American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1879-04-19


civil to the mother of beautiful daugh-
ter. And Mrs. Wiese proved to be
charming on her own account-literally
charming, with the unhackneyed and
fresh cheerfuInsss of child. She had
a "primrose face''-a phrase l like to
borrow from Owen Meredith to describe
a certain type of face that never entirely
loses its youth-with ready smiles, and
changing color, and clear eyes, and, In
her case, sunny chestnut hair (the col
oring should be bright. An electric
spark was struck between Douglass and
herself. She liked young men in de-
lightful, motherly way, that always bore
in mind her own half-grown boys. And
young men invariably liked her. She
talked frankly to Douglass among 9TH
er things, about her husbands delicate
health and failing sight. Douglass hal
made a specially of diseases of the eye,
and lent an intelligent interest. He
said he should be honored if Mrs. Wiese
would permit him to call upon herself
and her husband; he did not add,
"and your daughter" although at that
very moment his gaze was resting on
the calm young Perssphone in the next
room, who, still idly twirling her snowy
daffodil, was talking to the pasteboard
Duke
Later in the evening Douglass fell in
again with Mrs. De Lettante. "They
tell me-" he said, indicating Hilda,
"that that beautiful child is destined for
the stage. l confess am sorry to hear
it,
"She has gift. To my thinking, 1t
belongs to the world"
''And so she will dim her loneliness
behind the footlights, and lose the
bloom of her reticenos and modesty."
"Not necessarily. An ordinary wom-
an might. An artist is impersonal: her
own identity is completely merged.
Happy she! Most women's lives stag
nate for want of an outlet" And Mrs.
De Lettante sighed.
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
Hilda were more delightful than ever,
and Douglass sat on q stiff cane bottom
ed chair on carpetless floor, and his
heart sung within him. 1t was all SO
unconstrained and bright and pleasant.
The father was q musician, q composer,
an organist; now, in his feeble condi.
ton of body, very querulous and irrita-
BILE. But Douglass conceived a hope
that he should be able to do something
for his eyes. Mr.. Wiese was German
by birth; he had never learned to mas
ter his wife's mother-tongus. But he
was exceedingly voluble in his own
broken gutturals. He never wearied OF
pouring his complaints into Douglass's
ears. And Douglass listened with ex-
enplary parliamentary, intersection
Hiida'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
at 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
1t seemed to him now that he had never
known before what was genine ambi
ton. He grew feverish with impa'
thence. He was poor mani he could
barely support himself. If he should
support wife, it must be in the sim
plest, plainest way. Would Hilda b.
willingP In marrying, Hilda would b'
called upon to make more special sac
rifices than most women make wher
they marry. He almost feared that she
would never like him well enough t
make these sacrifices for him.
He knew that Hilda was meanwhile
studying hard, preparing for her ardu
GUS profession. Besides, she was Civ
ing lessons in elocution. Poor ittl,
thingl How he longed to work fol
them bothi
He was with her constantly; after 6
while, every evening. Those delicious
spring days suggested country rambles
boating any thing which furnished al
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 sht
simply delighted in life because il
brought Douglass to her at the end of the
long day.
Those days were shared almost as in
variably with M. De Bonne Fortune
He had followed up his acquaintance a.
vigorously as had Douglass, appearing
at the Wieses' dingy little house behint
a pair of superb black steeds in gold
mounted harness. He whirled Hilda of
in this snowy equipage one fine day
Her father stood in the little doorway
looking after them, shading his infiamee
eyes with his hand. "He is in luf mi
Hilda, can see dat" he said to hi
wife. "rt will pc a good ting for u.
alle."
Mrs. Wiese's bright face clouded
Her own choice for her daughter woult
be different one. Nor had she failed
to notice the lighting up of Hilda's fact
when Douglass came and went.
Mr.. Wiese was right. M. De Bonn'
Fortune had fallen in love with Hilda
1t was nothing to him who she was, who
her people were. She would be allow
criticism as the Duchess de Bonnie For
tune. He determined to marry he
from the outset. He considered j