The Starkville news. (Starkville, Miss.) 1902-1960, 1903-06-26
| THE REVOLT
| OF HETTY
By H. HERBERT MORTON
Copyright. 1905, by Daily Story Pub. Col
WHY had she let him go? Why, ol

A H1 had she let him go! why, Oh,
Wv WHY had she sent him from her
with hot words on both their tongues? l?
Many times had she asked both these
questions and many others of like pur-
port in the weary days and nights since
he went. The quarrel had been incon-
sequential-a mere matter of pique and
pride. He had tried in his grave, man
ly, serious way to patch it up-this she
had remembered many, many times
and she had stubbornly rebuffed him.
She loved him-had loved him before
the quarrel, during its progress and
ever since he had gone away. How
dearly she had never known until the
long, lonely months after his depar-
ture.
She had consoled herself at times
with the thought that his foolish jeal-
ousy had brought it on. But the COM
fort turned to thorns at the further
reflection that he was just the least bit
justified. and. after all. it was his great
love for her that made him jealous;
and after he had gone and she reviewed
it all dispassionately she admitted to
herself that she loved him all the more
because he.was jealous of her.
But it was all ancient history now.
He had faded from her life-had joined
the army, and was winning honors for
his reckless bravery in the Philippines.
while she had indeed fallen upon evil
days. Her mother dead, her step
father had been named as executor of
the will and her guardian, and lie had
set his heart upon her marriage with
Nathan Trumbull, for reasons not dis
tantly related 20 his own pocketbook.
Upon her indignant refusal to consider
the matter. she had been shown very
pointedly and conclusively that the
executor and guardian had full power
to divert the estate she had supposed
was hers and which her mother ntend-
ed should be hers, should she cross his
will in this matter of marriage. She
had become very angry, and had shown
fight, but after full investigation she
found that the stepfather's powers
were full and legal, and if she crossed
his wishes matrimonially she would be
a dependent upon his bounty, and size
knew full we'll that such dependence
meant only the street for her. Utterly
helpless by birth and training, she
knew she was not fitted to cope with
the world. She knew not which way
to turn or what to do. Oh, how she
yearned for the manly independence,
the aggressive resourcefulness of Hoyt
toadvise and comfort her. Oh. how she
would like to creep within his strong
arms and lay the burden of it all on his
broad shoulders. But that was all gone
now, and she must fight her own bat
ties alone. There was no alternative
but old Nathan or squalid existence
in store or factory. From both she
sarank with equal dread.
And so she temporized and lived on,
her heart a great stone in her breast,
dumbly waiting and praying for
something to turn up" But nothing
turned up, of course. Nothing ever
does turn up in real life to save discon-
solate maidens, and the final stormy
scene arrived. Her stepfather sum-
moned her one day,t his library.
Harriet" he said, in those thin, dis
tinct. chilling tones she knew so we'll
the tone that always had crushed her
mother into submission, sit is time we
came to a definite understanding AS
YOU are aware, Mr.. Nathan Trumbull
has done you the honor-the honor"
he repeated, sharply, as he observed the
look of contempt upon her face, "to
ask for your hand in marriage. He is
a gentleman of wealth and standing in
the community, and your marriage
with him will abs olutely assure your fu-
ture. Your foolish sentiment and
prejudice has led you to treat him in
a most impudent manner. He is not
the kind of a man to be dangled at the
apron strings of capricious mink.
approve of the match thoroughly. Your
decision cannot be longer delayed.
expect him here this afternoon-for
your final answer. My adviceJ is most
emphatic that you accept him. The de-
cision. however, is il your own hands.
1 desire to say. however. that should
YOU refuse him, cannot further charge
myself with your support; nor will I
feel justified in turning over to you
any part of the estate left in my hands
in trust for you when you are married
81 accordance with my approval. The
trust is a sacred one, and l can only
terminate it when you marry some
person whom I feel competent to ham
die your estate"
The Dirl had listened with paling