Bertha's Christmas Vision: An Autumn SheafAlger, Horatio, Jr.
General
Bertha's Christmas Vision: An Autumn Sheaf
Alger, Horatio, Jr.
Children's poetry, American; Children's stories, American
Miss Hetty went on preparing the table for dinner. A most delightful odor
issued from the oven; one door of which was open, lest the turkey should
overdo. Miss Hetty could not help observing the wistful glance cast by
the little girl towards the tempting dish as she placed it on the table.
“Poor little creature!” thought she. “I suppose it is a long time since
she has had a good dinner.”
Then the thought struck her, “Here I am alone to eat all this. There is
quite enough for half a dozen. How much these poor people would relish
it!”
By this time the table was arranged.
“Sir,” said she, turning to the traveller, “you look as if you were
hungry as well as cold. If you and your little daughter would like to
sit up, I should be happy to have you.”
“Thank you, madam!” was the grateful reply. “We are hungry, and shall be
much indebted to your kindness.”
It was rather a novel situation for Miss Hetty,—sitting at the head of
the table, dispensing food to others beside herself. There was something
rather agreeable about it.
“Will you have some of the dressing, little girl? I have to call you
that; for I don’t know your name,” she added, in an inquiring tone.
“Her name is Henrietta; but I generally call her Hetty,” said the
traveller.
“What!” said Miss Hetty, dropping the spoon in surprise.
“She was named after a very dear friend of mine,” said he, sighing.
“May I ask,” said Miss Hetty, with excusable curiosity, “the name of
this friend? I begin to feel quite an interest in your little girl,” she
added, half apologetically.
“Her name is Henrietta Henderson,” said the stranger.
“Why, that is my name!” ejaculated Miss Hetty.
“And she was named after you,” said the stranger, composedly.
“Why, who in the world are you?” she asked, her heart beginning to beat
unwontedly fast.
“Then you don’t remember me?” said he, rising, and looking steadily at
Miss Hetty. “Yet you knew me well in bygone days,—none better. At one
time, it was thought you would join your destiny to mine——”
“Nick Anderson!” said Miss Hetty, rising in confusion.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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