St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1878-05-10

him. He stole it, so ran after him."
"Here it is" said Erasmus; and hand
ing her the thimble, he dismissed the
monkey, with an unseen kick, to its
owner.
''Oh, thank you !" replied Hilda, shy
ly. She walked away as soon as she
said it, and did not look to see whether
Erasmus went OF staid, but all the same
he felt joyful sense that the ice was
broken.
And so it 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 that must," was her
secret reflection. Common politeness
made her linger to exchange 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 lingerings
grew longer. Now and again she ven
tured to raise her eyes, and Erasmus
met their full blue gaze. These frag
mentary interviews held food of thought
for long hours. Every movement, every
syllable, was dwelt upon and dreamed
over. Little as had been said, it seemed
that they had said much and there
was always the delightful uncertainty
at what moment she might drift that
side of the garden again, might glance
upward, might speak. Time seemed
made up of Hilda nothing else was
worth considering; and yet the sum of
these important conversations, had all
his words and all her words been written
down, could easily have been condensed
on half sheet of nOte-paper. Of such
stuff are lovers made!
Sundays became noteworthy days
just then to Erasmus. He had fallen
into careless habits about church going,
but now morning and afternoon and
evening found him in devout attend
ance 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 never turned
her head. His seat, had he known, oc-
cupied the precise spot where, in days
gone by, Madame Wesson had been wont
to sit for long hours every evening, and
play "Patience" with her general. Dear
me! what energies of patience it re
quired for Erasmus to keep still, while
Pastor Lubke slowly plodded through
his fourthlies and tifthlies, his predi-
Gates and deductions, and Hilda never
turned her head But a lover will en-
dure much. No trace of his inward
impatience was suffered to mar his out
ward quietude, and he won golden opin-
ions from the old ladies of the cOngre-
cation, who pronounced him a 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 triumphantly, his cause
not advanced one inch. All his little
ingratiating ways seemed thrown away.
The pastor, wise as the serpent, how
ever harmless he might be, refused to
be ingratiated, and Erasmus felt him
self foiled.
Grown desperate at last, he ventured
on bold step
81 wish l could make your sisters
acquaintance" he said to Hilda over
the fence. ''Do you think l might call
upon them some EVENING""
"Oh no! please DON'T" responded
Hilda, frankly. Then coloring deeply,
she added, Don't think me rude. You
are very kind to wish to come, but my
want us to make acquaintance with
strangers. We never visit any where,
and nobody ever visits u.s."
Il, ., f,,l
mus. "Why shouldn't you know peo-
pleR You ought to know people, and
they ought to know you. You're too
sweet-all of you, mean to be cooped
in so. It's outrageous It's cruel It's
doing the world an injustice {! never
heard of such thing !"
''Oh, don't talk like that, please
DON'T" cried Hilda. "And L must say
good-night-indeed 1 must )" and away
she ran. Erasmus watched her go with
rage in his heart.
81 DECLARE" he groaned, "she's like a
girl in fairy tale, held fast by some
old witch so that no one can get at her."
He went to bed that night quite down.
hearted. 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.
81 say, Miss Hilda," audaciously,
''I've been thinking over what you said
last night, and Pm certain you must be
mistaken. About your father, / mean.
He's too wise a man-Fm sure he is-to
want to shut you all up forever, and
keep you from making friends. Why,
how could you do anything if he did
get married, for instance ?"
"Oh! !" cried Hilda, with vivid
blush, ''we don't think about that. And
father does feel just as | told you"
"But-please-why not think about
that? It's exactly what 1 want you to
think about. It's what Pm thinking
about all the time. Shall l tell you
why? May l tell you, Hilda 2"
But Hilda had fled, in obedience to a
call from some upper window, and
Erasmus smote the fence wrathfully
with his fist.
chance has fellow who has to make
love five feet OFF, | never can get near
enough to be heard on account of this
old fence. I'll be hanged if L stand
it any longer J" And he strobe into the
house.
Next day brought exciting news. His
patent was granted, and manufactur-
ing firm in New York, with whom he
had been in treaty pending this result,
wrote to offer handsome sum for the
control of it. But what were air brakes,
royalties" and ten per cents to him
just then, with Hilda evidently avoid
ing him She had not once come to
that side of the garden during the day.
He felt melancholy in spite of the real