Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-12-24
AN OLD.FASHIONED LOVE STORY.

shS SNPieseed u mat tne supper Snc nfu
taken so much pains TO prepared was
scarcely tasted by her, though the phil
osophical squire ate hearty enough after
his long riae, and kept telling his wife,
all the while, this and that the letter con-
tanned trying to console her, that the
wedding was very grand affair, they
had been married IN Church. and the
bride wore an elegant silk dress with
real lace, and such a long tran two or
three servants to carry it, and her flowers
and Ian, and when they came out OF the
Church, shower OF rice was thrown
after them, and 1t was all Just like a fairy
tale; and the name Hettie, what do you
think it is2' Her name, why MIS-.
Harry Fleming now she's married."
But She has name of her own of
course, your name is Mrs John Fleming,
but your own name is Hettie, and was
Hettie Warner once upon time, when
first knew you" MY name was las you
say Mehitable Warner,is hers any wor
than that2 No, guess not worse, but
we're used to Me hitable, though you're
never called by it," ''But nv maternal
grandmother was, and grandpa never
! called her Hettie, and in fact said I was
I undigniiied, he believed in long names,
Hezskiah Wetherspoon, think OF that for
a name"
Yes | confess 1t was dignifed, but you
| don't seem to care about the name of
fiarry's wife, however you can read 1t
| yourself now you've done crying, do
try and take little supper, no knowing
/ who'll be here yet TO night, and you've
| never opened the letters from Utica or
Newburgh, "Harry's wife's name" the
squire repeated slowly, us Honore
Marie Octavia de l. Orme." "Well that
beats all, can't think how she could
condescend TO unite her money and her
grand name, to one like Harry Fleming,
IN he does pant pictures"
/ The conversation was interrupted, the
| great iron knocker on the front door
! banged, and Dicks voice was heard call
I Ing to the horses, for he had heard the
I wheels crunchng in the snow, and Sally
opened the door, and the broad front
entry was full of people who looked like
snoN men and women, but Sally carried
their wraps oft into the kitchen, and soon
shaking hands and hearty welcoming was
| gong on in good earnest. and the guests
were brought into the warm living room,
and Mrs. Fleming forgot her trouble and
her letters in fixing supper for her visitors;
Vile the squire lighted the pine knots on
uie parlor hre, and then he remembered
the candles, and brought them out Of
the capaclous pocket OF his great coat,
and when Mrs. Fleming came in later,
the room ablaze with light and the rehec-
ton on the walls hung with pictures OF
Harry's amateur paintings, reminded her
OF the unread letter and her recent tears.
supper over the guests were ushered in
I TO the best room" as Squire Fleming
i insisted upon calling it though really it
;. was very much OF parlor for country
house.
After seeing the company comfortably
seated III the arm chairs and rockers,
Mrs. Fleming excused herself aud went
TO see to the sleeping apartments and
while showing Sally how to fix extra
bedding and SO on, she bethought her
self OF the letters, and went down stairs
to the desk, which stood in the corner of
the long living room, where they always
sat together except on high days and
holidays, and took all their meals; there
lay the letters on the open desk, two I'M
opened, one from the girls away at school,
(Eunice and Abigail always called Abbie)
and one from Collins, the younger son
at the university, they were all right
neither OF them coming home for Christ
mas. and the letters were loving epstles,
and she gathered courage by reading
them to finish Harrys letter Il
wouldn't mind 1t so much after all" ''she
said to herself by way Of comfort" ''ii
it wasn't for Rachel, and then she broke
down again, looking up she caught sight
OF herself i'll the glass, and soliloquized,
dear me how old am growing, my hair
is getting gray, and my eyes are dull and
sunken. and O, my, the wrinkles, must
try to brighten up bit how long I've
been here and all those visitors. and only
Ohm to entertain them; what will they
Think"
Just then the clock struck midnight,
and she could hear the merry voices call
ing out the Christmas greetings, and John
came calling, "Hettie where are you2'
aud before she could answer, he kissed
her on both cheeks. and brought her into
the best room, and then there was more
cheering, and at last they quieted down
and sang and talked OF old times, when
they were all young foran hour or more,
and then Sally and Dick were called in,
and the prayers were said in the old
orthodox way, standing behind the chairs,
and the company were shown to the cosy
bedrooms up stairs, and entered to prim
beds, with downy pillows and home.
made flannel sheets Hettie and Iohn
Fleming sat by the freight with the
shadows fitting about them and resting
on the pictures on the walls, and talked
of Harry's marriage and OF the children
away from home, and the years they had
passed at the old homestead. and the
many changes; and the Squire turning to
his wife as though TO conclude, said
"We've been so happy here and no
great sorrow has come TO darken our
lives, twould be wrong to indulge IN ILL
feeling about Harry's marriage cheer up,
and make the best of it, we must make
an effort TO have our visitors enjoy them
selves, they've come so tar through the
cold to see US, and brother Ben and his
wife have never been here for years, nor
cousin Joseph either, and the girls and
boys will be delighted TO see the farm
and have lool; around il the storm sub
sides, by tomorrow; they're used 10 the
city, and it'll all be new to them; fine
young folks they SEEM"
"Yes, John know we have much &c
be grateful for audyet can't help feeling
hurt, we thought il would be so different
and for our eldest son to disappoint u:
so it is not a good example for the others
, and it has been too sudden fear, marry
in haste and repent at leisure is the ole
; adage, but its true generally.
1--WE mustn't expect too much in this
world, life is full OF changes, and the fac
says, truly I'm afraid in your case.
"For d.sappoiniment's not the Thing