HETTY’S RED GOWN.

“ How could it ’a’ rolled off them bags ’n’ things?” said Mr. Prior. “I see
you put it on ’em safe.”

Hetty thought of Ann, but it was impossible to believe she would commit so
bold a theft. She could not bring herself to suggest it to her parents.

They inspected the packages again, and Mr. Prior went back over the road
for some distance to look for the lost article.

Hetty had no heart to tell her mother of the different purchase she had
made. Mrs. Prior had seemed on the point of speaking of some agreeable
matter, but withheld it to condole with Hetty.

“ Wal, I do declare!” exclaimed Mr. Prior, at sight of the tears on Hetty’s
cheeks — an unusual thing, for she had much self-control —“if the child ain’t
a-takin’ on bad. S’pose I don’t realize how much her mind was sot on that
gown.”

“Come, git into the wagon,” he added, “an’ T’ll drive ye back to town ’n’
git your hair shingled. It’s the next best thing, I s’pose.”

“Yes, she shall, mother,” he said, with a laugh
at the woman’s exclamation of “I never!” “If it
takes my last cent, she shall, an’ if she comes out with
her head lookin’ like the field after I’ve fired it over
in the spring.”

Hetty needed no second bidding, but came out
drying her tears and smiling.

“We'll keep an eye for the bundle,” said her
father; but Hetty felt certain that it would not be
found.

“‘ She don’t look so bad now, does she, mother ?”’ observed
Mr. Prior when they had returned, and Hetty took off her
sunbonnet.

“She looks reel prutty,” replied her mother, in
admiration.

When Hetty saw herself in the glass she was almost con-
soled for the loss of her gown. No one could think her old-
fashioned and singular now; she looked quite as well as the
village girls.

Two or three times Hetty set out to tell her mother
about the gray gown she had purchased instead of the red
one, but she had an ashamed feeling that her mother would think her tears
were partly on account of the sacrifice. She noticed Mrs. Prior hastily putting
away a box that looked suspiciously like one of Aunt Abigail Sage’s gifts.

When Hetty came down the next morning her mother said:

“T sot up late last night cutting you out a white apurn, an’ there’s a blue
ribbon to tie it with behind. I can make a fair-lookin’ gown for you out o-the

      

 
  
   
   
  

SSS

  

‘‘LAND 0” GOSHEN, HETTY!”?