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

sober and cody young man. ERASMUS
hoped that the echo of this tlattering
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 disputed
: point of theology, it did no apparent
good. Papa Lubke listened, replied,
confuted him on al sides, and dismissed
him grimly and triumphantly, his cause
not advanced one inch. All his little in
GRADUATING 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 could make your sisters
acquaintance, he said to Hilda over the
fence. "Do you think I might call up
on 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
father would not like it. He does not
want us to make acquaintance with
strangers. We never visit anywhere.
and nobody ever visits u.s."
But that's dreadful, broke in Eras
mus. "Why shouldn't you know peo-
pleP 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! Inev-
er heard of such thing!"
"Oh, don't talk like that, please
DON'T" cried Hilda. "And must say
geod-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 re-
stored, he again attacked Hilda, as she
accidentally strayed in the twilight to-
ward 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 I'm certain you must be
mistaken. About your father, mean.
He's too wise man-I'm sure he is
to want to shut you all up forever, and
keep you from making friends. Why,
how could you do any thing if he did
get married, for instanceP"
"Oh!" cried Hilda, with a vivid blush,
"we don't think about that. And IA
Their does feel just as l told you"
"But--please-why not think about
that? It's exactly what 1 want you to
think about. It's what I'm thinking
about all the time. Shall 1 tell you why?
May tell you, Hilda9"
But Hilda had fled, in obedience to a
call from some upper window, and
Erasmus smote the fence wrathfully with
his fist.
"Confound it!' he muttered. "What
chance has fellow who has to make
love five feet off? never get near
enough to be heard, on account of this
old fence. I'll be hanged if stand
it any longer!" And he strobe into the
house.
Next day brought exciting news. His
patent was granted, and a manufacture
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 avoiding
him? She had not once come to that
side of the garden during the day. He
felt melancholy in spite of the realiza-
ton of his hopes, and in melancholy
mood strolled out to his customary walk
alongside the boundary fence, though
with little hope of seeing Hilda, for twi-
light had fallen, and she was rarely in
the garden at so late an hour.
Perplexed and unhappy, he fingered
and leaned, and presently, to his sur
prise, little sound, half sigh, half sob,
struck his ear. He bent over; dim,
crouching figure met his eyes. 1t was
Hilda, crying quietly, while pretending
to stake down struggling verbena in
the flower bed below.
"Miss Hilda!" exclaimed Erasmus, in
amaze. "This is too good fortune! l