The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-10-18


shake of the head.
Decidedly l do, mamma" answered Hilda.
" Towards the middle of May, trust to be able
to dispatch it, and by the end of the month
shall receive the price; so, on the first of June,
we will pack up all our little property, and en-
bark on board Captain Rs fast-sailing
sloop, which makes such rapid passages to
Halmstadt, and from there we will 20 the ten
or twelve miles by land. 1t is very disagreed,
BILE that the dear little place is not near the
sea! but we must put up with that; we must be
sure to be there to the day and hour; and am
delighted beforehand, when / think of papa's
pleasure at seeing US again. You have no idea
how much l mean to enjoy myself there, only
the mornings and evenings must have to nv.
self. Oh, mamma, you shall see how glorious
it all will bel"
But, Hilda what in Heavens name has
come to you? never saw you so full of spirit"
cried Mrs. Borgenskold, who could not help
smiling at Hilda's gayety; ~ hope, my dear
child, you may not be disappointed"
And just exactly because my dear mother
will take such a gloomy view of affair" said
Hilda, earnestly, ~ wish to draw pleasant,
laughing pictures Of our future; and if God
wills it, hope all will go WE'LL"
/ would / had somewhat of your light and
happy spirit, my child, sighed Mrs. Bergen
SKIOLD. "Aye, much l wish it, but the Profes
sor's harshness is ever in my mind. he could
have helped your father, but"-
"But, dear mamma" said Hilda, finishing
warned papa that he would ruin himself by en-
gaging in this matter; and told him, also, not
to calculate upon any assistance from him,
should he do so. remember very well, too,
that the Professor vowed, at the same time, that
if papa would not listen to his advice while
there was a possibility of safety, he would not
listen to him, nor the intercession of others for
him, in future. How can we, then, reproach
uncle? When papa believed his false friend
and became security for him, and thus lost his
property, we should have been totally ruined, if
papa had not, by the Professors means, OBJ
tanned the superintendence of the little proper
ty of Lindfors, in Smaaland. 1t is not much,
God knows; but papa can live upon it, and
and can only reach there, as his letters assure
US. Now we have the means to do this; and
so, dear mamma, there is no need to worry our
selves"
"Oh, my dear Hilda, you know not what a
weight is on my heart" said her mother, softly,
as she wiped away some silently -trickling tears.
"a heavy burden, child, for 1 am the one who
has brought this trouble and sorrow, from which
we all suffer, upon your fathers head for it
was solely on my account that the hostility be-
tween the brothers first arose."
How so, mamma, dear?" asked Hilda,
seating herself upon stool at her mother
| feet. "Tell me ell that troubles you. 1 would
so gladly share and soothe your every sorrow,
easier to endure when impaired to another"
"My own good child, you can do nothing
here" said her mother, with a sad SMILE
"This sorrow is older than yourself 1t is the
knowledge, which has pursued me for many q
long year, that your father, through his mar.
riage with me, poor girl of low station, has
been removed from quite another sphere of
life than that which the pressure of circum-
stances compelled him to occupy At the time
of which speak, your father was young ensign,
and the Professor his half brother, who was
several years his senior, had just retired from
public life, and settled down with considerable
property in our town OF H, and lived Who'll
ly retired with other society than that of
your father and his little nephew, Ferdinand.
whom he had already adopted as his own child
on the death of his parents At this time, your
papa became acquainted with me. was then
employed as seamstress, and he could not
bear to see the neglect to which | was exposed,
and resolved, in the thoughtfulness of YOUTH to
leave the army, marry ME, and live on the little
! property inherited from his mother. Oh, how
weak and selfish | was! / accepted his offer;
but loved Herman so fervently, and imagined
that my love would recompense him for every
sacrihce--e enough, he had not long to persuade
before gave my consent. The Professor was
furious He left no means untried to turn Her
man from his purpose, which he termed piece
OF folly - his reasonings were of no avail
Your father held to his resolution, and the
brothers parted in anger. Herman retired with
/ ank of liant nd ill.,
| ty little corner house which we were afterwards
obliged to sell. We settled in our selfconsti
tuted paradise, and lived happily with and for
each other-though not perfectly happy, for
will be candid with you. Herman often sighed
In silence, and was often tempted to regret his
over-hasty step, though his noble heart led him
to endeavor to conceal this from me. But how
could he possibly hide it long from the vigilant
eyes of an affectionate wife? We lived in con.
tlnual apprehension of iniuring each others
feelings, and were compelled to observe eau
tlous reserve in all our words-thus giving rise
to mutual relation which was unnatural and
could not be happy. Aside from that, we each
telt that we had not acted rightly, and we were
compelled to expiate our error by long years of
selfreproach.
AT your birth, my Hilda, your father, for
the first time since his marriage, visited the
Professor, and, with deep emotion. urged and
entreated him to forget the difference which
had continued whole year between them. and
to come to his home and bless his child. But
the Professor was memorable; he refused to
stand godfather to our child, or to have any
thing to do with US. Deeply hurt and humiii-
ated, my Herman returned, and grieved in 81
lence. Years passed away, and his only pleas
ure and employment was to work in the little
bit of ground we possessed in the vicinity of
the town. Here he spent his time and his
money. One day, taking our dinner with us,
we went there to enjoy the solitude, and to de-
light our eyes with the hopeful promises of an
abundant harvest, which was spread out before
US. Next to our little piece Of ground was a
meadow, which belonged to the Professor; and
200 only knows how it happened, but your
uncle had that very day made his old house,
Keeper and his servant pack up all the requi.
sues ior comfort and enjoyment, and, in com
ferdinand was bow, about twelve wears
old, and appeared full Of life and happiness.
AT 'hls period, my dear Hilda, you were little
nVe,years-oid futterer, springing from flower
10 mower, and, IN your efforts to catch the but.
ternies, mad strolled farther from nv watchful
eyes than L had intended, and it was not until
l was ABOUT preparing our repast that 1 first
missed you. Springing up in the greatest any
iety, ! fastened to look after nv darIing. Al
length, after searching long in vain. I ven.nred
to approach the hedge which separated our
garden from the meadow. looked Cautiously
through, and was on the point of screaming fo,
10y. l beheld you sitting upon the Professors
knee, playing with his long, gray hair, as con
tentedly as possible. l saw an evident expres
sion of benevolence and kindness in his ewes
and, without a moments thought, softly step
ned over the low HEDGE and went ouicklv mn -