The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-05-30
VOLUME XI.

ANNVtN pun NNk'At III kNANAN' AAAAAN
not have called her very pretty. but
Erasmus learned to think her so-and IN
fact girl must be plain indeed not 70
look pretty in the picturesque frame
work oi an old garden, lvy-huug and
bosky, with glrnts of sunshine and dusks
ol shadow. Erasmus watched her htt
in and out and 10 and fro, her veil ot
haxen hair blown by the wind, her plant
figure in it's plain black frock looking
slender as a tairy's, and presently, 10 hts
surprise, he found himself IN love with
Hi.da. He had not meant it, but how
could it be helped A Young mans fancy
is easily caught. and most easily Of all
when, rs in this case, he is lying On his
oars for a while, and has not much to do.
Had Hilda noticed him? He could
not tell. She had never given a look, SO
( far rs he could detect. nor had her sis
ters. But good deal can be seen with
ont looking. and il is SO little in the
course Of human nature that seven girls,
with fourteen ewes between them. should
nor see Young man who sits NJ WIN
dow and gaEes ont at them all day, with
only fence between, that am inclined
% think they did.
Meanwhile, though he knew their
names and was familiar with their habits,
Erasmus had never exchanged word
with his new neighbors. 1t was not
from want of inclination but he was a
modest fellow, and truly he did not
know how TO begin. Pastor Luhke was
a " strict father. Be sober, be Wig
( liant, was his motto He had no SYM
pathy with the frivolities Of youth,
among which frivolties, it was rumored,
Young men were econspicuOusly included.
Erasmus studied his stern, placid face
4 from behind the blind, and saw nothing
/ to encourage him there. Ard So, while
thus his "hopes beliei ms fears, his
fears his hopes belied. the days went
on. He made no progress, and might
I have made none for a much longer time,
had not Fate taken pity and sent her
messenger TO assist matters. That mes
senger was--a monkey
The monkey appertained TO a hand
organ, and the man who ground the
organ-and the monkey also, il is 10 be
feared-sent him in t. levy the custom
ary black-mAil on the Lubke sisters,
who, sitting on the doorstep, III the
pear-tree shade, were knitting stockings
Of the blue yarn spun by Sisters "
wheel. The sudden apparition Of the
diminutive messenger, III his red coat
ani cooked hat, startled the simple
family, whose lives heretofore had in
cluded few monkeys. They jumped up,
screamed Hilda dropped her thimble ;
Bena and Nalnul clung TO each other ;
even Sister" lost her presence Of
mind for moment. The monkey, en-
Z boldened by their evident fear, danced,
chattered, aud. suddenly pounclng upon
7 Hilda's thimble, ran across the garden
with it in his paws. Hilda pursued, but
the monkey ran fastest, and, scaling the
wall Rith great agility, would have got
( off with his prize, had not Erasmus. who
( had realized tue situation and hurried to
the rescue, caught him as he reached
the top aud held him tight.
"What shall do with hum 2 he asked,
grasping the scratching, biting prisoner
. firmly.
Don't hurt him oh, don't hurt
him - said Hilda. "It's only my thim-
bic. II you could get that away from
him. he stole it, so | ran after him. "
( Here it is, said Erasmus, handing
i her the thimble, he dismissed the mon
kew, with an unseen kick, to its owner.
"Oh, thank you - replied Hilda.
shvly. She walked away as soon as she
said it, and did not look 10 see whether
Erasmus went or staid, hut all the same
he felt joyful sense that the ice was
broken.
And so il was; for common gratitude
compelled Hilda into recognition 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 must, was her secret rehec'
ton. Common politeness made her
hnger TO exchange q few civil words
when this obliging neighbor leaned over
the fence to admire the garden or the
sunset. Gradually, as her shyness wore
away, these ingerings grew longer.
I Now and again she veutured to raise
her eyes, and Erasmus met their full
blue gaze. These fragmentarv inter
views held food for thought for long
hours. Every moment, every sylla lie,
was dwelt upon and dreamed over. Lit
tie as had been said, 1t seemed that they
had said much and there was always
the delightful uncertainty at what mo-
ment she might drift that side Of the
garden again, might glance upward,
might speak. Time seemed made mp OF
Hilda; nothing else was worth consider
ing; and yet the sum of these import
ant conversations, 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
( lovers made -
/ SUNDAYS became noteworthy days Just
then 20 Erasmus. He had fallen into
+ careless habits about church-going, but
now morning and afternoon and evening
found him in devout attendance at the
Moravian chapel, where, armed with 8
ponderous hymn-bOok, he sat and studl
ed the back of HlldA's hat and shaw
l-Hilda who never turned her head His
seat, had be known, occupied the pre-
else spot where, in days gone by, Madam
/ Wesson had been wont 70 sit for long
hours every evening, and play "Pati
ence" with her general. Dear me
what energies OF patience it required fol
Erasmus to keep still, while Pastor
I Lubke slowly plodded through his
/ fourthhes and fifthhes, his predicatei
and deductions, and Hilda never turned
T her head But lover viii endure much
No trace OF his inward impatience wa
suffered TO mar his outward quietude,
I and he won golden opinions from the ole
/ ladies of the congregation, who pro
nounced him n most sober and godly
Young man. Erasmus hoped that tho
echo OF this hattering opinion NIGH
reach Hilda's father and soften his heart
/ but such did not seem the case. Ever
when he sought out the pastor 70 con
sult.him on disputed point OF theology
it did no apparent good. Papa Lubk'
listened, replied, confuted him ON al
sides. and dismissed him grinly and tri
umphantly, his cause not advanced ont
inch. All his little ingratiating way
seemed thrown away. The pastor, Wis
as the serpent, however harmless h
might be, refused to be ingratiated, an'
Erasmus felt himself foiled.
Grown desperate at last, he ventureC
on bold step.
II wish I could make your sisters
acquaintance, he said to Hilda over th
fence. "Do you think might call up
on them some evening? ?"
"Oh moi please DON'T" responds
Hilda, frankly. Tfen coloring deeply
she added: "Don't think me rude. Yol
are very kind to wish to come, but m.
father would not like it. He does no
want us TO make acquaintance will
strangers. We never visit any where
and nobody ever visits us.
"But that is dreadful, broke in Eras