Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1905-06-29
Author of "In Love and Truth

she ran down the roadway to the
fence, sprang over the stile and went
hastily In the direction of the pasture,
where the cows, unaccustomed to such
irregularity, had assembled at the
gates, believing low plaintive calls for
release.
Breathless and painting, Hetty let
down the bars and, picking up a stick,
proceeded to urge the cattle to
greater rate of speed than was usually
necessary. If her mother had return
ed unexpectedly she was lost! Fright
ened at the thought, she gave the last
COW in the line sharp prod with the
stick, who, not accustomed to such
rough treatment, looked back at her
reproachfully, then galloped awkward
ly ahead of the others. The COWS once
In the barn, II was a matter of few
moments to collect the pals and stool
for milking
Other evenings Hetty sat down to
this occupation cheerfully, usually sing
ing lightly to the accompaniment Of
the soft sound of the milk streaming
into the pail, but tonight the task was
distasteful to her. She took her seat
with a jerk and exclaimed irritably
when the COW, in order to brush fly
from it's back, whisked its tail across
her face. Keep still, thou old beldam
cowl Dost think l want mine eyes
scratched out o. my headF'
Although under the sklllful manipu-
lations of her hands the pals filled rap
idly, Hetty's thoughts were not upon
her occupation, but We're over the
meadows at the Maryland farmhouse,
with La Fabienne and Margaret. The
poetical and romantic vein that ran
deep in this girls nature had been
touched by the afternoons entertain.
ment The handsome dress of Sir God
frey and his gallant bearing, combined
with the exquisite beauty of Margaret
in her soft flowing gown of white linen,
caused Hetty's little heart to ache with
sympathetic yearning.
'.Was ever seen such bonny pair O
! lovers?', she thought. "Such trust, such
evidence of love in every action! All
ackaday. woe is me-"
She sighed hopelessly.
mo lover more gallant than a Puri-
tan farmer, and instead of lutte a
milk bucketY
at last, her task finished, she carried
the heavy pals to the dairy.
'Methought Sir Godfrey regarded LIE
with a pleasant gaze" she said to her.
self as she rested on a churn near the
door.
Then as a sudden thought seemed tc
strike her she raised her face quickly
her eyes beaming with brightness.
"An had had the rose- : = Eair
| and had worn my new lace tucker,
mayhap he would ha' admired me
more" she said CAS- it's, perchance, he
| might speak o. me to a comrade high
| In favor at the French court who would
| fall in love with his descrintiol and
! come bravelY here to Woo me-"
| The thought was so pleasant to the
| imaginative, romantic soul of little
Hetty that, forgetting to pour the milk
| into the pans and set them away fol
the cream to rise, she sat on the edge
of the churn, her head resting against
the wall, lost in her rosy hued day
| dreams With her hand in her imagina
ry lovers, who wore n suit of ligh1
| blue velvet trimmed with silver braid
ing, she was just making a low eour
tesy before the king of France wher
| her illusions were roughly dispelled by
the loud, hearty voice of Simon Kemp
| ster, who having seen his adored Het
| ty enter the dairy, followed in hel
| wake to have chat with her. From
the excessive heat and the exercise Of
carrying a sack OF potatoes long dis
| tance Simon's face was red and per
| spring; his rough suit Of homespun
| unbuttoned at the throat, soiled ant
| shabby, hung loosely on his sturdy fig
| ure, and his broad farming hat made
| Of reeds was torn and broken at the
| edges. He laid down the sack and en-
| tered
Startled from her brilliant dreams
I by simon's appearance, Hetty's
| thoughts fed from the court of the
| king of France and fastened them
| selves upon matters of the present, the
most important of which were the full
milk pals. Springing Off the churn and
returning Simons pleased grin with al
| absent smile of greeting, she proceeded
to fill the row Of pewter pans with the
white foaming milk.
Tanning himself with his broken hat
| Simon watched her from his place al
the door with admiring eyes. 1t oc-
| Cured to him that Hetty had never be
fore looked so pretty. The red color ir
| her cheeks had heightened; her eyes
| were brighter; she held her little head
higher, and in his estimation went
about her homely task in the same
manner as would have queen. Look
ing at her white throat, he thought OF
| the silver heart lying on her fair bosom
that he had given her and that she had
received with so much pleasure - q
| sweet secret safe between him and
| Hetty-and his honest heart gave q
| great throb.
Stepping to her side, he asked her fol
a mug of milk. Hetty's pleasant after
| noon and her consequent happy day
J dreams had left her In sort Of an up
| lifted state. She wished good fortune
| to all and gave Simon the refreshment
| he demanded, with a smile of happi
| ness.
poor Simon" she thought as she
carried the first full pan to the but
terry. What kind friend he hath
| ever been to me. There's many lone
4 iy hour 1 would ha' spent without him.
| When my lord doth come and 1 ride
away l shall not forget Simon. Hap
| pen anon may have influence to have
\ him made lackey at the court"
Returning for another pan, with her
heart and mind full of her good inten-
| tions, Hetty bestowed q more than or
| dinary sweet glance Of esteem and
| kindly feeling upon her visitor, whose
| heart, always full Of love for her, ached
now to bursting with fancled encour-
agement Only when wearing his new
| churchgoing black suit, he thought, had
she ever given him kinder glances; so,
| regardless of his untidy appearance,
| he clasped the astonished Hetty in his
arms, and. thoughts that for months
had been filling his mind now took the
| form of words and sprang from his lips
| in sentences expressing his passionate
| love for her.
art gone daft, Simon? Ha' done,
tell thee"' she cried in angry surprise,
! struggling to free herself from his
strong embrace.
"Hetty, say the word" he entreated.
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