San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1878-05-25

I in the course of human nature that sew
en- girls, with fourteen eyes between
them, should not see young man wht
sits at a'window and gazes out at then
all day, with only fence between, tina
am inclined to think they did.
Meanwhile, though he knew theil
names and was familiar with their hab
its, Erasmus had never exchanged {
word with his new neighbors. 1t was
not from want of inclination; but he
was modest fellow, and truly he die
not know how to begin. Pastor Lubke
was a " strict" father. "Be sober, be
vigilant," was his motto. He had nc
sympathy with the frivoliites of youth,
among which frivolities, it was rumor-
ed, young men were conspicuously in
cluded. Erasmus studied his stern,
placid face from behind the blind, and
saw nothing to encourage him there.
And so, while thus his hopes belied his
fears, his fears his hopes belied," the
days went on. He made no progress,
and light have made none for a much
longer time, had not Fate taken pity
and sent her messenger to assist mat
tiers. That messenger was-a monkey!
The monkey appertained to hand
organ, and the man who ground the or
gan-and the monkey also, it is to be
feared-sent him in to levy the CUSTOM
airy black-mail on the Lubke sisters,
who, sitting on the doorstep, in the
pear-tree shade, were knitting stockings
of the blue yarn spun by Sisters"
wheel. The sudden apparition of the
diminutive messenger, in his red coat
and cooked hat, startled the simple fam
lily, whose lives heretofore had included
few monkeys. They jumped up, scream
ed; Hilda dropped her thimble; Bena
and Naunul chung to each other; even
" Sister," lost her presence of mind for
a moment. The monkey, emboldened
by their evident fear, danced, chatter
cred, and, suddenly bouncing on Hilda's
ran across the garden with it
in his paws. Hilda pursued, but the
ran fastest, and, scaling the
wall with wonderful agility, would have
got off with his prize, had not Erasmus,
who had realized the situation and hur-
ried to the rescue, caught him as he
reached the top and held him tight.
"What shall do with himp" he ask
ed, grasping the scratching, biting prs
oner firmly.
"Don't hurt him!-oh, don't hurt
him!" said Hilda. ''It's only my thin
BILE. If you could get that away from
aim. He stole ii, so l ran after him"
"Here it isl said Erasmus; and,
her the thimble, he dismissed
,he monkey, with an unseen kick, to its
owner.
"Oh, thank you'll" replied Hilda, shy
". She walked away as soon as she
said it, and did not look to see whether
Erasmus went or staid, but all the same
he felt joyful sense that the ice was
broken.
And so it was; for common gratitude
Hilda into recognition after
hat, and forced her to bow in return
or the low bend and the raised hat with
which Erasmus met her. "Even father
would say that l must" was her secret
'ehection. Common politeness made
Ter linger to exchange few civil words
when this obliging neighbor leaned over
he fence to admire the garden or the
Gradually, as her shyness wore
away, these lingerings grew longer.
Now and again she ventured to raise
Ter eyes, and Erasmus met their full
'lue gaze. These fragmentary inter-
Jews held food of thought for long
hours. Every movement, every syllable,
vas dwelt upon and dreamed over. Lit
lie as had been said, it seemed that they
lad said much; and there was always
he delightful uncertainty at what mo-
nent she might drift that side of the
GARDEN again, might glance upward,
night speak. Time seemed made up
# Hilda; nothing else was worth con-
idering; and yet the sum of these i'm
'ortant conversations, had all his words
nd all her words been written down,
ould easily have been condensed on half
sheet of note-paper. Of such stuff are
overs made
Sundays became noteworthy days just
hen to Erasmus. He had fallen into .
areless habits about church-going, but !
ow morning and afternoon and even