for
her sister impelled her to render,
The third night On which westerly
breeze was blowing fell st the close of a
day that had been particularly oppress-
i've in its heat hate seemed visably to
fade under it as flower shrivels up at
the touch of flame.
Before she went to bed Hetty saw that
there was good supply of water in all
the pitchers. She also took an illustrat-
ed edition of Pilgrims Progress" by
which she set great store, and placed it
on her bureau.
That will help to run up damages"
she told herself.
Her mother and Kate, in the other
room, had long since fallen asleep. Het-
ty had told them that she was going TO
read little. But as had been said, she
had placed the book on the bureau and
she sat there on the rocking chair staring
steadily at tire muslin curtains, which
the breeze was sending temp.ingly before
it into the room. All that was needed
now was the setting of the lamp a trihe
nearer the end of the bureau and the
breaking of that chimney. There might
never be such another opportunity and
the summer was drawing 70 close. She
would not be able to leave the window
open much longer.
Once she got up and deliberately turn
ed her chair around. Il would not DO
for her to face the impending catastro-
phe. But she sat down again without
placing the lamp nearer that h1ttering
curtain.
She gazed now at the water pitcher
standing in the wash bowl on the other
side of the room. she kept telling her
self that she must be sure 10 retain her
presence of mind SO as not to let the
contlagration get beyon her control.
The girl shivered Us her fancy con-
jured up the vision of what might be in
case it should, in that crowded building.
And thus she came to look at the thing
from a new side.
suppose" she asked herself, 81 were
some other person, Ellen Riggs, for in
stance, in the room across the hall? Sup
pose should be told that another girl,
Hetty Brand, was-Was thinking Of do
ing the thing tina; is in my mind? What
would my opinion Of her be-"
Hetty suddenly covered her face with
her hands as though to hide from herself
the spectacle of such depravity. She be-
gan to rock to and fro in the agony of
her struggle with temptation.
Presently she grew calmer. She rested
her head against the back of the chair
gripped tight on the two arms With her
hands. II seemed as though she was de-
termined to hold herself by main force
from yielding.
She sat long in this attitude. At last
she began to grow sleepy, but she was
afraid to get up and prepare for bed. II
would be sueh very simple matter,
when she was standing near the bureau
to alter the position of that lamp.
The breeze was growing stronger. She
could feel it on the back of her neck. But
she was very tired; she could scarcely
keep her eyes open now. She shut them