The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1878-06-27

Don't hurt him !-oh, don't hurt
him = said Hilda. ITS only my thin.
BILE. He stole it, so ran after him.
Here it ie,' said Erasmus, handing
her the thimble; he dismissed the
monkey, with an unseen kick to its
owner.
sOh, thank your replied IIilda,
shyly. She walked away as soon as
she said it, aud did not look to see
whether Erasmus went or stald, but
all the same he felt a joyful sense that
ice was broken.
And so it was; for common graft
tnde compelled Hilda into recogni
ton after that, and forced her to bow
in return for the low bend and the
raised hat with which Erasmus met
her. Even father would say l must.'
was her secret reflection. Common
politeness made her linger to ex-
change few civil words when this
obliging nelghbor leaned over the
fence to admire the garden or the SUM-
set. Gradually, as her shyness wore
away. these lingerings grew longer.
Now and again she ventured to raise
her eyes, and Erasmus met their full
blue gaze. These fragmentary inter
views held food for thought for long
hours. Every moment, every sylla-
Bile, was dwelt upon and dreamed
over. Little as had been said, it
seemed that they had said much and
there was always the delightful un-
certainty at what moment she might
drift that side of the garden again,
might glance upward, might speak.
Time seemed made up of Hilda moth.
ing else was worth considering; and
yet the sum of these important con-
versations, had all his words and all
her words been written down, could
easily have been condensed on half q
sheet OF note.paper. OF such stuff are
loves made!
| Sundays became noteworthy days
just then to Erasmus. He had fallen
into careless habits about church GO
ing, but now morning and afternoon
and evening found him in devout at
tendance at the Moravian chapel.
where, armed with a ponderous hymn
book, he sat and studied the back of
Hilda's hat and shawl-Hilda, who
meyer turned her head. His seat, had
he known, occupied the precise spot
where. in days gone by, Madam Wes-
son had been wont to sit for long
hours every evening, and play Pa
ticnce' with her general. Dear me!
what energies of patience it required
for Erasmus to keep still, while Pas
tor Lubke slowly plodded through his
fourthlies and fifthlies. his predicates
and deductions, and Hilda never turn
ed her head! But a lover will endure
much. No trace of his inward impa-
tience was suffered to mar his out.
ward quietude, and he won golden
opinions from the old ladies of the
congregation, who pronounced him q
most sober and godly young man.
Erasmus hoped that the echo of this
flattering opinion might reach Hilda's
father and soften his heart but such
did not seem the case. Even when
he sought out the pastor to consult
him on a disputed point of theology,
it did no apparent good. Papa Lubke
listened, replied, confuted him on all
sides. and dismissed him grimly and
triumphly, his cause not advanced one
inch. All his little ingratiating ways
seemed thrown away. The pastor,
wise as the serpent, however harmless
he might be, refused TO be ingratiated,
and Erasmus felt himself foiled.
Grown desperate at last, he ventur-
ed on bold step.
4 wish could make your sisters'
acquaintance he said to Hilda over
the fence. DO you think / might
call upon them some evening ?
sOh, no! please DON'T responded
Hilda, frankly. Then coloring deep
ly, she added: sDon't think me rude.
You are very kind to wish to come,
but my father would not like it. He
|
with strangers. We never visit any
where, and nobody eyer visits u.s.
But that is dreadful, broke in Eras.
niue. why shouldn't you know peo-
pie, and they ought to know you.
You're too sweet-all of you, l mean,
to be cooped in so. It's outrageous
It's cruel! It's doing the world an in.
Justice! l never heard of such q
thing!'
sOh, don't talk like that, please
don't, cried IIilda. 'And l must say
good night-indeedI must : and away
she ran. Erasmus watched her go
with rage in his heart.
4 declare.' he groaned, she is like
girl in fairy tale, held fast by some
old witch SO that no one can get at
herr He went to bed that night quite
downheartsd. But next day, his
courage restored, he again attacked
Hilda, as she accidentally strayed in
the twilight toward the spot where he
stood leaning over the fence.
L say, Miss Hilda,' audaciously
sI've been thinking oyer what you said
last night, and I'm certain you must
be mistaken. About your father,
mean. He's too wise man-l'm sure
he h--to want to shut you all up tor
ever, and keep you from making
!, friends, Why, how could you do
ouvtbinu ;f ho 1i1-Uet rnarriol fo,
instance?'
'Ob!' cried Hilda, what vivid
! blush, we don't think about that
Aud father does feel just as l told
, YOU" asf.-4...
But-please-why not think abou