The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1878-06-18
for Erasmus to keep still, while Pastor
Lubke slowly plodded though his

and deductions, and Hllda never turned
her head! But lover will endure much.
No trace of his inward Impotence was
suffered to mar his outward quietude,
and he won golden opinions from the old
ladies of the congregation, who pro
nounced him most sober and godly
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 lis
tened, replied, confuted him on all sides,
and dismissed him grimly and triumph
antiy, his cause not advanced one inch.
All his little insrasiating 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 ventured
on a bold step.
II wish I could make your sisters
acquaintance" he said to Hilda over the
fence. "Do you think l might call
upon them some EVENING""
ooh 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 is DREADFUL" broke in Eras-
mus. why shouldn't you know peo.
pief You ought to know people, and
they ought to know you. You're too
sweet-all of you, l mean, to be cooped
III 80. It's outrageous! It's cruel! It's
doing the world an injustice! ] never
heard of such a thing"
ooh, don't talk like that, please
DON'T" cried Hilda. "And l must say
good night-indeed l must" and away
she ran. Erasmus watched her go with
rage in his heart.
~ 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.
i" l say, Miss Hilda," audaciously,
~ We been thinking over what you said
last night, and Pm certain you must be
mistaken. About your father, mem.
He's too wise man Pm 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?"
COIL" cried hilda, what vivid
blush, eve don't think about that.
And father does feel just as told you"
F." But-please-why not think about
that It's exactly what I want you to
think about. It's what l am thinking
about all the time. Shall | tell you
why? May ] tell you, Hilda%'
But Hilda had fled, in obedience to a
call from some upper window, and Eras-
mus smote the fence wrathfully with
his fist
"Confound tit he muttered. "What
chance has a 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?" And he strobe into the
house.
Next day brought exciting news. His
patent had been granted, and manu-
featuring firm in New York, with whom
he had been in treaty pending this re-
sult, wrote to offer a handsome sum for
the control of it. But what were air
brakes, royalties" and ten per cents
to him just then, with Hilda evidently
him? She had not once come
to that side Of the garden during the
day. He felt melancholy in spite of the
realization of his hopes, and in melan.
choly mood strolled out to his customary
walk alongside the boundary fence,
though with little hopes of seeing Hilda,
for twilight 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
| have so much to tell you'll"
ooh, you mustn't, II mustn't-we
mustn't talk any mere," replied Hilda,
lifting tear-stained face. cit isn't
rigat. 1t will never do"
Who says so?" with surprise.
"Sister. She says people will call me
Observation-Disclosures, and faith.
er will be angry-and-oh, indeed, !
Light-minded! Improper! Just
let me catch them! /" Numbered Erasmus
so far as one can be said to thunder
with voice lowered almost to whisper
!" Now listen to nae, dear-dearest Hilda.
! have great news to tell. My patent is
granted, my fortune as good as made.
Day after tomorrow I must go away"
A sob from below.
Are you sorrow to have me go
Dearest Hilda, are you sorry? If you
are, even the least tiny bit, let me have
the comfort of hearing you say so. Don't
you know that I love you, my darling;
l loved you from the first moment,
think-from the very day that you all
came to this old house. Could you
care for me, dearest7 Will you be my
wife,"
" Perhaps II could care" falterel
Hilda. But-my father doesn't"
" Now why should we talk of YOU
father?" broke in the impetuous lover
from overhead. EFF love you, anc
you-like me, all the fathers in the worlc
sha'n't stand between us. Ny way i.
all clear now, dear Hilda. 1 can make
you comfortable, and oh! won't try tt
make you happy? Just say Yes ane
the rest is easy. Only one word, deal
love -