Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1885-01-03


One might as well be happy while one
could. And who wouldn't have been
happy blssfully, radIantly, diVmely
happy with that dear Old Danube waltz
thrODDIug on the perlumed air, with his
dear arms around one, his tender ewes
smiling; his breath waving the tufts of
shining b6iE, his lips Whispering the
dearest and sweetest love words ever lis
tened to by mortal Woman2 Ah-if it
could only last forever If they could but
float on and Ou-if the music would
never cease-if there was no past-no fu-
Iure-lf there was nothing but music,
and Hal and herself-if life could only
end while one was happy-if-and the
/ waltz ended, and she raised her ewes TO
I his W3th a smile and a sigh.
/ Come, sweetheart, It is almost time
/ Tor me TO 90. Say goodbye 20 me In the
i dear old library" and she let him lead
/ her away though she knew that her
/ mother was watching with angry ewes.
/ And in the library she clung to him and
/ promised TO be true to him and wait for
/ him, no matter what happened. Then
] with fOndest words and tenderest Kisses
I he left her, for he must catch the train
I that was to bear him lover the hills and
| far away" to where he might win fame
and fortune, before coming back to claim
/ her from her naughty mother. and she
ran to her room, bathed her tear-Wet face
and hid the traces with velvet powder
! before rejOining her mothers guests.
/ The music was so sad, the people said
such silly things. Why did her mother
! persist IN always having a Dall on Christ
mas night? Would they never 90? And
! after they were gone she went to her
own room to cry her heart out. But that
did no good, for even after all her tears
! were she'd her heart was 50 heavy that
/ she could hardly smile. The days were
so long, and the months dragged slowly
by. And her mother would not allow
! her to stay at home. She must 90 to
operas, balls and dinners, and accept the
u attentions Of men who were OdiOus to
her. even though they were rich, and
most of them young and handsome.
What was life TO her without her hand
some Hal? How could she enjoy dane
ing and music while he was working his
life out for her? She would never waltz
the dear old Danube till he came back
at any rate they could not compel her to
do that. And so she Obeyed her mother
and danced and sang, but the would not
obey so far as to encourage the attentions
of any Of the men selected by her mother.
even thought one persistentsuitOrr rejected
by the daughter appealed to the mother.
and Mrs. HaughtOn, hattered and pleased
with the idea Of seeing her only daughter
the wife Of so wealthy and prominent g
4 man, gave Hilda no peace day nor night
Onlya mother knows how to nag a daugh.
ter on to almost any desperate deed, and
Hilda's life became one long and never
ceasing torment, having no leaven Ol
comfort in it except the knowledge that
1t could not last forever, for Hal would
come and take her away.
Mrs. HaughtOn allowed no cOrrespOn
\ ! dence between her daughter and Ha
: Chester. Hilda was entirely too lovely
to be thrown away on q poor man, even
though he was the son of an old friend
who had lost his whole fortune by the
dishonesty of his partner.
Thus Hilda lived on. Sometimes hel
| courage almost gave way, and she fel
/ anything would be better than the life
5 she led, but her love for Hal saved hel
. trom yielding to her mothers persua
siOns and her own despair.
X
+ 81 Hal had. been gone for nearly fou,
fiyears, and 1t was drawing. on to Christ
mas and her mothers annual ball. Sh,
entered heartily into the preparations
her heart seemed light, and laughte
n and song came from the smiling lips
Her mother congratulated herself tina
/ HiIda was coming to her senses at last
/. and forgetting her schoolgirl penchan
= for Hal Chester.
: But ali, moi Hilda's thoughts were al
+, of Hal, for on that Christmas night al
81 most four years ago. had he not prOmlset
to dance the Danube waltz with herr
to come back to herin four years2 VIII
9 wouldn't sing the old songs when b
I would SO soon be asking for them An
> he would never leave her again, fer sh
had resolved to marry him, let him b
, poor as he might be, her mother shOul
q not influence her now. Why, her hear
! kept singing Hal, Hal" from mOrnin
J till night, and her first waking and las
Z sleeping thought was of him. She wa
+ proud Of her beauty, because 1T WOul
proved.
She dreamed of the happy future tha
+ was to be passed with him, and whe
! she saw smiling wives and husband
: with their children around them. sh
, blushed as she thought how blessed sh
, would be with Halls children in he
{ arms.
; She felt as though she trod on air, q
: though the world was made for and BE
+ to love each other in, and that every hJ
I, man being, every living thing, must shar
Z and rejoice in her happiness. Life wa
! golden to her and her lCVeliness beCam
: almost radiant. Love beauties all WI
I'll men and Hilda was utterly absorbed
( her love. for Hal.
The days passed on and Christina
( night, had come Hilda was among he
: mothers guests, happy, smiling, lovely
: dressed as nearly as fashion would ALLOW
/ / like the Hilda OF sfOur years ago. "A
. day she had been in a state Of nerVOu
: expectancy, but now she stood with
= halfeager, half waiting expression i
u her lovely eyes. Hal was in the city, 6
, much she had learned from a friend, an
! now she had but to wait little Whil'
4 but ali this little while, this last hoU
: vas longer than the past four years.
n She went into the front room WheI
y HeI HlOInSI was +~