The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-04-17

"Not necessarily. An ordinary woman
own identity is completely merged.
Happy She! Most women's lives stag
nate for want of an outlet"
Douglass carried out his intention of
calling upon the Wieses, and found them
| living in house very small, very shabby
and forlorn, in the suburbs of the town.
However, Mrs. Wiese and I1ilda' were
more delightful than ever, and Douglass
sat on stiff cane-bottomed chair on a
carpetless floor, and his heart sung with
in him. 1t was all so unconstrained and
bright and pleasant. The father was
musician, a composer, an organist; now,
in his feeble condition of body, very
querulous and irritable. But Douglass
to do something for his eyes. Mr.. Wiese
was German by birth; he had never
learned to master his wife's mother
tongue. But he was exceedingly volu
BILE in his own broken cultural. He
never wearied of pouring his complaints
into Douglass ears. And Douglass
listened with exemplary patience-nay,
interest-for Hilda's sake
Yes, for Hilda's sake. 1t had come to
that. He had yielded to sentimental
fancy at first sight. now, at second and
third sight, he had fallen in love des-
perately, with an absorbing energy
which colored his whole nature, impart-
ing sinew and muscle to his ambition.
It seemed to him now that he had never
known before what was genuine ambi-
ton. He grew feverish with impatience.
He was a poor man; he could barely
support himself. If he should sup
port a wife, tit must be in the simplest,
plainest way. Would Hilda be willing?
In marrying, Hilda would be called upon
to make more special sacrifices than most
women make when they marry. He al
most feared that she would never like
him well enough to make these sacrifices
for him.
He knew that Hilda was meanwhile
studying hard, preparing for her arduous
profession. Besides, she was giving les.
sons in elocution. Poor little thing
How he longed to work for them both!
He was with her constantly; after a
while, every evening. Those delicious
spring days suggested country rambles,
boating-anything which furnished an
excuse for being together. AS for Hilda,
she dared not stop to realize how happy
she was in this constant companion
ship. She dared not realize that she
simply delighted in lite because it
brought Douglass to herat the end of the
long days, t....
Those days were shared almost as in
variably with M. DE Bonne Fortune.
He had followed up his acquaintance as
vigorously as had Douglass, appearing
at the Wieses' dingy little house behind
pair of superb black steeds in gold
mounted harness. He whirlcd Hilda off
in this snowy equipage one fine day.
Her father stood in the little doorway
looking after them, shading his inflamed
eyes with his hand. He is in luf NIT
IIilda, | can see dat" he said to his wife.
at will pc u goot ting for us ale"
Mrs Wiese's bright face clouded. Her
own choice for her daughter would be a
different one. Nor had she failed to no.
tice the lighting up of Hilda's face when
Douglass came and went.
, Mr.. Wiese was right. M. De BonnC
Fortune had fallen in love with Hilda.
1t was nothing to him who she was,
who her people were. She would be
| above criticism as the Duchess de Bonne
Fortune. He determined to marry heI
, from the outset. He considered it hardly
probable that the facts that he was vel,
low and wizened and lame, and Hilda's
l senior by certainly fifteen or twenty
5 years, would weigh in the balance
: against the advantages of his title ano
his wealth.
Nor did they when it came to the
= point. 1t seemed to her that it was hel
!: duty to accept him. Her father had sale
l as much to her from time to time during
= the weeks that the dukes black chargers
swept his glittering chariot to and from
town. Moreover, the duke made hi.
offer to the father in the first place, anC
. the father in repeating it urged the sui
t in every way.
!. "He has promise to settle an Indecent
G ent fortune on you," Mr.. Wiese urged
INIT dat you can do vat you choose
: And he vii set Oscar up in business vel
: he has finish school next year. 1t vii p
s a great ting for us all, Hildachen."
i "Yes," Hilda said, II suppose it will
i will marry him, father;" and havin!
given her consent, she felt as though sh
V had locked herself into prison.
:. That evening Douglass came. nj. d
d Bonne Fortune, who dined late in til
+ city, rarely spent an evening at tn
S Wieses', and it so happened that he ant
# Douglass had never met. Hilda felt lik
q traitor as she followed the young ma
d down to the boat-they had an engage
h ment to go rowing. The language c
n love is easy of Interpretation; she ha
= read it in his looks and in his voice
=, hundred times. Besides, she could inter
pret it by the key of her own feelings
). But she made up her mind that he shoul
II learn of her engagement from her ow
v lips. If he was panied, no one but hel
IS self should see his pain.
,r When she had told him, Douglas
d rowed on in silence for a while. Then b
said, Il have no doubt you have decide
Is wisely. The children of this world III
,e in their generation wiser than the chi
l. dren of light. You have my good wishe
,e of course; you resign some things-yor
" art"
d "Yes," she replied, wretchedly. "Bl
a a woman cannot always think of he
r SELF They rowed on in silence ft
> a another while. Presently she shivere
ly and suggested that they should retul
ID home. at is so cold on the water t,
in night Poor girl she was cold to Il
T. heart.
ic The tears stood in Mrs. Wiese's mot
I'd erly ewes, and there was n weight on Ii
e. heart, as heart and eyes both follow,
Us the young man as he strobe down q
s. road, having said farewell that nigl
II. He was the mate she would have chos
ng for Hilda, in spite of waiting, in spite
Ii poverty. Alas! she believed, she ieare
ss that Hilda did not care for M. DE Bon
he Fortune. She was taking up the unutt'
lie able cross of lovelcss life. She went
,se her daughter on the spur of that conv
elf ton, but Hilda put her away with a &C
nd kiss. Dear mamma, let it be as ha
ry decided. 1t is best. / am not like yo
he have not the same necessity for loyin!
| u ,s,tx re In