The Washington herald., 1907-03-02
MARRYING HETTY OFF
BY JAMES LEWIS.

tan shoes, and talks the biggest words
you ever heard. He's "a hero even
II he hain't d millionaire. Don't say
nothing 10 Hetty / want TO take her
sudden Ike. ] didn't say nothing 10 him
about her and he'll be taken suddenly
When you see 'em standing UP TO be mar
ried you'll allow I know a thing or two
after all"
"I'H allow just as ! do now, that you
ought to be sent to an idiot asylum"
A day later the hero" came. Hetty
had been posted by her mother and wasn't
a bit surprised. Besides, having two
watchchains. the stranger had "a heap Of
nerve, and he wasn't asJonished. Farmer
Johnson made him one Of the family at
once, but the women folks were only
barely civil. II transpired after a couple
of days that Mr.. Meeker, as the wire
fence man called himself was actually a
hero. He had killed a mad dog and shot
at "a thief. As he slyly showed the farm
ar a so bin. there was no room 10 doubt
that he was a millionaire as well At the
end Of a week his job az Testers was I'm
shed, but he said he thought he would
take "A rest from his tremendous strug-
giles. so he had paid another weeks
board.
Didn't 1 tell YOU 500" whispered the
farmer in his wife's ear Il tell you he's
stuck on our Hetty. and If she gives him
half chance he's going TO propose to
her within a week. Just think OF having
a millionaire and hero for "A son-in-law,
could probably get the whole farm wire
fenced at half cost Can't We manage 10
leave him and Hetty together on the piaz-
u in the evening"
Couldn't you manage TO tend 10 your
own affairs IL you tried hard?' tartly re-
piled the wife. Samuel Johnson. l new
pr saw you acting up as you are now.
Are YOU going 10 break out with b0is
again?"
But you hain't doing anything and
Hetty haint doing anything, and so you
SEQ
4 don't see nothing, except that Hetty
wouldn't wipe her old shoes on no such
man as this Meeker"
You don't say SOL groaued the father.
What on earth can the gal WANT
'She wants 10 be let alone.
Mr.. Mecker stayed on for the third
week. There was no doubt In any mind
that be was seeking 70 make a favorable
impression. but AZ least two minds
doubted OF his ability. It was near the
end of the third week that Mrs. Johnson
saw Mr.. Watterson drive past the house
for the first time since the tiff. She
also saw that DE took notice Of things
cut of the corner of his eye and seemed
in no hurry to get out of sight She
knew that Hetty hadn't seen him. and
with a look OF childish innocence on her
face she waited ten minutes and then
said to the girl:
"Hetty, You remember that Mrs. Bas-
comb borrowed my best flatiron last week
and hasn't brought it back2 Don't you
want TO take a walk down there and bring
il home? Tell her that I didn't have a
quinsy sore throat, as 1 thought I was
going To have
Down there was three-quarters Of a
mile down to the next farmhouse Hetty
had dressed for the afternoon and looked
as sweet as peach. and as she set out
the mother ran upstairs to the garnet
window. from whence she could survey
every foot Of the road. After one glance
she hauled I'm her head and said:
Mr.. Watterson has turned around and
is coming back. and they are bound to
meet at the crabapple tree, Providence
will take care Of the rest"
She had not been downstairs ten min